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NASB | John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 15:16 "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. |
Subject: Bad Arguments Against Calvinism |
Bible Note: Hello Tim, You make a good point about Calvinsim. How can a sovreign God, with the power to create the universe, raise the dead, and be able to "elect" who he wills to be saved, not be able to "elect" all of mankind? This is a question I have asked to Calvinists many many times. So, for the most part, I agree with you. There is one area which I disagree, slightly. That man freely chooses to accept God's gift. Here is where I differ in belief from both Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism makes one good, strong point, that man does not seek after God, and that God goes to mankind to save them. However, I disagree with the Calvinistic thought that when God reveals his grace to the elect, then the person "automatically chooses the grace of God"; to quote a calvinist friend of mine. I also disagree with the Calvinist thought that God saves only the elect and approaches only the elect for Salvation. I have come to view Salvation as a relationship between God and Man. For a relationship to be successful, both members of the relationship must be active in forming the relationship. I believe that God approaches each sinner with the opportunity to have a relationship with him. It is then up to the Sinner and God together to choose whether or not to continue with this relationship. Why do I believe that God goes to every sinner with this opportunity and not just to the elect? Well, primarily, it would be a violation of His own Law. The Law clearly teaches that each slave is given at least one chance in his/her life to be freed, at least one chance to clear the slate, as it were. For God to approach only the elect in salvation, then the remaining people who are enslaved to sin are being ignored, and left in bondage. Also, the Bible teaches that God cannot lie, or go against his revealed will, which is taught in the Law. I also believe that Mankind is not only dead in sin, but is in slavery to sin as well. Man, as is taught in both the Old and New Testaments, is comprised of three "parts or aspects": The Body, Spirit, and Soul. These three together are supposed to form one person. However, The Spirit is dead, as Jesus teaches in John 3, and needs to be made alive through Salvation. The Soul is in slavery, as Paul speaks of in Romans 6-8. The Body, or Flesh, merely follows the will of the Soul and Spirit, and is corrupted as a result. Salvation consists of the Spirit being born, the Soul set free, and the Body being cleansed. This is the only way in which I have been able to reconcile the Omniscience and Will of God in Salvation. Jesus Loves You! Jesusman |