5 Points of Arminianism

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NOV25

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Nov 23, 2019
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You are going to have to explain to me, how we, as natural man, before being born again, can take the first step toward Christ on our own, apart from grace. With scripture, please.
C’mon bro, you should know by now that I’m Calvinist, I would never make such a claim.

@Nehemiah6 cut that off a larger post about semi-Pelagianism, here it is👇

Semi-Pelagianism was promulgated in the fifth century AD by John Cassian and some other church leaders in France. It took a middle-of-the-road approach to depravity; we are depraved, but not totally so. Semi-Pelagianism allows that humanity is tainted by sin, but not to the extent that we cannot cooperate with God’s grace on our own. Semi-Pelagianism is, in essence, partial depravity as opposed to total depravity. We are sinful, but we can still recognize the truth, cooperate with God’s grace, and choose to seek Christ. We need God’s grace to be saved, but we can take the first step toward Christ on our own, apart from grace.
 
Jun 20, 2022
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You are going to have to explain to me, how we, as natural man, before being born again, can take the first step toward Christ on our own, apart from grace. With scripture, please.
Since Paul points out that those who claim God doesn't exist can still see in Creation that God is real and will be Judged because deep inside them when they look at Nature some how we are able to know God is Real by the Natural Things we see.

So. If we have this built in Genetic connecting to God that tells us when we look at the Grand Canyon this is what GOD Did.

And that means we know this is the God of the Bible, that same connection is also where God is telling them to Follow Him and they are rejecting Him.

You turned one word into a Doctrine and you don't even know we are already connected to God as SINNERS because we can physically SEE GOD in His Creation.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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After 11 full chapters of astounding revelation and doctrinal truths, Paul gets down on his knees and proclaims:

Rom 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Thats the sum of it. We are searching the unsearchable, judging the unjudgeable, and vainly propounding to know the mind of God.

He then moves on in chapters 12-16 to the more prosaic practical aspects of our response to these devastating truths.

Romans 11:32

Romans 11:33-36
:)
 

NOV25

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2019
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Evangelical Arminian Statement of Faith
1. We believe the Scriptures as originally given by God, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

2. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who possesses perfect and exhaustive knowledge of the past, present, and future, and who preserves, regulates, governs and directs all things so that nothing in the world happens without either his causation or permission. God is the author of good but not of evil. Yet even evil is governed by God in that God limits it and directs it to an end fitting with his overall plan and purpose.

3. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for all sinners. He arose bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He will return personally and visibly at the end of the age to fully establish God’s Kingdom.

4. We believe that part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict sinners, enable them to believe, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

5. We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience and Satan’s deception, resulting in eternal condemnation and separation from God. In and of themselves and apart from the grace of God human beings can neither think, will, nor do anything good, including believe. But the prevenient grace of God prepares and enables sinners to receive the free gift of salvation offered in Christ and his gospel. Only through the grace of God can sinners believe and so be regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto salvation and spiritual life. It is also the grace of God that enables believers to continue in faith as well as good in thought, will, and deed, so that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God.

6. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection were provided for the salvation of all people, but are effective only for those who believe. Christ’s death and resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation, and only those who believe in Jesus Christ become born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God.

7. We believe that God’s saving grace is resistible, that election unto salvation is conditional on faith in Christ, and that persevering in faith is necessary for final salvation.

8. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of believers to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; and of unbelievers to judgment and eternal punishment.
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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The born again child of God is instructed to give an answer to anyone that ask of the hope within us.
Providing that answer is straightforward.
"Explaining" one's own salvation (or anyone else's) is something completely different.
 

cv5

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Nov 20, 2018
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God did not set this choice before all mankind, but before Israel, his people,
I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. But part of the purpose of God's raising of the Nation Israel was to serve as God's instrument to bring His Word, testimonies, laws, righteousness and salvation to the gentile peoples and nations.

And there WERE proselytes brought in. We all know of the examples even from the most ancient times.

In fact, ALL of the Nations round about knew of the God of Israel and His mighty works. From the exodus thru the wilderness wanderings they knew. They could have repented and given up their false gods and idol worship. Pharoah was given PLENTY of opportunity and could have repented, along with the entire nation of Egypt.

Really, it was only the Canaanites that were doomed to judgement along with the Nephilim demonic hoard.
 

cv5

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Nov 20, 2018
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I understand your confusion, I was there many years myself. Some of Jesus's disciples told him that it was a hard doctrine, who could understand it.

Only God's sheep (his elect) can hear to understand his voice (John 10:26-29). The natural person, before he has been born again, cannot discern the things of the Spirit, and thinks them to be foolishness (1 Cor 2:14).

Before we are born again, we are spiritually dead, unable to choose spiritual things (Eph 2:1).
You sound like a pretty hard-core Calvinist (not sure maybe I am wrong).

But to any Calvinist I would say:

When we preach the gospel message, we say to everyone and anyone: repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the remission of sins and the gift of eternal life in His Name.

We DO NOT say: give me a few minutes of your time, and I will log on to God's heavenly database and search for your name and address to see if you are elect from before the foundation of the world and written in the book of life.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
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You sound like a pretty hard-core Calvinist (not sure maybe I am wrong).
You are not wrong. FGC loves his false gospel, and no matter how you respond, or how many Scripture you present to refute his nonsense, he will not budge from his position.
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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You are not wrong. FGC loves his false gospel, and no matter how you respond, or how many Scripture you present to refute his nonsense, he will not budge from his position.
Well......I just hope that we come to our senses and back off from any extremely polarized dogmatic positions in this matter.

Bottom line......salvation is God's business. All we are doing is broadcasting seed. Let God do the germinating growing and reaping.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Jul 8, 2018
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Is there anything anywhere in Scripture that says that we MUST explain any of this?
I can't thing of anything.....
Be ready, always, to give an answer to everyone who asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. with meekness and fear (1 Pet 3:15) You are not too familiar with your scriptures.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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C’mon bro, you should know by now that I’m Calvinist, I would never make such a claim.

@Nehemiah6 cut that off a larger post about semi-Pelagianism, here it is👇

Semi-Pelagianism was promulgated in the fifth century AD by John Cassian and some other church leaders in France. It took a middle-of-the-road approach to depravity; we are depraved, but not totally so. Semi-Pelagianism allows that humanity is tainted by sin, but not to the extent that we cannot cooperate with God’s grace on our own. Semi-Pelagianism is, in essence, partial depravity as opposed to total depravity. We are sinful, but we can still recognize the truth, cooperate with God’s grace, and choose to seek Christ. We need God’s grace to be saved, but we can take the first step toward Christ on our own, apart from grace.

Sorry, I thought that was your statement. Was surprised to hear such a statement from you. Thanks for informing me.
 
Jun 20, 2022
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Be ready, always, to give an answer to everyone who asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. with meekness and fear (1 Pet 3:15) You are not too familiar with your scriptures.
So, how does that literally happen in your real life?

You know, where a stranger asked you about how does God save us.

And you reply back:
Obviously, you were someone God chose to send to HELL so He will be Glorified and I know this for a fact because God invaded me and now I am His Robot?
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
23,046
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Be ready, always, to give an answer to everyone who asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. with meekness and fear (1 Pet 3:15) You are not too familiar with your scriptures.
See post # 145.
Maybe you missed that one?
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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Since Paul points out that those who claim God doesn't exist can still see in Creation that God is real and will be Judged because deep inside them when they look at Nature some how we are able to know God is Real by the Natural Things we see.

So. If we have this built in Genetic connecting to God that tells us when we look at the Grand Canyon this is what GOD Did.

And that means we know this is the God of the Bible, that same connection is also where God is telling them to Follow Him and they are rejecting Him.

You turned one word into a Doctrine and you don't even know we are already connected to God as SINNERS because we can physically SEE GOD in His Creation.

Your statement is based upon Rom 1, which is wrongly misinterpreted by the "salvation by works people". If you consider the whole context of Romans 1, Paul tells you who is under consideration in Rom 1:6, Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not, as God, neither were thankful. (Rom 1:18-21).

If you do not understand these scriptures as pertaining to backsliding born again children of God, then you are not humble enough to understand how terrible you are by your fleshly nature.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
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I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. But part of the purpose of God's raising of the Nation Israel was to serve as God's instrument to bring His Word, testimonies, laws, righteousness and salvation to the gentile peoples and nations.

And there WERE proselytes brought in. We all know of the examples even from the most ancient times.

In fact, ALL of the Nations round about knew of the God of Israel and His mighty works. From the exodus thru the wilderness wanderings they knew. They could have repented and given up their false gods and idol worship. Pharoah was given PLENTY of opportunity and could have repented, along with the entire nation of Egypt.

Really, it was only the Canaanites that were doomed to judgement along with the Nephilim demonic hoard.

The Israel of Jacob is representative of spiritual Israel which is made up of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation Rev 5:9 & Rom 11:26. All of spiritual Israel will be saved.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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You sound like a pretty hard-core Calvinist (not sure maybe I am wrong).

But to any Calvinist I would say:

When we preach the gospel message, we say to everyone and anyone: repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the remission of sins and the gift of eternal life in His Name.

We DO NOT say: give me a few minutes of your time, and I will log on to God's heavenly database and search for your name and address to see if you are elect from before the foundation of the world and written in the book of life.
You preach your false doctrine to whomever you want, but the natural man, that has not been born again with the new spiritual life, will not hear you, and will think your doctrine is foolishness.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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So, how does that literally happen in your real life?

You know, where a stranger asked you about how does God save us.

And you reply back:
Obviously, you were someone God chose to send to HELL so He will be Glorified and I know this for a fact because God invaded me and now I am His Robot?
You know very well that I have never had that kind of reply to you. In fact, if you research my posts, I have stated that I think you have the promise of eternal inheritance, as most on this form do. It seems you are trying to be a little vindictive.