Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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No its the Gospel and you saying that about it ? May God have mercy on you

Nowhere does GW say TULIP is the Gospel.
That idea is a figment of perverse imaginations.
God has already had mercy on me, and so I praise His love and righteousness that tulip demeans.
May you also become elect!
 
Tulip is the Gospel
I almost agree, but I wonder if it might be even more accurate to say that the doctrines represented by the acronym TULIP are a vital part of the gospel. The reason I say that is that Calvin's "5 Points" weren't intended as a complete statement of gospel truth, but as an answer to the previously-issued "Five Points of Arminianism. came across this at the website: https://reformationbiblecollege.org/blog/what-are-the-five-points-of-calvinism

"Before we look briefly at the meaning of these five doctrines, it is important to make a couple of preliminary comments. First, and probably most importantly, we need to be aware that these five points merely summarize one particular aspect of Reformed theology, namely, its response to the Arminian controversy. If by “Calvinism” we mean Reformed theology, then “Calvinism” includes far more than five points. The complete “points” of Reformed theology are found in Reformed confessions such as the Westminster Confession of Faith. The Westminster Confession of Faith contains 33 chapters, and each of those chapters has multiple points of doctrine. The five points of Calvinism are part of that larger system of Reformed theology."
 
I almost agree, but I wonder if it might be even more accurate to say that the doctrines represented by the acronym TULIP are a vital part of the gospel.
Thats fine, as long as its recognized those doctrines are fundamental to Gospel teaching.

So please realize when you say a vital part of the Gospel, that's saying:

"an essential or indispensable component required"
 
Thats fine, as long as its recognized those doctrines are fundamental to Gospel teaching.

So please realize when you say a vital part of the Gospel, that's saying:

"an essential or indispensable component required"
Yes, I agree with that. I just meant that the 5 Points represent by the acronym TULIP were not intended by Calvin himself as a complete statement of the gospel. Thanks.
 
Nowhere does the scripture say Tulip is not the Gospel for all that matter if you want to go by sound bites

The entirety of Scripture indicates that TULIP is not the Gospel.
Y'all are the ones who prefer proof-texts!

Shall we conduct a systematic study of Romans for starters?
 
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Hey Dave when you get a chance read this and let me know what you think please:

Thanks. I've only skimmed through is so far, but it looks good from what I have seen. Like the writer, I don't like referring to myself as a "Calvinist," because, as he says, it so easily gives the impression that we follow a man. Also, I agree with his words, "Calvinism is the Gospel. Its outstanding doctrines are simply the truths that make up the Gospel." Particularly pertinent are his words: "It is more, much more, than a set of doctrines, and certainly much more than five points of doctrine." Thanks again.
 
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MERE-CALVINISM

Due to the fall, God decreed for all men to be born innately unable ( :rolleyes: ) to willingly believe the gospel unless they were unconditionally chosen before creation and at some point in their lives irresistibly graced by a miraculous work of God changing their will so that they would certainly believe the gospel.

In short, no individual has any meaningful responsibility as to whether or not he goes to heaven or hell.
It was a decision made for him before he was even created.
(Soteriology 101)
 
MERE-CALVINISM

Due to the fall, God decreed for all men to be born innately unable ( :rolleyes: ) to willingly believe the gospel unless they were unconditionally chosen before creation and at some point in their lives irresistibly graced by a miraculous work of God changing their will so that they would certainly believe the gospel.

In short, no individual has any meaningful responsibility as to whether or not he goes to heaven or hell.
It was a decision made for him before he was even created.
(Soteriology 101)
God purposed that the non elect go to hell justly for their sins.
 
Of course we have Free Will, its the cornerstone of God's ability to give eternal life, we can choose to be bondage to sin/evil/Satan, which leads to everlasting torment via separation from God, or to heed an all knowing, loving God, where we follow His will/ways, which leads us into life eternal, where we will be given the TRUST to make OUR OWN DECISIONS, God does not want us to be Computer Programmed Bots, He wants us to be TRAINED UP into a thought process where we ALWAYS MAKE the proper decisions, and therefore He can always trust us via a loving trusting relationship. A computer programed being is not a real being.
My Bible says the natural man can neither receive nor comprehend the spiritual things of God, that
he is hostile in his mind toward God, opposed to the spiritual things of God, a lover of darkness,
defined as darkness itself, a slave to sin who refuses to come into the light. That none are good and
good fruit cannot come from a bad tree... man being as incapable of changing his incurably wicked
heart is as a leopard is of changing their spots and the Ethiopian the color of their skin. Some of us
thank God for Jesus Christ Who set us free... we give glory to God, rather than contradicting and
denying plainly spoken Scripture verses, or rewriting the very words of Jesus Christ Himself.
 
fruituntodeath.png

Flesh serves the law of sin. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. Nothing good lives in my flesh. Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one! The flesh brings forth fruit unto death. Romans 7 v 25, Galatians 5 v 17, Romans 7 v 18, Proverbs 20 v 9, Job 14 v 4, Romans 7 v 5 (Romans 8 v 13 and James 1 v 15)
 
Actually the entirety of scripture indicates that TULIP is the Gospel

Okay, let's see what Romans says about TULIP for starters.
Here is the first installment:

1. Romans 1:16 says the Gospel reveals that salvation/election (s/e) is for “everyone who believes”, both Jew and Gentile.

2. Romans 1:17 describes s/e as “righteousness from God” that is by faith “from first to last” or from creation until the end.

3. Romans 2:4 teaches that God’s kindness or patience with sinners is meant to lead them toward repentance, which implies that sinners are able to repent because of God’s leading.

4. Romans 2:5 warns that those who do not repent but instead stubbornly resist God’s leading are storing up wrath against themselves for the day when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed, which implies that God enables sinners to repent–or not (cf. Deut. 30:19).

5. Romans 2:6 affirms what is called karma by saying that “God will give to each person according to what he has done”, which (in Gal. 6:7-9) is called reaping what a person sows.

6. Romans 2:7 speaks of the need for “persistence in doing good” and seeking glory, honor and immortality in order to receive s/e or eternal life, which echoes what Jesus commanded (in Matt. 7:7) and connects with the doctrine of perseverance (cf. Heb. 10:36 & Jam. 1:3-4).

7. Romans 2:11 teaches that “God does not show favoritism” (cf. Eph. 6:9, Col. 3:25, 1Pet. 1:17), which is how God judges people justly, so the fact that some sinners ignore God’s Gospel indicates that His will or leading is resistible because of MFW.

8. Romans 2:15 teaches that sinful souls have a conscience or awareness of “the requirements of the law”, which may be combined with Romans 1:20 to teach that God’s power and moral nature or will may be perceived via creation and conscience (called natural revelation), thus those unfamiliar with God’s Word in Scripture have no good reason for resisting divine leading and choosing atheism/evil.

9. Romans 3:20-21 states the law makes souls conscious of sin and that “the Law and Prophets testify” or prepare the way for the new revelation of righteousness from God apart from the Law, which takes up where Romans 1:17 left off.

10. Romans 3:22a says that “righteousness from God” or s/e comes through faith “in Jesus Christ” (cf. Eph. 2:8), a phrase Paul used eleven times in Ephesians 1:3-14 to indicate s/e.

11. Romans 3:22b says that God’s righteousness is given “to all who believe—there is no difference”” signifying that all sinners may believe or be s/e (cf. 1Tim. 2:3-4, John 3:16, Tit. 2:11), because there is no favoritism (#7).

12. Romans 3:23 teaches that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, meaning that no one can be good enough to earn salvation because of their own merit.

13. Romans 3:24 says sinners “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (via faith per v.22, cf. 3:27-28); s/e is free because Christ paid the price/cost.

14. Romans 3:25a explains redemption as being “a sacrifice of atonement” for those who have faith in Christ’s work of dying in their place.

15. Romans 3:25b further explains that God demonstrated his just patience (#3) or forbearance in leaving unpunished those sins committed before the revealing of the Gospel (foreshadowed in Gen. 22:8 & 13), implying that sinners had/have the opportunity to believe and be s/e thereby demonstrating God’s justice/not showing favoritism (#11).

16. Romans 3:26 continues to emphasize divine justice by declaring it three ways (“justice…, just…, justifies”), which justness is synonymous with righteousness (2Thes. 1:5-6, Heb. 6:10).

17. Romans 4:1-25 presents Abraham as a Gentile who became the physical father of the Jews and the spiritual father of all who choose to have faith in God/Christ.

18. Romans 5:1 echoes Eph. 2:8 by describing s/e as justification through faith, Eph. 1:5 & 7 by using the phrase “through Jesus Christ”, and Eph. 2:14 by describing s/e as having peace with God.