Is unconditional election biblical?
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Decisional regeneration is the free-willer view that an unsaved person, who possesses a stony heart, must somehow squeeze faith and repentance from it, in order to receive a new heart that wants to love and please God.
Regeneration, in a Reformed context, is the conviction that God gives the unsaved person a heart of flesh to replace the stony heart, and receipt of this heart results in faith and repentance, and a new nature that wants to love and please God.
Decisional regenerationists focus on their decision and their "free will", while Reformed people focus on God's saving work of regeneration.
In fact, they continually focus on both themes more than just about anything else. I don't see any real concept of Soli Deo Gloria, or giving glory to God alone, in the vast majority of them. Instead, they are intent on their alleged libertarian free will choice.
Regeneration, in a Reformed context, is the conviction that God gives the unsaved person a heart of flesh to replace the stony heart, and receipt of this heart results in faith and repentance, and a new nature that wants to love and please God.
Decisional regenerationists focus on their decision and their "free will", while Reformed people focus on God's saving work of regeneration.
In fact, they continually focus on both themes more than just about anything else. I don't see any real concept of Soli Deo Gloria, or giving glory to God alone, in the vast majority of them. Instead, they are intent on their alleged libertarian free will choice.
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Well, I guess that would have to be your position because your god can't remember very well, nor does he know who ultimately will be saved 
Repentance is toward God, not toward another human. And if he repents of his sins toward God, he will be forgiven. Grace is unmerited, period.
So, asking me if a man repents to his wife doesn't sound coherent to me. Repentance is toward God. The wife may forgive her husband if he confesses it to her, though, and that forgiveness would be an act of grace.
The issue is what brings about repentance. In Reformed theology, it is through regeneration, or being given a heart of flesh that is capable of repentance and faith.
However, what I'm addressing is whether any aspect of being justified, or brought into a right relationship with God, comes from man himself. I think Ephesians 2:1-10 clearly addresses this. In the last few verses, Paul is clear to indicate that all aspects of salvation are given by God. Even faith and repentance are gifts.
Therefore, man can boast about NOTHING. And, even sanctification is caused by God, both in the willing and the doing.
Phil 2:12-13 12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Notice that the man is to work out the salvation he already possesses, not to work for his salvation.
It is the similar concept in Eph 2:10 regarding works that God has given the believer to do.
So, asking me if a man repents to his wife doesn't sound coherent to me. Repentance is toward God. The wife may forgive her husband if he confesses it to her, though, and that forgiveness would be an act of grace.
The issue is what brings about repentance. In Reformed theology, it is through regeneration, or being given a heart of flesh that is capable of repentance and faith.
However, what I'm addressing is whether any aspect of being justified, or brought into a right relationship with God, comes from man himself. I think Ephesians 2:1-10 clearly addresses this. In the last few verses, Paul is clear to indicate that all aspects of salvation are given by God. Even faith and repentance are gifts.
Therefore, man can boast about NOTHING. And, even sanctification is caused by God, both in the willing and the doing.
Phil 2:12-13 12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Notice that the man is to work out the salvation he already possesses, not to work for his salvation.
It is the similar concept in Eph 2:10 regarding works that God has given the believer to do.
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Firstly, God hasn't chosen to know all outcomes and decisions. He is unlimited and knows all things by his nature.
The idea that God chooses what to know and what not to know is some kind of open theism teaching from my understanding. It presupposes that God knows all, and then claims he forgets the things he doesn't want to know because knowing all things wouldn't fit with the open theist worldview.
Second, he not only knows all things but conforms them to his purpose.
You can start with Isaiah 46:9-10 and go to Ephesians 1, then visit Romans 8. Read Isaiah 40-55 as well. Isaiah didn't know about this anthropomorphic god of the open theists.
Additionally, we know God created all things, including time and space. He is transcendent, so he is above time and space. Therefore, if he is not limited by time and space, he knows what happens in every place at every time. And, he causes it to conform to his purpose.
He does not live life in sequence like human beings do, nor is he limited to a particular place at a particular time. He inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15).
The idea that God chooses what to know and what not to know is some kind of open theism teaching from my understanding. It presupposes that God knows all, and then claims he forgets the things he doesn't want to know because knowing all things wouldn't fit with the open theist worldview.
Second, he not only knows all things but conforms them to his purpose.
You can start with Isaiah 46:9-10 and go to Ephesians 1, then visit Romans 8. Read Isaiah 40-55 as well. Isaiah didn't know about this anthropomorphic god of the open theists.
Additionally, we know God created all things, including time and space. He is transcendent, so he is above time and space. Therefore, if he is not limited by time and space, he knows what happens in every place at every time. And, he causes it to conform to his purpose.
He does not live life in sequence like human beings do, nor is he limited to a particular place at a particular time. He inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15).
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God knew the end from the beginning and now we can too. Read Revelation, it tells us the end.
Most of what you said is human logic, if God is truly God then He must know...or He wouldn’t be God.
Ephesians 1?
When theologians don’t understand something in Scripture, they come up with a name to explain it away...anthropomorphism.
Most of what you said is human logic, if God is truly God then He must know...or He wouldn’t be God.
Ephesians 1?
When theologians don’t understand something in Scripture, they come up with a name to explain it away...anthropomorphism.
Keep trying to drag God down to your level..you end up with a man and not God by the time you get done with it. In fact, look in the mirror and you might see your god looking back at you.
Isaiah 46:9-10 is clear.
Additionally, anyone with a cursory understanding of types and shadows can see God's handiwork throughout the history of Scripture. It is absurd to limit God's foreknowledge.
Isaiah 46:9-10 is clear.
Additionally, anyone with a cursory understanding of types and shadows can see God's handiwork throughout the history of Scripture. It is absurd to limit God's foreknowledge.
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GOD put In men to know that there Is a GOD and the creation Itself declares to any one with common sense that there Is GOD and HE put In man the ability to reason /communicate to their bodies by giving men 5 sense knowledge or carnal knowledge that there bodies use to function with but when It comes to faith no one can come to GOD and not be repentant In TRUTH so then we ALL come to GOD repenting and then GOD does the rest for we are HIS workmanship created In CHRIST ,So then a change In nature Is not the same as a change In your will.A person's will changes because they learned the TRUTH and respond to that truth and then once GOD changes them their will ,will change.
I agree with the conditional part you spoke on but It's just the way you say It like GOD thinks the way a man thinks and Is not fair and we know that GOD IS ALMIGHTY and HE loves RIGHTEOUSNESS.
As far as your response on unconditional election no one can come to GOD and not be TRUE In repenting.,so then their response Would matter.Ithink you are getting tangled up trying to put GOD and man on the carnal level but you don't realize that you are doing that.
GOD's grace Is unconditional but man Is carnal and has to believe.That Is a condition that has to be met,am I right?
I agree with the conditional part you spoke on but It's just the way you say It like GOD thinks the way a man thinks and Is not fair and we know that GOD IS ALMIGHTY and HE loves RIGHTEOUSNESS.
As far as your response on unconditional election no one can come to GOD and not be TRUE In repenting.,so then their response Would matter.Ithink you are getting tangled up trying to put GOD and man on the carnal level but you don't realize that you are doing that.
GOD's grace Is unconditional but man Is carnal and has to believe.That Is a condition that has to be met,am I right?
By the way, I'd strongly suggest that anyone buying into this open theism/process theology view of God read Knowing God by JI Packer.
https://smile.amazon.com/Knowing-Go...t_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1572629230
If I haven't made it clear, I believe the god of open theism is an idol of man's imagination, made to be like him.
https://smile.amazon.com/Knowing-Go...t_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1572629230
If I haven't made it clear, I believe the god of open theism is an idol of man's imagination, made to be like him.
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I am not sure I understand all of your remarks.
Unconditional election means that Reformation theology does not believe God looks down the corridors of time and elects those who choose God based on their response. He knows what their response is going to be, because he regenerates them and this heart of flesh manifests the fruit of repentance and faith.
Conditional election is held by free-willers and claims that God elects those who choose him. In other words, God doesn't choose anyone at all; they choose themselves. They somehow dredge up faith and repentance from their stony hearts and as a result, God regenerates them.
In other words, in the unconditional election view, God saves whomever he elects to save. He can save anyone by simply regenerating them, no matter how wicked they are. Regeneration assures that the person will respond in faith and repentance.
In the conditional election view, regeneration is not needed to produce faith and repentance. The sinner can produce it himself, through the power of the remaining integrity of his stony heart. In fact, regeneration is a RESULT of his decision, not a cause of it.
Therefore, he has boasting rights before God, because he provided the ultimate decision out of his stony, fallen heart.
Unconditional election means that Reformation theology does not believe God looks down the corridors of time and elects those who choose God based on their response. He knows what their response is going to be, because he regenerates them and this heart of flesh manifests the fruit of repentance and faith.
Conditional election is held by free-willers and claims that God elects those who choose him. In other words, God doesn't choose anyone at all; they choose themselves. They somehow dredge up faith and repentance from their stony hearts and as a result, God regenerates them.
In other words, in the unconditional election view, God saves whomever he elects to save. He can save anyone by simply regenerating them, no matter how wicked they are. Regeneration assures that the person will respond in faith and repentance.
In the conditional election view, regeneration is not needed to produce faith and repentance. The sinner can produce it himself, through the power of the remaining integrity of his stony heart. In fact, regeneration is a RESULT of his decision, not a cause of it.
Therefore, he has boasting rights before God, because he provided the ultimate decision out of his stony, fallen heart.
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