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.
FK: They can fall FURTHER from the faith. Murderers are farther away from the faith than otherwise nice people who are lost.
How do you know what faith other people have? Most are not murderers but could be unrepentant adulterers! The Bible is clear that breaking one law is like breaking all of them. Sin is sin, and unrepentant sinner who goes on sinning (because God "paid" for His sins) is lost. Repentance doesn't mean "I am sorry...." and do it again. Repentance means changing your lifestyle and never wishing to commit sin again. It's an attitude, not a parking ticket. Either you are proud or repentant. There is no middle ground.
Kosta: 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?
FK: It is an outward exhortation, just like "Believe in the Lord".
No, it's not. "Let" involves your volition. We do not wake up one day and say "I will let myself belive in God today." Letting soemthing happen involves will, and faith is not something we can will. We can only will to do everything to remain faithful. Faith is a gift. What we do with it is either letting ourselves stray or not.
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
Apostle Paul says a lot of things to a lot of people, not all of which is always in line with the what the Church teaches or what the Protestants/Baptists believe. Many groups found St. Paul to speak their faith on their behalf.
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's not how the Church sees predestination. And St. Paul's statement involves our attitude and our decisions. The Church recognizes that God predestines people to be of different color, social status, nationality, etc. But we are not "stuck" in predestination. God does it for His reasons which we do not understand. He gives more to some and less to others. But in all cases God wants us to be moral and rational beings, whether we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, fortunate or unfortunate. We must try to overcome our predestined status by desiring to be on that narrow path that leads to God. Everyone has a task to overcome their predestination and come to the Lord.
FK: Paul is just saying that God will leave them to themselves.
Kosta: NO HE IS NOT! It clearly says that GOD will SEND deluding spirits to DECEIVE them. Which part of this don't you understand?
FK: The effects are the same and the totality of the Bible is clear that God does not author sin
Well, if deception is not of God, then sending deceiving spirits by God would constitute "authoring sin." Knowing Christ of the Gospels, I would say most Christians would say that God doesn't do that. However, some people who left their marks on the Bible did. The OT-mindset allows that. The NT-mindset doesn't.
But you are forcing that with your very narrow interpretation. IOW, you are causing the result you seek, the discrediting of the Bible
There is no force here. The sentence "God will send deceiving spirits" is very clear. Whoever wrote that believed that God does send deceiving spirits and therefore cause someone to be deceived.
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.
God didn't write different versions of the Bible. Fallible men did.
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.
Why are men blamed for their nature? This is the kind of attitude that allowed people to "blame" someone for the color of their skin! They had nothing to do with that. Cats are cats and dogs are dogs, and men are men by nature they are born in, and none deserves to be "blamed" for it. We can only be blamed for what we do on our own volition that is wrong, once we know what is wrong and what is right.