Calvinists do not deny Prevenient Grace. Prevenient, Convicting Grace is a FACT of Scripture -- it brings JUDGMENT upon those who reject God:
But the Philippian Jailer (What must I do?) believed, whereas Pontius Pilate (What is Truth?) did not. What's the difference? Sovereign, Efficacious Regeneration from Above.
That's the Difference.
That's why one man Believes, and another does not.
God is in control.
Anything you write, I'll respond to tomorrow. I'm beat. (And I went deer hunting today, crossbow. Nothing.)
Take your time. My hunting experience is limited to game-birds at the business end of a .22 and a 20-guage -- if you are hunting deer, then may God bless your barbecue to the enjoyment of your children and grand-children (hearken not to these Calvinist Texans; Carolina mustard-based is the only way to go. DEEP DIXIE, HOO-AHH!!)
Return at your leisure, and God bless.
best, OP
Having (tentatively) announced "The Big Reformed Ping List" on a few of my posts, I am already receiving indications of interest from Reformed FReepers whose Screen Names are not even known to me.
I advise that we cannot wait for your Formal Encyclical, Pope Piel. I think that it is high time that we provided the Free Republic Reformed Caucus a designated gathering-place. It is good for the Brethren to join together in Unity.
With your permission, I shall post the following Thread:
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"DRSTEVEJ and OP's BIG REFORMED PING LIST!!"
The following WILL NOT be a high-volume Ping List. It is intended only for SERIOUS Reformed Business (once-a-year matters for ONLY Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, and Independent Calvinists).
DrSteveJ, a Four-Point Calvinist of the Amyrauldian sort (being somewhere betwixt Lutherans, Calvinists, and Independents) has volunteered himself as Thread Pope. He welcomes ALL -- Lutherans, Calvinists, Episcopalians, Baptists, or what have you -- who celebrate October 31 as REFORMATION DAY, not "halloween". Other than that, he's pretty easy-going.
Ortho-Presby, or "OP", thinks that a "Big Reformed Ping List" would be a Good Idea. But other than that, he exercises no discretion, and recognizes "DrSteveJ" as the "Thread Pope".
"CCWoody" has been elected by DrStevej and OP as the Chief Archivist. He keeps track of the Respondents to the "Big Reformed Ping List" Thread. He has no other duties.
Did CCWoody ask us for this burden? OF COURSE NOT!! We're just schlepping the duty off on him, without his permission. Why? Because he's a good Archivist, that's why. Hello, Woody -- welcome to the BIG REFORMED PING LIST!!
Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, and Independent Calvinists -- Come one, come all!!
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I'll clean it up first (I have some very-cool things to say about Amyrauldian Robert Baxter, for example), but how does that strike you gentlemen?
Let me know... OP