Covenant Theology: Effectual Calling

Westminster Presbyterian Church ^ | Dr. James E. Bordwine

[connectthedots]

Open the door, beloved, and He will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that He may sup with you, and you with Him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with Him because He brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with Him, for you have a bare cupboard, if He did not bring provision with Him. Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. - C.H. Spurgeon

To whom is Spurgeon appealing with this statement? Please do not avoid the bold portions when you answer. The onus is on the listener to 'Open the door', not the knocker. Jesus will not enter unless invited in.

[connectthedots]

more historical calvinism refuting FRcalvinstremism

Shouldn't that be 'FRCalvextremism'?

[Corin Stormhands]

Another three years to understand what Arminians believe!?!

Some mature more quickly. Unfortunately you've made no apparent progress in the past three years.

But someday.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I don't avoid any "bold portions," only certain posters.

FWIW, I didn't invite Jesus in, yet He entered.

Imagine that.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Progress towards Arminianism?

Please, Lord, spare me.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Your post is incoherent. Again you put on others what you suffer yourself.

[connectthedots]

So, when did Jesus enter and you became a Christian, or do you know when? This is an honest question, since what you say is contrary to the salvation experience of most Christians.

[biblewonk]

By maintain ones salvation I'm speaking of the doctrine that you can lose your salvation. When you believe you can lose your salvation it completely redefines what salvation is and what you need to be concerned with here on Earth.

[xzins]

Against your will?

[Gamecock]

Now you give me one about calvinism.

Hmmmm, that in the entire Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin only dedicates a handful of pages to what we refer to as "Calvinism." (That being the whole TULIP thing, even though he didn't coin that helpful pneumonic) The rest of the 80 chapters and 4 volumes are brilliant, but we tend as Calvinists to ignore them.

[connectthedots]

Hmmmm, that in the entire Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin only dedicates a handful of pages to what we refer to as "Calvinism." (That being the whole TULIP thing, even though he didn't coin that helpful pneumonic) The rest of the 80 chapters and 4 volumes are brilliant, but we tend as Calvinists to ignore them.

that seems, at least on the surface, to be a very fair comment. I suppose a fair response might be if it is possible that the ignored portions might very well shed some light on the TULIP portion that is contrary to what some Calvinists think it means. I would suggest that it does.

[xzins]

That one is not about the doctrine itself. It's about how he wrote his book.

You can try again or not. Your choice.

[Gamecock]

I'll try agian, let me mull it over.

[xzins]

In the meantime, mull over this photo and pass it to your older (and younger) military buddies.

HanoiJane and John F**n Kerry at the same Viet era rally. She the founder of Viet Vets Against the War, and he the president.

He immediately above her. Looks just like him, donchathink?

[rdb3]

So, when did Jesus enter and you became a Christian, or do you know when?

I know when it was for me. It was February 23, 1995 around 12:00 PM C.S.T.

This is an honest question, since what you say is contrary to the salvation experience of most Christians.

Well, I gave an honest answer. And I'm a regular believer.

[connectthedots]

I didn't ask you. I had no reason to ask you. I think I directed my question to Dr. Eckleburg.

But since you answered, what is your opinion concerning an inability to identify the circumstances or time of ones salvation?

[rdb3]

I didn't ask you.

I know.

I had no reason to ask you.

I know that, too.

I think I directed my question to Dr. Eckleburg.

Why, yes, you did.

But since you answered, what is your opinion concerning an inability to identify the circumstances or time of ones salvation?

My opinion is that it says something about the person who wonders about such a thing.

Any other questions?

[opus86]

By maintain ones salvation I'm speaking of the doctrine that you can lose your salvation.

I understand that. I'm not sure, however, that churches preaching "free will" or that one can "lose" their salvation (a misnomer) are causing people to be selfish simply because they preach that. As I said earlier, Paul wrote many exhortations to the churches that should cause the believer to study and deepen their walk with Christ. I don't see that as self-centeredness.

I will agree that any church preaching a self-help gospel (i.e. feeling better about yourself), or the damnable prosperity gospel ("God wants me to be rich, well, and prosperous"), causes great harm in the church.

[Gamecock]

I suppose the one that comes to mind is his stand on the perpetual virginity of Mary. He was of course not alone. Most, is not all of the Reformers clung to that Romanist belief.

Before we bash him for this error, can he really have been expected to clean up all of the Christian faith? Aside from this rather glaring theological error, his works are clearly based on Scripture and continue to have a huge impact on most Protestant denominations.

[Gamecock]

Please see post 79