How can people who appear to have faith fall away from faith? Besides, Paul is saying "Let no one in any way deceive you" [2 Thes 2:3]." If you are "protected" (if God won't let you fall away) who can deceive you? Only believers can fall away from faith. Nowhere does it say it applies to those who "appear" to be faithful.
If the Reformed theology holds any water, then those who are predestined to be deceived WILL be deceived and it is not a matter of anyone LETTING themselves be deceived! Ergo, the Reformed theology holds no water. It's full of holes.
Kosta: "For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false" [2 Thes 2:11]!
FK: Paul is just saying that God will leave them to themselves
NO HE IS NOT! It clearly says that GOD will SEND deluding spirits to DECEIVE them. Which part of this don't you understand? Or is it that you must rationalize and deny everything and anything in order not to admit what is absolutely unambiguous????
Your own example that follows only confirms that God is INVOLVED in all this (accoridng to Paul), my emphases:
How is it THEIR perversion when God "gave them to shameful lusts"??? Paul is saying that we have no control over what we believe OR do, which includes with whom we want to share "shameful lusts," yet is is somehow OUR responsibility!
They can fall FURTHER from the faith. Murderers are farther away from the faith than otherwise nice people who are lost.
Besides, Paul is saying "Let no one in any way deceive you" [2 Thes 2:3]." If you are "protected" (if God won't let you fall away) who can deceive you?
It is an outward exhortation, just like "Believe in the Lord". God promises that the elect WILL. If we go with your interpretation of Paul here, then you would have to say that Paul was more than a little schizophrenic, given his preaching of assurance and God's sovereignty elsewhere.
If the Reformed theology holds any water, then those who are predestined to be deceived WILL be deceived and it is not a matter of anyone LETTING themselves be deceived! Ergo, the Reformed theology holds no water. It's full of holes.
Those who are predestined to receive salvational grace will believe and those who aren't, won't. Paul is giving a reminder of the proper mindset. "Be as wise as serpents, and innocent as doves". That kind of thing. Ultimately, God is in full control and will work everything out. One of the tools He uses to accomplish that is the scripture giving us the proper mindset (sanctification). It all works together.
FK: Paul is just saying that God will leave them to themselves.
NO HE IS NOT! It clearly says that GOD will SEND deluding spirits to DECEIVE them. Which part of this don't you understand?
The effects are the same and the totality of the Bible is clear that God does not author sin. Therefore, if your own interpretation of this passage is that the Bible says that God authors sin, then the Bible contradicts itself. But you are forcing that with your very narrow interpretation. IOW, you are causing the result you seek, the discrediting of the Bible. I suppose you could say the same thing right back at me, so it comes down to what our positions about the Bible itself are in the first place. If it is just a collection of writings by fallible men, then sure it's going to contradict. But if it is the Holy word of God, then it won't.
[Re: Rom 1:26-27] How is it THEIR perversion when God "gave them to shameful lusts"??? Paul is saying that we have no control over what we believe OR do, which includes with whom we want to share "shameful lusts," yet is is somehow OUR responsibility!
Paul is preaching Reformed theology, as usual. :) God withdrew from them ("gave them over to their own natures"), and they did what their natures led them to do without His protection. Since God has no duty to protect, they are to blame for their sins. If God DID have a duty, then it would be God's fault.