1st Jn1:Ps 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
5 � This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Ps 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Some many times as you will see on these post, as those endeavor to proclaim their doctrines of men, you can easily detect the error, for it does not agree with the entirety of scripture.
Such as Total depravity
Total inability
Irresistible Grace
For instance Romans Ch 9:14 � What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
In finding the will of God on any matter we have to Consider context always.
If you desire to Find the will of God to mankind on the topic of mercy all you have to do is get a concordance, and find scriptures that will include all of mankind, concerning the will of God concerning the mercy of God.
Walk in the light of the word of God, not the word of man
Yes Calvinism and the gospel agree, however, far from meaning that no one can be saved it actually means that people *can* be saved. For instance, even you say, "You can not know or understand God with your mind or flesh!!" And I would agree in the sense that the carnal mind cannot understand spiritual things. Since we are all carnal, are salvation must not be dependent upon us which is precisely what Calvinism teaches. If, however, Arminianism were true, then no one could be saved because no one is able to choose God which is clear in Scripture.
I am happy you missed reading were all non-Calvinists are called "IGNORANT " repeatedly in CAPS. Or how the non-Calvinist is labeled as the "opponent". Or when Calvinists refer to "our side". Or how Calvinists have been "scripture whipping" others.
You need not go back more than a week in this forum to substantiate this. Furthermore not only do you personally incorrectly categorize all non-Calvinists as Arminians, but your posts reveal you to be clueless as to Arminian doctrine.
I cannot see how this fruit of those who claim Calvinism can not be considered anything except divisive and consistent with history.
When you refer to history, Calvinism did divide things, of course so did Jesus. He came to divide families, to divide the goats and the sheep, and to separate the wheat and tares. He was divisive because He proclaimed truth and therefore told anyone who opposed him that they were wrong. The truth regarding the purity of the gospel we are to be zealous over, as is exampled by Jesus and the apostles. However, I would ask that where there has been lack of grace among me or anyone else, that you would forgive and examine the Scriptures to see if what we say is so.
And I would also ask that you point out any place where I have misrepresented the Arminian position so that perhaps we could come to more of an agreement =)
Let us take your current post first. You do not even see how arrogant your analogies are. Calvinist are wheat and sheep and everyone else are tares and goats?
How else are we to take your analogy except you are the true pure Christians and the rest of us are heretics?
You and Calvinists alone are the sole processors and guardians of the 'Pure' Gospel?
Yes the Gospel divides families, worldly families, not the family of God.
And you have your history correct, Calvinism has divided people from their heads, divided people from their freedom in prison, divided people from their livelyhoods, divided people from their country.
PS, ....I would be more worried about misrepresenteding Christianity than Arminianism, however I will go back and find it per your request.
You shared : " ...salvation must not be dependent upon us which is precisely what Calvinism teaches. If, however, Arminianism were true, then no one could be saved because no one is able to choose God which is clear in Scripture."
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"If however, Arminianism were true, then no one could be saved"?
Are you aware Arminian doctrine has a plan of salvation also? So if Arminianism were true don't you think people could be saved?
Well yes, I'm glad you pointed that out. My point is simply, if it is true it is not arrogant. In its essence, The Doctrines of Grace are very debasing. It would be completely contradictory of me to be prideful in myself, rather than to boast in the Lord - proclaiming the Lord's goodness, sovereignty, and His glory alone. If the Doctrines of Grace are true, then nothing I've said is prideful. That is why I can simply plead with you to study the Scriptures because I don't want to be prideful and say, "You have to believe this because I do and Calvin did!" No, I hope you have not gotten that impression at all. If you have then I am prideful through and through, but if not, and I've appealed to the Scripture for the truth about salvation which is of utmost importance, and I have used strong vocabulary to persist upon its importance, then any accusation of pride is unfounded. If I have misrepresented anything specific about Arminianism then please show me.
The simplicity is Calvinism opposes, the word of God it does not agree with it on any point. It has never been a matter of making sense. it is a matter of believing what is written, in lieu of reasoning, and logic, and any and all efforts to know God with your soul or body.
It is by the heart or spirit of man, that revelation comes!!
"Are you aware Arminian doctrine has a plan of salvation also? So if Arminianism were true don't you think people could be saved?"
Yes I am. Thank you for your reply =)
Allow me to explain more of what I mean. The reason I say that no one could be saved if Arminianism were true is not because it does not provide a way of salvation. It is because the plan of salvation is dependent upon a human choosing or accepting Christ's gift of salvation, which no man desires nor is able to do. It is a clear teaching of Scripture that men are spiritually dead and spiritually incoherent, therefore, since salvation is a spiritual thing, no man could ever be saved based on his own decision. The will of man is dependent upon his desires, and since man desires sin, we could never choose God. Here are some ways the Bible describes the unregenerate:
1) Unregenerate men are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2, Romans 8:5-8). Gordan Clark said, "Adan's ability to will what is god was lost by the fall. From that time on man could not choose to will 'any spiritual good accompanying salvation.' True, a man might will to be honest, to support his family, to discharge most of his obligations as a citizen - in colloquiol language, these things are called good. But they are not spiritual goods and they have nothing to do with salvation. Furthermore, a man cannot will to be saved. He canot convert himself, nor even make preparations for conversion. The simple reason is that he is dead in sin."
2) The Unregenerate cannot repent (Jeremiah 13:23; 2 Peter 2:13-14,22; Acts 11:18). Genuine repentance is the fruit of a regenerate heart.
3) The Unregenerate Do not Seek God (Psalm 14:2-3; Isaiah 65:1; Romans 10:20, 11:3).
5) The Unregenerate Are Under the Power of Satan (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Acts 26:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:26).
7) The Unregenerate Dwell in Darkness (John 1:4-5, 3:19-20; Romans 1:21, 28).
8) The Unregenerate are Deaf and Blind to Spiritual Truth (Isaiah 6:9-10, John 8:43-44,47). Brian Schwertley said, "The preaching of the gospel is useless ot the deaf. The written word is of no effect to the blind. Only God can open blind eyes and deaf ears."
9) The Unregenerate have Uncircumcised Hearts of Stone (Acts 7:51; Ezekiel 44:9, 11:19, 36:26). An unregenerate man will no more respond to the gospel than will a rock.
Thus, with man being in this state, if Jesus simply died to make salvation available, but not to actually save anyone, then man would be lost. We would be without hope. But, praise be to God, the gospel really is good news, Jesus does actually save sinners. That is what my point was, I hope that helps to clarify =)
