Results 1 - 4 of 4
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Who determines our destiny? | NT general Archive 1 | GeneZ | 98482 | ||
John... You assumed something wrong about what I believe. You said.... "Where we still may disagree is on whether fallen man is capable (absent the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration) of having a desire that would be pleasing to God. I say he (fallen man) cannot." There is nothing in our flesh that can please God. Nothing. You said... "I believe them for one reason and one reason only: They agree with Scripture." They do not agree with Scripture. I am neither Arminian, nor TULIP. I do agree with most of the acrostic, but Beza (not Calvin) came up with that notion. The key is one of knowing what grace does. And, that the soul is not part of the flesh. I wish not to argue, but when someone makes a closed statement like you have ( " They agree with Scripture.") Then I see a preconceived wall erected prejudicially against any reasoning that may show the error to your dogma. I will discuss as long as you do not become rigid with me. If not, I will simply drop the subject with you. Are you willing to be shown that you can be wrong? That things are not as simple and black and white as you like them to be? You would be an exception to the rule if you agreed on my terms. It seems that a certain mind set has a natural affinity for Calvinism. I have found it, so far, to be a rigid one. To explain what I have to give, in order to show you how I see grace works in salvation, it will require avoiding being sidetracked by the usual cliches and conditioned responses. You must be willing to first hear me out and let me finish. Ask questions to clarify what I specifically said, if you wish. But, please do not have us wander off and ask me to explain (at that point) what a certain passage that you have come to accept and seems to contradict free will of man in salvation, means to me at that time. Let me first complete my understanding with you. When I finish, then you can give me such questions if you wish. If you can agree to that, then I will explain myself as to why Calvinism and Arminianism are both wrong. Almost everyone knows Calvinism and Arminianism. Both make no sense to the other. Both are attracted to by believers with an natural affinity for such reasoning. I am here to reveal something that neither reveal. Remember, you can question what I am saying and ask for clarification about what I am specifically speaking on. But, I will refuse at that point to get sidetracked into refuting TULIP dogma directly. For, I believe what I have to say will clear it up as I go along. Agree? Or, do we just move on? Grace and peace, Gene |
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2 | Who determines our destiny? | NT general Archive 1 | John Reformed | 98502 | ||
Dear Gene, I had believed the teachings of The RC church; New age craziness; pentacostalism and now calvinism. The last(calvinism) is a theology that I fought to discredit, but defeated by Scripture, I was made in the end to embrace. My history does not indicate a ridgid adherence to any particular system or denominational tradition. I am interested in one thing only, knowing God and His will for me. That having been said, I am staunch in my beliefs as long as I am fully persuaded of their Biblical foundation. I am not (I pray) intractable, but am willing to conform to God's Word when shown my error or mis-interpretation. My reliance is on the Holy Spirit and His grace in enlightenment. I do not believe that any system of theology or denominational tradition is perfect. My desire is to follow the example of the Bereans and have a Scriptural basis provided for all doctrines. At the same time, I am also pig-headed, stubborn and unwilling to embrace new ideas. I see these attitudes as vestiges of my old man. Nevertheless, in God's time and according to His eternal purpose, He has, from time to time, turned my feet to different paths. My sins are mine, my victories over sin are His. The pursuit of the knowledge of God comes by His invitation and the discovery of that knowledge is according to His good pleasure. John Reformed |
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3 | Who determines our destiny? | NT general Archive 1 | GeneZ | 98542 | ||
John... You said... " At the same time, I am also pig-headed, stubborn and unwilling to embrace new ideas. I see these attitudes as vestiges of my old man." Good. That's a start. Mind you, I have been corrected in essential areas over the years. That being for about 25 years now. I have gotten over the shock of discovering how wrong I was about what I was sure of. I was eventually shown to be aware of it when that type of confidence is made manifest, that I should learn to become wary of it and to recognize it. There is a confidence that comes from the Spirit... and one that comes from one's areas of strength in Adam. We all must learn to give up on their stubborness where we have it. Some will, some refuse. For some they refuse, because its a matter of survival to them. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." (Luke 9:24 niv) Stubborness if trying to be one's own savior. With that said... Please, respond to this in agreement to hear ALL I have to say before questioning (attacking) it, and I will show you what I have been shown in the Scripture. Drop the fear of being tricked by another's logic and maybe you'll find yourself less willing to try stubborness as a defence. If not, it will be like me trying to tell a Mary worshipper that Mary is not the mother of God. As you well know, they can be VERY stubborn about this matter. Reasoning will not reach them when they are stubborn. Grace and peace, Gene |
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4 | Who determines our destiny? | NT general Archive 1 | John Reformed | 98565 | ||
Dear Gene, In answer to my question regarding God's sovereign rule over His creation, you said “We determine in which direction our destiny will take. God determines the results of our choices.God has destined for us to choose. God determines the consequences for our choices." I can understand why you would believe this to be the case. I assume that you believe that fallen man has the ability to exercise a spiritual attribute…faith in Christ (free-willism). But can you provide a scriptural foundation that supports the view that the unregenerate have this capacity? The following is a nutshell definition of the “reformed” view concerning the spiritual condition of fallen man. Total Depravity (Total Inability) Total Depravity is probably the most misunderstood tenet of Calvinism. When Calvinists speak of humans as "totally depraved," they are making an extensive, rather than an intensive statement. The effect of the fall upon man is that sin has extended to every part of his personality -- his thinking, his emotions, and his will. Not necessarily that he is intensely sinful, but that sin has extended to his entire being. The unregenerate (unsaved) man is dead in his sins (Romans 5:12). Without the power of the Holy Spirit, the natural man is blind and deaf to the message of the gospel (Mark 4:11f). This is why Total Depravity has also been called "Total Inability." The man without a knowledge of God will never come to this knowledge without God's making him alive through Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). (www.reformed.org/calvinism/) I look forward to your response. John |
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