I am not trying to manipulate anything, or looking for an escape clause...I am merely pointing out that different Christian religions have different ideas of how this comes about...now you seem to have it, that turning away from sin, is what leads to salvation...but the Calvinist would say, that one can turn away from that sin, only if God regenerates him first...on his own, man is unable to ask for forgiveness of his sins, because he is ‘dead’, and cannot recognize his sins...I would say, and I am sure a Calvinist will correct me if I am wrong here, but from I have read concerning the Calvinists, they say, that first God does something, He approaches the sinner first, it is God that does the reeling in of people, not the other way around...it is not that people are looking for God, and find him, and repent, for the Calvinist it is God making the first move on his terms, God approaches the sinner and God is so irresistible, that if you are one of the chosen, and God picks a moment to let you know this, by regenerating you, then and only then can you actually ask for forgiveness for your sins...as you were, in the state you were in, before God regenerated you, you could not ever ask for forgiveness, for as more than one Calvinist has stated, ‘Dead men, can not ask for anything, and until one is regenerated they are as if dead’....or words similar to that...
The ‘Truth’ that the Calvinist sees, is different from the ‘Truth’ that other Christian religions see, as far as I can make out...
Now my question is, who is right, who has the ‘Truth’ regarding this matter?
I think I have also seen it on the Calvinist threads, the statement that Jesus Christ died for all, does not mean for all mankind, but rather ‘all’ refers’ only to those all those people God has chosen in advance from the beginning of time...and all those that he has chosen, he will regenerate, so that they know they belong to him...after that regeneration, then and only then can they ask for forgiveness for their sins...
These are clear differences, in what different Christian churches deem to be the ‘Truth’...I just think that exploring and understanding how different Christian churches come to their particular beliefs and dogma, is interesting and worth exploring...
There is a poster who is obssessed with demanding that Christians tell him/her which church has it right. I’ve told that one repeatedly until I no longer do anything but jibe her/him that it is not some ‘church’ that has the right answer, it is God’s Spirit. Read the Bible seeking God and His Spirit comes out from His WOrd to resonate truth to you. One reason why Christians say that one should not push aside the still small voice within when the Gospel is heard is the Truth that His voice comes to the human soul/spirit gently, usually, wooing one to awaken, and repent and trun to Him for Deliverance. It really doesn’t matter from which sect that comes to you, it is really His SPirit doing the wooing not the sect/church/org. Now is the time, this is the hour when He is whispering to you that He wants to be your Savior. The hour will come when He will no longer seek you if you continue to squelch the still small voice within. Don’t plead ‘dissonance’ to avoid awakening to His spirit.