Replies

Funny tagline, considering you have a closed mind.

Look, I used to believe like you as well. I used to believe in a God that left it up to us.

But, once I realized how serious the Fall was, I finally understood that I can't choose anything but death of my own will. And I began wondering how people God saved, and I realized it had to be God. It has to start with God, for it could not start with me because of how corrupt I am.

Calvinism is the only theology that acknowledges it is God who is ultimately responsible for our salvation.

I initially rejected predestination, but Scripture refers to it numerous times, so I could not any longer. I had to break my pride and accept what I DID NOT want to....that it is God who started the whole process of saving me and that my acceptance of it was just in response to the work he began long ago when he predestined me, sent his son to die for me, and then when the time was right, sent his Holy Spirit to move me to Him. He begins and will finish the work in me because I certainly can't.

"He who began a good work in you will
perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil 1:6

Ezekiel 36:22-27:

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

24 " 'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will PUT my Spirit in you and MOVE you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

Ezekiel 37....the Israelites were the dry bones and dead spiritually, but it was God who brought them out of the pit:

"Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'"

Romans 8:29-30 shows how salvation happens....it is God behind the scenes the whole time:

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

That is why I believe what I believe, not because I like a God that allows people to go to hell. But, it is a far better God who gives any mercy at all to wretched creatures than one who would allow us all to go to hell by giving us the choice to choose life or death ourselves...death being the choice us dead sinners would always and forever choose if left to our own devices. What a horrible God that would be, and I don't believe in that one.

I praise God that he saved me when I certainly did not deserve it.