I do. I just don't accept yours.
You probably should evangelize me then.
Gospel = Love, because He first loved us. He loves the world. That anyone who chooses to believe in Him will not perish.
Verses?
God has made Himself evident to man. It says in Romans 1.
Don't confuse General Revelation with Special Revelation.
So it's their choice whether they acknowledge it or not.
In a sense of the word choice, yes.
Can men change themselves or still do good when they want to?
- Jeremiah 13:23 - Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
- 1 Samuel 24:13 - "As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.'"
- Matthew 7:18 - "A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." (c.f. Luke 6:43)
- Matthew 12:34-35 - "How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil."
- Romans 8:7 - For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
- Genesis 6:5 & 8:21 - The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from youth.
- Titus 1:15-16 - to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
c.f. Job 14:4; Matthew 12:34; John 15:5; Romans 14:23; Philippians 1:11; 1 John 5:18-19
Are men at least born pure? What about the "tabula rasa"?
- Psalm 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- Genesis 8:21 - the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth."
- Psalm 58:3 - The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
- John 3:6 - "That which is born of the flesh is flesh"
c.f. Proverbs 22:15
What is the natural disposition of man toward God?
- John 3:20 - "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed."
- Romans 8:7-8 - For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God
- Colossians 1:21 - And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds
c.f. Romans 1:28-30; James 4:4
http://www.traviscarden.com/articles/total-depravity-verse-list <--- click
If man was totally depraved, God COULDN'T make Himself evident to them.
Says who?
Sounds like hyper-Calvinism to me. Don't straw man please.
Calvinism really doesn't think about what the heck goes on in the world!
I don't think a whole lot about what goes on in the world, I admit. How can I when my focus is elsewhere?
It just says people do what they do because they were predestined to do it. How HEARTLESS!
Heartless? Is that the measure of what is true? Whether it makes us feel good or not?
If that's what you want, then this guy is your perfect match...
If you want your bible to make you feel good, and warm and fuzzy and acceptable in the age of humanism, I suggest you never read the Old Testament.
What about when God sent plagues into Egypt, or destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? What about this one?
Exodus 32:27And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
Oh, how "heartless", it doesn't make me feel giddy.
People ask "Why did God let this happen?"
It's part of his good will and purpose. Read Ephesians.
and all you can say is, "Oh, well God predestined for it to happen."
If you want to base things on how they make us feel about our lives. I find it far more comforting to know that when bad things happen, it happens even to the glory of God. Get hit by a car and your legs are broke? God is in control. He's not just "letting" pointless unredeeming suffering take place which he could otherwise prevent.
and that person is already on the very edge. Why not push 'em over? Great idea. NOT!!
A faulty understanding, but if it floats your boat, so be it.