Calvin did not invent the doctrines of grace

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
I never suggested that it wasn't grace. Neither did I suggest they didn't repent. I am suggesting that God took the initiative and sent a preacher. And that He did that so they would repent.
There were many more nations that He did not do so for.
When God moves, it is always with a purpose.
And God had every intention of destroying Nineveh as he said he would do. God changed his mind. That's scripture. Align with scripture or follow a RCC heretic.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
God does evil? I think not. You are a sheep. I think not. God uses many literary devices in the bible. He has done so purposefully.
Biblically, destruction is evil no matter who is doing the destroying. Sheep, as in...as sheep.

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
Do you think God planned to destroy them whether they repented or not?
God intended on destroying Nineveh. But God is also full of grace. If Nineveh repented, God would repent. See Jeremiah 18. This is the mind of God.

7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

God spoke concerning the city of Nineveh. Nineveh repented. God repented in return. Scripture is full of if...then...statements. Why? Because God has given man a choice when confronted with the word of God.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,138
30,285
113
God intended on destroying Nineveh. But God is also full of grace. If Nineveh repented, God would repent. See Jeremiah 18. This is the mind of God.

7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

God spoke concerning the city of Nineveh. Nineveh repented. God repented in return. Scripture is full of if...then...statements. Why? Because God has given man a choice when confronted with the word of God.
Exactly. So God did not exactly "change His mind," either.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
20,075
6,883
113
62
And God had every intention of destroying Nineveh as he said he would do. God changed his mind. That's scripture. Align with scripture or follow a RCC heretic.
First of all, the second is not an option for me. And I am aligned with scripture.
Your understanding requires God to change His mind. That's an impossibility. God cannot repent either. He merely turned away from judgment as He always does when there is repentance.
Your understanding has God acting outside of what is possible for Him. Why isn't that a problem for you?
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
20,075
6,883
113
62
Biblically, destruction is evil no matter who is doing the destroying. Sheep, as in...as sheep.

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Wow...God performs evil. Ummm...no.
My sheep hear my voice...not as my sheep hear my voice.
If you want to say the Bible is literal, don't pick and choose. Either get sheared annually and start eating grass, or admit that there's a little more to understanding the Bible than a simple reading of it.
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
3,884
645
113
And God had every intention of destroying Nineveh as he said he would do. God changed his mind. That's scripture. Align with scripture or follow a RCC heretic.
Where in the book of Jonah did God say that? Please post the verse.
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,674
113
God makes clear that He imputes righteousness to those who believe
the natural man, before he has been born again, (Eph 2:1-5), cannot, when he hears the gospel, respond positively because the gospel is about spiritual things that he cannot discern (1 Cor 2:14).
I do not believe 1 Cor 2:14 refers to the gospel. I believe 1 Cor 2:14 relates to deeper spiritual matters that Paul discussed among more mature believers in the church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

For the most part, Paul preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified to the believers in the church at Corinth. Jesus Christ and Him crucified refers to the gospel.

However, beginning at 1 Cor 2:6, Scripture tells us Paul also spoke to more mature believers concerning deeper spiritual matters:

1 Corinthians 2:

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [Greek teleios = mature; of full age]: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.


vs 6 – the wisdom which was discussed among the mature believers ... the gospel was taught in the general congregation (vss 1-2).

vs 7 – the wisdom of God in a mystery ... this wisdom was kept secret since the world began (Rom 16:25); and in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men (Eph 3:5); and from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God (Eph 3:9); and which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest (Col 1:26). Please understand, the gospel was never hid ... the gospel is proclaimed throughout all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

vs 8 – if the devil and his minions had known the mystery, the hidden wisdom, they never would have crucified the Lord Jesus Christ.

vs 9 – the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel).

vs 10 – the deep things of God go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel). The gospel is considered milk upon which the new believer (indeed, all believers) is to desire so that he/she may grow thereby ... the mystery, the hidden wisdom is (scripturally) considered to be strong meat.

vs 11 – the things of God which no man knoweth go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel).

vs 12 – the things that are freely given to us of God go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel).

vs 13 – things which the Holy Ghost teacheth go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel).

vs 14 – the things of the Spirit of God and specifically the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom go beyond the scope of Christ, and Him crucified (the gospel).




ForestGreenCook said:
The only way that the natural man can respond positively to spiritual things is after God, by his grace, quickens him to the new spiritual life, by exchanging his heart of stone with a fleshy heart, (2 Cor 3:3) (Ezl 11:9), that can be pricked to feel spiritual guilt (Eph 2:1-5) (Acts 2:37) (psalms 73:21) (acts 26:14).
I understand that is what you believe and it appears that what you are saying is that a person must be born again before he or she can believe the gospel by which a person is born again.

So you've got a person born again in order to be born again.

How many times must a person be born again before he or she is really, really, really, truly born again?
.
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,674
113
Faith is not a work but only if it is given to someone by God as a gift
:rolleyes: ... rogerg, just read Scripture as written by the Author and quit adding conditions to what God has written:

Romans 4:

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.


Clearly God does not consider faith to be works.

.
 
Feb 5, 2023
698
230
43
And God had every intention of destroying Nineveh as he said he would do. God changed his mind. That's scripture. Align with scripture or follow a RCC heretic.
I don't think you will make any headway here.
The Bible tells us God feels regret and changes his mind.

People that haven't read those scriptures will not be convinced by those who have.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
Where in the book of Jonah did God say that? Please post the verse.
Jonah 3
4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
Wow...God performs evil. Ummm...no.
My sheep hear my voice...not as my sheep hear my voice.
If you want to say the Bible is literal, don't pick and choose. Either get sheared annually and start eating grass, or admit that there's a little more to understanding the Bible than a simple reading of it.
Allow scripture to define evil, not the dictionary.🤦‍♂️
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
I don't think you will make any headway here.
The Bible tells us God feels regret and changes his mind.

People that haven't read those scriptures will not be convinced by those who have.
Because it goes directly against their man made theology.
 

brightfame52

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2020
6,468
591
113
And God had every intention of destroying Nineveh as he said he would do. God changed his mind. That's scripture. Align with scripture or follow a RCC heretic.
So then you would say God is mutable correct ?
 

brightfame52

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2020
6,468
591
113
renewed

I do not believe 1 Cor 2:14 refers to the gospel. I believe 1 Cor 2:14 relates to deeper spiritual matters that Paul discussed among more mature believers in the church at Corinth.
But you dead wrong, it does refers to the Gospel [Christ Crucified], that was Pauls main focus among them 1 Cor 2:1-2


And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,170
3,699
113
So then you would say God is mutable correct ?
Is he not? Did he once say, "Eye for an eye?" Did he change that to, "Turn the other cheek?" How about Hezekiah? God told Hezekiah that he was going to die. Hezekiah cried out to the Lord, and the Lord changed his mind and added 15 years to his life. If God cannot change the course of direction, why pray? Our God is reachable and touchable with our prayers. God has all authority to change his direction if he sees fit. God has other attributes than "Sovereignty," which btw, is nowhere found in the bible...not the way Calvin defines the term.
 

brightfame52

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2020
6,468
591
113
Is he not? Did he once say, "Eye for an eye?" Did he change that to, "Turn the other cheek?" How about Hezekiah? God told Hezekiah that he was going to die. Hezekiah cried out to the Lord, and the Lord changed his mind and added 15 years to his life. If God cannot change the course of direction, why pray? Our God is reachable and touchable with our prayers. God has all authority to change his direction if he sees fit. God has other attributes than "Sovereignty," which btw, is nowhere found in the bible...not the way Calvin defines the term.
Thats not good to think of God as mutable, when He is Immutable Mal 3:6

For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.