By the way, folks, notice that Whispered is dumping tons of information into this thread. Obviously I cannot spend all my life responding to the claims, and I'm not going to do it.
They are typical claims against Reformed theology, and Reformed individuals have responses to these claims.
I would suggest reading Five Points of Calvinism Defended and Document by David Steele if you want to understand the topic better. It has tons of Scriptures supporting the position.
https://smile.amazon.com/Five-Point...lvinism+by+david+steele&qid=1570413197&sr=8-1
The fundamental issue, though, is how an unsaved person, with a stony and cold heart, can respond in faith and repentance? What has to happen for this to occur?
The answer is that God needs to give them a new heart.
In the free-will view, their claim is that you must reach a state of faith and repentance WITHOUT this new heart of flesh, and THEN you receive this new heart of flesh.
It is a nonsensical claim. I was raised believing this sort of nonsense, and I realize now how flawed and messed up their view is.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (ESV)
I would be glad to talk to HONEST people one on one about these topics. Feel free to email me if you want.
I have TONS of other Scriptures to support the Reformed position, but I recommend the above book. He explains the background of the Reformed position in fairly easy language.
They are typical claims against Reformed theology, and Reformed individuals have responses to these claims.
I would suggest reading Five Points of Calvinism Defended and Document by David Steele if you want to understand the topic better. It has tons of Scriptures supporting the position.
https://smile.amazon.com/Five-Point...lvinism+by+david+steele&qid=1570413197&sr=8-1
The fundamental issue, though, is how an unsaved person, with a stony and cold heart, can respond in faith and repentance? What has to happen for this to occur?
The answer is that God needs to give them a new heart.
In the free-will view, their claim is that you must reach a state of faith and repentance WITHOUT this new heart of flesh, and THEN you receive this new heart of flesh.
It is a nonsensical claim. I was raised believing this sort of nonsense, and I realize now how flawed and messed up their view is.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (ESV)
I would be glad to talk to HONEST people one on one about these topics. Feel free to email me if you want.
I have TONS of other Scriptures to support the Reformed position, but I recommend the above book. He explains the background of the Reformed position in fairly easy language.
I would certainly hope that those who choose to enter this thread do notice the sustaining resource links that I've added from time to time. And I did explain why I am doing this early on.
You see, people who are on the Net will sometimes search out religious forums so as to find information concerning the particular religion they may be interested in.
The Net provides an anonymous opportunity to do this when someone may be less inclined in such a pursuit off-line.
Because this particular community is dedicated to the faith in Christ and God almighty, those who may seek after understanding as to what it means to be in Christ, or , a Christian, I find it my duty when discussing a particular doctrine that falls under the banner of , Christian Denomination, to provide as much information as available to that end.
Calvinism turns Jesus passion on its ear. Calvinism is the Doctrine of a man, not at all able to be truly sustained by the teachings of Christ.
Calvinisms identity for its faithful, that of "The Elect of God", according to the doctrine of Calvinism itself makes Jesus' death on the cross unnecessary.
Because Calvinism teaches that God had predestined His Elect to be Saved even before Sin entered the world those persons would later inhabit.
Calvinism makes the individual's faith unnecessary in truth. Because God predestined those minority numbers who were born totally immoral, totally depraved, like the rest of the worlds people to be saved before He created the world. Those people would not need to actually hold faith in Jesus when God, according to Calvinism, predetermined to imbue His Elect with His grace whether or not they would accept it. That's why it is called Irresistible. God's will to bestow His grace upon those He identified as His Elect would be unable to resist, because God would overcome all barriers, which would include their Total Depravity, in order to save them against their own will because His will is Sovereign. And His Elect , by the purpose of His will, have no choice but to be saved. All according to the application of the TULIP principle.
Calvinism therefore is not in any way a reflection of the actual teachings of Jesus.
And it is my purpose in adding outside resource links that explain the failings of Calvinism in that regard so that those who are seeking after Christ will not be distracted by that which makes Christ's entire purpose on earth unnecessary.
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