PREVENIENT GRACE: AN ARMINIAN ERROR
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Eph 2 .
11¶Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
11¶Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
I find it strange that the idea of God being pleased to save us through our faith in him is attacked . After all . Its Him . He decided it . That has always pleased him . Anyone reading the bible should notice that not Believing him / trusting him displeased God . So when people like Abraham and all those in Hebrews 11 . That chapter on Faith and how their faith . Yes their faith pleased God and they on the basis of Their Faith were saved . Thats not changed..Today its as we read in Acts 16.30 . He BELIEVED on the Lord Jesus Christ, and was saved . This is very simple. A child can simply hear the word Of God , which is quick and powerful and faith comes by hearing, and be saved .
¶Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
I'm not seeing your point. Were grafted in .
9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
I'm not seeing your point. Were grafted in .
Ephesians 2 (ESV)
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
The Gentiles / Ephraim were far off, Judah / the Jews were near, Christ is restoring the Gentiles / Ephraim and Judah / the Jews as one commonwealth of Israel, up and until the fulness of the Gentiles / Ephraim, at which time the Jews / Judah, will come out of their partial hardening, and become one with the Body of Christ, his Bride, the restored Israel.
Acts 1 (ESV)
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Romans 11 (ESV)
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; 27 "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
What do you mean? If you mean ' regeneration precedes faith then no thats unbiblical If you mean irresistible grace then no , that's unbiblical. If you mean prevenient grace ? Then no ,that's unbiblical ( Hence the op .
Grace is a ubiquitous reality, not a selective force. (Tit. 2:11-13)
Grace is just fine on it’s own as it’s found in scripture. Any modifier other than “free,” such as “sovereign,” “irresistible,” or “prevenient” indicate someone is either confused or attempting to confuse. (Rom. 3:24; 5:15; Jn. 1:16; Tit. 2:11-13)
Grace is a ubiquitous reality, not a selective force. (Tit. 2:11-13)
Grace is just fine on it’s own as it’s found in scripture. Any modifier other than “free,” such as “sovereign,” “irresistible,” or “prevenient” indicate someone is either confused or attempting to confuse. (Rom. 3:24; 5:15; Jn. 1:16; Tit. 2:11-13)
S
I think we agree. 
That is pretty much how I see it.
There is much in the scriptures about the darkness and blindness being a result of our choices. However, just like sickness or crisis, or tragedies of life there is not always a cause and effect that can be identified and some things are not revealed to us so that we must trust God even when it does not make logical or philosophical sense.
The danger of Calvinism vs Arminianism is the potential to fall into the trap of Job's friends trying to philosophize from a finite mind about the infinite mind of God.
Dr. Olson probably agrees with most of this that you wrote about our choices. He was probably trying to explain that our ability to have shame and desire change is in itself an act of Grace upon our hearts from God, and I agree with that also. As you probably know Roger Olson is not a Calvinist. He is also way smarter than me and I have found his writings worth reading especially some of his works on Pastoral Theology even though I can hardly comprehend it.
I thank God often that He granted me repentance so that I did not stay in my sins putting off the day of repentance for the future and continously risking waking up in hell in eternal regret.
That is pretty much how I see it.
There is much in the scriptures about the darkness and blindness being a result of our choices. However, just like sickness or crisis, or tragedies of life there is not always a cause and effect that can be identified and some things are not revealed to us so that we must trust God even when it does not make logical or philosophical sense.
The danger of Calvinism vs Arminianism is the potential to fall into the trap of Job's friends trying to philosophize from a finite mind about the infinite mind of God.
Dr. Olson probably agrees with most of this that you wrote about our choices. He was probably trying to explain that our ability to have shame and desire change is in itself an act of Grace upon our hearts from God, and I agree with that also. As you probably know Roger Olson is not a Calvinist. He is also way smarter than me and I have found his writings worth reading especially some of his works on Pastoral Theology even though I can hardly comprehend it.
I thank God often that He granted me repentance so that I did not stay in my sins putting off the day of repentance for the future and continously risking waking up in hell in eternal regret.
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