Since synergist [synergism] is defined in theology as well as drugs and muscles, I decided I should look up a definition as it applies. Not that I don't trust James with the correct definition, but...
"In theology, synergism is the position of those who hold that salvation involves some form of cooperation between divine grace and human freedom"
When I consider the following verses from Ephesians 1:12-13, I see that man does have a part.
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
Does it not take the cooperation of man to trust in Christ after hearing the word of Truth about the Gospel and Salvation, which then we believe? If God forces us to believe, it is not us who believe, but God in us who believes, or God in us, forcing us to believe. It is in no way a willing belief. Is that true belief?
Saved, I assume you picked up on that, just in case some didn't; I will repost capitalizing the key words that James' misses when he reads the word because his preconceived doctrine makes such words invisible!
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], AFTER that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER that ye believed, ye WERE SEALED with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise."
Saved, I assume you picked up on that, just in case some didn't; I will repost capitalizing the key words that James' misses when he reads the word because his preconceived doctrine makes such words invisible!
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], AFTER that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER that ye believed, ye WERE SEALED with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise."
Hmmm....wonder if he can see them now?
James replies:
I just dealt with this in a post on this thread BEFORE you posted this. In the Order of Salvation, the Sealing of the Holy Spirit occurs AFTER the Christian is born again.
No one is saying that the Holy Spirit does not continue to do things in the heart of a Christian after they have been born again.
What Scriptures says is that fallen mankind is UNABLE to repent and trust in Christ, and the Holy Spirit MUST COME FIRST to a dead man and make them come alive.
This is what Jesus told Nicodemus, and Paul has also said elsewhere in Scripture.
Please go back to that post and deal with those Scriptures.
Two, I noticed the order... Hearing the Gospel comes before belief, after which, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Reformed Theology has the Holy Spirit entering a person, making them born-again before they can believe. The problem with this order is that the Holy Spirit enters the unbeliever, while he is still in a state of unbelief. Thus you have a 'born-again' unbeliever with the Holy Spirit indwelling them until their conversion is complete... belief and repentance. So how can the two co-exist? They can't. There is no fellowship between light and darkness. So the person must first believe after hearing the Gospel before the Holy Spirit can take residence. In addition to that, I just don't see how a person can be converted before he hears the Gospel and before he believes.
James wrote - "What Scriptures says is that fallen mankind is UNABLE to repent and trust in Christ, and the Holy Spirit MUST COME FIRST to a dead man and make them come alive."
James, Some of your posts are really starting to confuse me. It seems you say one thing in one post and then a few days or weeks later, you say something that appears to contradict what you said earlier. In your theology, does or does not the Holy Spirit enter an unbeliever, making them born-again before they can repent and trust in Christ, thereby becoming a believer?
There are 2 parts to salvation and the Christian life: God's Part and our part. We should concentrate more on our part rather than argue with long theological discussions on God's part and believing that everything is predestined which sometimes gives us much pride that we are right doctrinely and then never do our part
GOD HAS PROMISED IN JEREMIAH 29:13: YOU WILL FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH **ALL YOUR HEART**.�
John 14:23: Jesus says, �If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will make Our home with him.� Matthew 28:19.20� Jesus commands, �Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to *OBEY EVERYTHING I have commanded you!� {See I John 2:3-5}
So let us read God's Word daily {Acts 17:11} and then *DO WHAT IT SAYS*! {James 1:22,25}
Acts 17:11: �The Bereans were of noble character, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures *EVERY DAY*!�
James 1:22,25: �Do not merely listen to the Word. *DO WHAT IT SAYS*!... and he who continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but *DOING IT*�will be blessed in what he does.
Matthew 16:27; Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in **HIS FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS** {See Matt 24:30,31 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}, and *THEN* He will reward each person according to what he has done.� Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, �Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!� {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} whether good or bad.�
Ephesians 2:8-10: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So Salvation is the ***FREE GIFT*** of God's grace and good works can only be performed by the saved.
Daniel 12:3: �Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!�
Matthew 5:14,16: Jesus says, �You are the LIGHT of the world...Let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul says, �The Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!�
So let our lights *SHINE* with the many gifts God has given us and we can have a REVIVAL with the hope of countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
I Corinthians 1:7: For �You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be *REVEALED*!�
James my brother in the Lord, coming out of the luthern church I do understand some of the misteachings. We were mistaught that everybody else other than lutherns were wrong and the Luthern church was right.
This thinking is wrong for the flollowing reason-----> No man knows the truth.
John 3:16 says that jesus came to save the world from its sins.
Jesus even says that he came for the Jew first.
The Jews are the Elect of God.
We are the adapted children.
Christ was the elect.
Anyone who gets saved becomes the elect of God. It is your choice to become the elect.
We have a choice to reject Gods salvation.
There is no such things as calvinist or arminianism or catholics or lutherns in the eyes of God. So, why do men insist there is such a thing?
look at it from Gods view not our view.WE ALL OUR THE BODY OF CHRIST.ONE BODY WITH CHRIST AS THE HEAD.
thank you my brothers and sisters in the lord. i hope you will see this as a response worth studing out.Dennis
"So your problem is not with James,nor with Calvinism,Your Problem is with the Sovereignty of GOD."
That is exactly right! If they were honest about it, they would tell you straight up front that "My precious freewill, and the part of me inside that is truly GOOD, is the REASON I accepted Jesus".
But instead we just have them totally IGNORING Scripture after Scripture that says fallen man is unable, and they instead find ONE scripture that seems to say WHAT THEY WANT IT TO SAY......
And then that ONE verse is used to hang the doctrine of freewill on.
