ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE

There is no "seeming contradiction" between God's sovereignty and mankind's free will, if you stick to what the Bible actually says and don't add assumptions derived from fallible human systematic theologies.

There are no paradoxical pairs of doctrines in the Bible. There may be paradoxical aka self-contradictory doctrines in human-generated systematic theologies. But that's because the systematics are incorrect in some way.

Are you able to explain why you think God's sovereignty and mankind's free will are seemingly contradictory? They don't appear so to me.

Maybe lay out the premises that lead you to your concept of God's sovereignty. And lay out the premises that lead you to your concept of human free will. Maybe there are some flawed premises in your reasoning?

You're from India-and man, can you chat and chitter-when I am asleep.
Tell you what-why don't you vie for mr. President where you are, or a lawyer-you are in the wrong vocation.
J.

Rather than majoring in ad hominems, could you try answering a question candidly? You make voluminous pronouncements but you are unwilling to cross-examined on them according to reason. That's a problematic habit for any person interested in learning more truth.

Ever read the book on how to do proper exegesis by Gordon D. Fee?

Johann believes it's his calling to have Calvinists accepted, because of the way there treated.

So hes basically doing his duty to get people to talk to Calvinists better.

On the basis that the Calvinist doctrine of predestination has valid points.


So basically what your engaging in with johann, is somebody defending something he only partially believes in.

I asked Johann which petal of TULIP he rejects. So far he has not rejected any of them. So, the evidence points to his being a five pointer perhaps pretending neutrality to get a better hearing for His ideas.

Well I dont know accurate that is.

He as asked many people if there a Calvinist.

That's normally something what a Calvinist wouldn't do.

He stated hes arguing the case for Calvinists.

It could be, he's trying to help people to love calvinists,

A lot of people do this believing it's they're duty to help people, treat people better.

Or they have a duty to help Christians from making enemies.

By accepting there views.

But anyhow, he should be wise enough to know that he's staring a hornets nest.

So perhaps he's being something he knows he shouldn't be.

But is willing to die for the cause.

I believe he's the jabber of all jabbers also lol.

The Rocky who keeps coming at you, and will take all your punches, untill you love like ye should lol 😋

Yeah I've looked into the 5 points of calvinism, just a few weeks ago.

I had never heard it until just a few weeks ago.

I did find errors.

But to be honest I thought the name calvinists up until a week's ago had something to do with a calvary chapel.

I didn't think it was linked to one person and one doctrine John Calvin.

how about unconditional election


Has that not be around a lot longer than John Calvin and tulip 🤔

IMO, Calvinism is the search for Biblical proof texts to justify reading the same philosophy as Manichaean Gnosticism into the Bible, with a twist that God is all powerful and could stop all evil if He wanted to, and He must have therefore planned and ordained all evil, but for some inscrutable good purpose.

Unfortunately the term calvinist is commandeered by individuals with such a broad range of beliefs that cherry-pick from Calvin that it has no real meaning, unless it were to be reserved for someone who 100% agrees with Calvin.

I get the impression I've been engaging with someone who sees Christian Chat as a ready made seminary where, without meeting challenges, he can lecture students and set them 5000 word assignments and grade their output to steer them towards accepting the propositions of exhaustive divine determinism and TULIP.

You are presupposing that Fee's book teaches how to do proper exegesis, rather than teaching how to do what Fee thinks is proper exegesis. I'm sure he would make some good points that agree with what common sense and an inductive approach to bible interpretation would lead to anyway. No, I haven't read that book. Apparently, one can read it but afterwards still not be able to formulate concise straightforward relevant answers to concise straightforward questions regarding biblical texts.

yeah it's a tricky one calvinism.

But I have noticed with some people saying there Calvinist, they where beautiful people.

Anyone can say there a Label, is what I'm saying, but are they actually that label 🤔

Well it could be he's a kind caring person at heart also.

I have kinda come to accept him myself,

I've made the mistake before of being prideful when it comes to challenging intellect.

He definitely has a high IQ, and he could be blessed by the lord also 😊

He has made a big effort to make friends also here.

People behave differently in different contexts. We certainly can't determine how a person lives out every facet of their life from interacting with their posts on theology in a public forum. But I think we can come to some reasonable deductions concerning how people posting here handle God's word and how open they are to critiquing their own theological opinions.

We can yes, and we can test the spirit.

I have tested him more than I would anyone normally.

Personaly bro I think it's time to accept him as brother would be my advice. 😊

Everyone is a brother or a sister. We are all sons and daughters of Adam. I feel no need to decide whether any poster here is a Christian or not. That's not my call.