Replies

I prefer to get it directly from my Church

I quoted the RCC catechism and New Advent. If those aren't good enough for you, welcome to the revolution. 8~)

God has already condemned all sinners. Some men He rescues. Some he leaves in their sins. It's His call. You have men attempting to earn their salvation even though Paul tells us faith is a gift of God's free grace.

God doesn't tell us why He elects as He does except to say it is not in men to will their own salvation nor to run for their own salvation, but for God to show mercy.

I'm sorry if it perturbs you that Roman Catholicism presents itself to the world as a works-based religion. Many RCs on this forum have explained that men must do enough good works to merit God's favor. That's why they say the Rosary, why they do charitable works, why they pray for others -- because men must earn their salvation.

All of which is anathema to the God of grace. We cannot merit the gift, and so God gives it freely to whom He will.

No one is turned away from God. All who seek Christ will find Him. But the very desire for Christ is part of God's regeneration which He works to bring a man to faith in Christ.

He does not regenerate everyone, or everyone would be saved.

"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20.)

Same old, same old. Men love to boast.

Many RCs on this forum have explained that men must do enough good works to merit God's favor. That's why they say the Rosary, why they do charitable works, why they pray for others -- because men must earn their salvation.

I find that extremely difficult to believe. Do you have any examples of those "many RCs"? Can you name an RC who posted that "men must earn their salvation"? Or were those statements pulled out of the air?

God doesn't tell us why He elects

But your doctrine lists what is not part of the decision:

without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto

It has nothing to do with us. This is not "with God there is no respecter of individuals," but God is no respecter of anything involving a totally depraved human species. I'm juxtaposing this against "God loves you" and "love your enemies" as Christ taught us.

Your doctrine at its foundational relationship between man and God goes off in the other direction from Jesus Christ.

No one is turned away from God. All who seek Christ will find Him.

That's trying to finesse the doctrine. Men are born incapable of seeking Christ, incapable of believing in HIm. They are condemned before they are even born.

This is contrary to Christ's teaching.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.