In Reformed Theology, this must be a bummer of a question if asked of them by an unbeliever. After all, the doctrine of Total Depravity would render this question as impossible to answer because man is so totally depraved he can't see past his sin, doesn't have the ability to even consider God, is without hope, and there is absolutely nothing he can do to be saved, much less ask how to be saved.
So why did the unbelieving keeper of the prison ask Paul and Silas, "what must I do to be saved?" And why did they answer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"?
Where in the question is Total Depravity? Where in the answer is Irresistible Grace? What, Dear Reformed Theologist, must I do to be saved?
James wrote - "The Apostle Paul, and every other Christian, can NOT look at someone and determine if they are born again or not! Paul preached the Gospel, like we are told to do. Paul also wrote in Ephesians 2:8,9 that Faith itself was a gift from God. So, if anyone accepts the Gospel God has ALREADY worked in their heart."
James, my point is not whether Paul could look at the jailor and determine if he was born-again, but the fact that according to you the jailor would have to be born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit before he could even ask how to be saved. If that were true, Paul would then know that he was born-again just by the fact that the jailor asked how to be saved. I agree that God works in the hearts of men. And I believe that all are called. Man's response to that call determines his eternity. I'd also like to point out that Scripture [Acts 5:32] tells us the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. "And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." How, in your theology, does God give the Holy Spirit to a person before they believe, while they are still in sin and disobedience to God?
James wrote - "My theology doesn't allow for pretenders???? You don't think that lost people might give Christianity a try, and then next week give yoga a try? I used to attend a Baptist church, where it was good for business to be a member, and several businessmen who were spiritually dead were there regularly."
Interesting you would call it a pretend thing, given that you are so adamant about people needing to be Spirit-filled and born-again before they can even ask about God. And that NO man seeks after God in their present sin state. I guess you had to come up with something.
In answer to this question asked by me....According to your view, man is born-again and has the Holy Spirit before he can believe or repent, James wrote - "And how many verses of Scripture have I showed that support that idea? 5? 29? 36? Jesus told Nicodemus that a man cannot even "see" or "enter" the kingdom of God unless they are FIRST born again. We can't make ourselves born again 71, just like we can't make ourselves UN-born again."
What Jesus said to Nicodemus is a no brainer. As Christians, we all know that we must be born-again in order to see or enter the Kingdom of God. And no one is saying we 'make' ourselves born-again. I will refer you again to Acts 5:32 - "And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Tell me how a person becomes born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit before he can believe and while he is in a state of disobedience at the time the Holy Spirit supposedly enters him in order for him to be saved so he can believe?
Okay, I gotcha, Two. You're right. Kinda like the time James wrote the entire script of the argument between Calvinists and Arminians, and coming out the winner? :laugh:
#2) This is the real question of the post. A Reformer HAS to take the position the jailer was already "born again" when he asked. Yet it is clear by his question that he was not. The result is Reformed theology once again falls short of the truth of Scripture.
1. WHEN......the Holy Spirit enters a person, and MAKES them into a NEW creature, THEIR NEW NATURAL DESIRE IS TO REPENT AND TRUST IN JESUS.
So, the jailer, would OF COURSE ask "what must I do to be saved?"
When a Baby sea turtle is hatched, they immediately head for the water!
2. you KEEP ASSUMING natural man has the ability to repent and trust in Jesus, BEFORE THEY ARE BORN AGAIN!
You say "the Reformer HAS to take the position that the jailer was already born again when he asked."
Well CHANGE THAT TO "the CHRISTIAN HAS to take the position that the jailer was already born again when he asked, BECAUSE SCRIPTURE SAYS SO."
Natural man is UNABLE:
To do anything good
Gen 6:5; Job 15:14-16; Psa 130:3; Psa 143:2; Pro 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Isa 64:6; Jer 13:23; John 3:19; Rom 3:9-12; Jam 3:8; 1John 1:8
To believe in God (or come to him)
John 6:44; John 6:65; John 8:43-45; John 10:26; John 12:37-41
Dennis I can agree with your response, but in times past you have always defended reformation theology, because you say they believe in justification by faith, and they also say that but their actions are that you must first be regenerated to believe, because of the lie of total depravity.
Calvinist do not want to hear the word of God nor do they want to see, just as Jesus told us some would be, and then proclaim to preach a Gospel they say is not true, which is nothing less than the tongue of hell on fire.
James said: "you KEEP ASSUMING natural man has the ability to repent and trust in Jesus, BEFORE THEY ARE BORN AGAIN!"
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Brother, I know you can't admit it, however you are the one assuming. For months you have been asked for Scripture which state that a person cannot respond positively or negatively when the Holy Spirit is working on their heart.
You have also been given Scripture to the contrary, yet not only do you persist in your unbelief, but you continue to try and spread it.
Take a corpse then drop a bowling ball in the middle of the chest from 30 feet in the air.
What is the response of the corspe,NOTHING.
This person is not in need of faith, repentance,confession,not even to worship.
What this corpse needs is LIFE,
Before this corpse is able to do anything it first needs LIFE.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Number one man is not a corpse and that statement is not relative to this post and the word of God is our source, not the light of men.
Man is and has always been a Spirit, that has a soul and lives in a body, even after the fall.
The old testament even teaches us that the believers did not have the holy spirit, all that is needed is the everliving, abiding word of God. that illuminates the heart (spirit) of man and thus chooses, as he has always had the ability to choose life or death.
The father of mankind by faith, Abraham teaches us that in Romans:
Romans 4:1 � What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 � Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 � (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara�s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 � Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
It is all in black and white for those that believe, but those that choose to justify their interpretation will stay in darkness.
