Featured Doctrinal View

I agree, the Word of God means what it says:
Ephesians 2:8-9 says the gift of God is salvation, not our faith.
1 Corinthians 2:14 says "the things" not "all the things."
Romans 3:11 says no one seeks God, not no one ever seeks God. We all have turned aside, sinned, so we are all under sin.
John 6:29 says the work God requires of us, not the work God does.
Scripture does not say all people drawn by the gospel are compelled to believe.

One of us does seem to have "disdain" for the Word of God, by my view and yours differ.

 

This whole post is personally disparaging me.
I addressed the alternate views provided.
Calvinism is as bogus as a three dollar bill.

If God predestines whatsoever comes to pass, God is the author of sin.

 

Once again my behavior and not my positions are being addressed. The use of fallacy (ad hominem) shows contempt for those reading to gain alternate understandings of scripture.

The cited verses omit our behavior toward false teaches, who introduce destructive heresies.
2 Peter 2:17
These men are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm, for whom the utter depths of darkness have been reserved.
2Peter2:18
For by speaking high-sounding but empty words they are able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery, people who have just escaped from those who reside in error.
2Peter2:19
Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.
2Peter2:20
For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first.

 

Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the punishment thereof – Adam volitionally sinned, knowing God said not to eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. This resulted in Adam being separated from God, i.e. kicked out of the garden, and his corruption, i.e. his eyes were opened. Genesis 3:7; 17-24

And as a consequence of Adam's sin, each person is conceived in sin, thus "made sinners." Since we are separated from God, our spiritual condition is that we are dead in our sins. The Good News is that when and if God places us into Christ, we are made spiritually alive together with Christ, our rebirth in Christ as a new creation created for good works. Before God puts us in Christ, all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags to God, but as a born anew new creation our good works can earn rewards such that we enter the kingdom "abundantly," provided we build on the foundation of Christ with service resulting in "eternal rewards."

 

Sir, you have copy and pasted Calvinist screed over and over, but you have not engaged in discussion.

 

Which position in the OP does the question address?

Did I say any specific poster was a false teacher? Nope
Did I say any specific poster was unsaved? Nope
Did I say I can treat others differently than the way I want to be treated? Nope

So what is the purpose of the question? To change the subject from Biblical doctrine to my behavior. Calvinists engage in this sort of deflection because they cannot actually defend their bogus doctrine.

1) If the "T" of the TULIP were valid, God would not have needed to harden hearts in Romans 11. Therefore the T is bogus.
2) If the "U" of the TULIP were valid, God would not have chosen individuals through or on the basis of faith. The U is bogus.
3) If the "L" of the TULIP were valid, Christ would not have laid down His life as a ransom for all, nor bought with His blood those heading to destruction. Therefore the L is bogus.
4) If the "I" of the TULIP were valid, the men of Matthew 23:13 could not have been prevented from entry. The I is bogus.

 

Of Free Will – We make plans but God directs our steps, thus God allows us autonomous thoughts and actions, but only so far as He allows. He can and does intervene and restrict our options, such as hardening hearts to cause some to continue to reject Christ for a time. Proverbs 16:9, Romans 11:7

Thus the biblical doctrine is limited autonomous will, predisposed to sin due to the consequences of Adam's sin and corruption. But does being predisposed to sin mean the fallen are totally unable to seek God or trust fully in Christ? Nope. Since God credits our faith, that faith represents our ability to seek God and trust in Christ to some degree. Matthew 13 tells of various folks who hear and understand and accept to a degree, the gospel of Christ. If soils 2, 3 and 4 were unable to seek God and trust in Christ, they would have rejected the gospel from the get go.

 

It is really hard to engage in discussion of biblical doctrine. The last 4 posts by Calvinists all are ad hominems, addressing the poster and not the positions, clearly violating forum guidance. They are filled with "you, you, you" statements directed at me by name.
Here is some of the posted guidance, such that we avoid similar behavior:

• "You are just too stubborn to see things any other way"
• "Your hatred for me and my view is clouding your judgement"
• "Do you even know how to read?"
• "Clearly you are just obsessed with this topic."
• "Obviously you don't believe in the God of the bible."
• "You are a liar."
• "You are a heretic."
• "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

And here is just one snippet from an ad hominem post:

To me, not only will you not take biblical correction, you keep trying to avoid my questions.
That is, of course, your prerogative.
But if you don't think that the comments I've quoted constitute being disrespectful of others, then that is between you and the Lord.

I'll simply have to pray that He gets a hold of you for your comments towards the "Calvinists" on this board, and helps you to see that it is best to treat others without calling everything that they say as "bogus", "pathetic", and...well, I'll simply let you speak for yourself:​

And here is what I say, the Calvinist doctrines TULI of the TULIP are bogus, and attempts to defend these bogus doctrines by use of misrepresentation, ad hominems, and subject change efforts are pathetic.

And here is where I addressed the TULI:
1) If the "T" of the TULIP were valid, God would not have needed to harden hearts in Romans 11. Therefore the T is bogus.
2) If the "U" of the TULIP were valid, God would not have chosen individuals through or on the basis of faith. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 The U is bogus.
3) If the "L" of the TULIP were valid, Christ would not have laid down His life as a ransom for all, nor bought with His blood those heading to destruction. 1 Timothy 2:6, 2 Peter 2:1 Therefore the L is bogus.
4) If the "I" of the TULIP were valid, the men of Matthew 23:13 could not have been prevented from entry. The I is bogus.

 

Of Effectual Calling – I deny the doctrine of Irresistible Grace, men of flesh, unless hardened, can hear and understand and respond to the milk of the gospel, 1 Corinthians 2:14 – 3:3.

Here the central verse is 1 Corinthians 3:1 where Paul spoke to new Christians "as to men of flesh." Clearly the idea is that "men of flesh" can hear and understand and respond appropriately to "spiritual milk" the fundamentals of the gospel. Of course men of flesh cannot understand some of the things of the Spirit, i.e. "spiritual solid food (meat)" because a person must be indwelt and have matured to a degree to grow on "solid food."

And without "total spiritual inability" there is no need for "effectual calling" because the call of the gospel of Christ accomplishes that purpose.

 

What is the scriptural guidance for our treatment of false teachers?

Revelations 2:2
‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

Revelations 2:20
‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Note that this guidance is directed toward local assemblies of believers, rather than toward individuals acting alone. So in a gathering of believers, we should stand firm for our understanding of the Word of God, and not tolerate those teaching against the word of God.

 

Did I say the pronoun referred to the Greek word translated "saved?" Nope, I said the gift was "salvation." So more deflection on display.