Posted on 02/25/2002 11:01:41 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
I jumped back on the thread, and as such am fair game.
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
It's like a car wreck. You don't want to look, but you do anyway.
Musta missed that.
Offending posts? Examples?
You badgered one poster who then had to leave for class. It was like a feeding frenzy. Then you spent the next hour or so congratulating each other, talking about the Arminians.
It's all there, and if you aren't embarrassed by it, more's the pity. But it's there for all to see unless this thread for whatever reason gets pulled.
I'm saying this for my benefit as much as for anyone else. We all need to temper our comments.
If there are unbelievers whatching, then how come you haven't explained for all of them how a man can believe in Jesus Christ in his heart?
Hint: Talk to Lydia and Talk to the prophet Jeremiah!
Psalm 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
You have a passion for Christ..that is no car wreck that is grace :>)..
I will let Scripture answer:
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. - Jude 3,4
We have earnestly contended for the faith, seeing that it is attacked by those who believe that the first three chapters of Romans don't declare that all stand guilty before God, and that infants don't need the atonement, as well as a rash of other heresies.
Did we take any pleasure in this, or do any "demon dances"? No, it grieves us that the Word of the Lord is so badly handled and His name given such disrepute.
This is the Internet Mom, there is always someone else around.
[Woody now moving off to see what Ezekiel might have to say about it...]
Is it OK with you that the non-Calvinists on this thread spread vicious and unsubstantiated lies about our beliefs, especially when we have taken the time to share with them that those things are not true?
Is it OK with you that the non-Calvinists on this thread speak of the "Calvinist god" as a petty hateful tyrant who acts like a three-year old?
Is it OK that the person you thought we abused this afternoon comes on this thread and makes the insinuation that he is a Christian and we are not?
Is it OK that the non-Calvinists on this thread accuse us of doing "demon dances"?
Is it OK with you that the non-Calvinists on this thread accuse one of our number for being "melodramatic" just because his command of the English language shows that his reading list extends to the classics?
Is it OK with you that the non-Calvinists on this thread send each other FReepMails stating that it is acceptable to enlist a Mormon in their defense of "free-will"? (I bet you are dying to know how I know about that!)
This is the type of stuff that we have to contend with each and every day from your crew. And you have the audacity to ask us how our behavior advances the cause of Christ? You should be ashamed of yourself, but we know why you aren't.
I should be back on Monday, but maybe not until Tuesday due to meetings.
These definitions are all either offered by calvinists on this thread or are condensations of definitions on this site recommended by JerryM: Calvinist Tulip Definition Site recommended by Jerry
T - - Total Depravity means that Natural Man is totally sinful and does not ever WANT in his own spirit to know Christ.
U - - Unconditional Election means that God has elected for His own glory, in accordance with His own will and without regard for the merit of those elected, some for salvation and some to be left in their sins.
L - - Limited Atonement means that Christ died specifically and only for the sins of those who would ever truly believe in Him.
I - - Irresistible Grace means that the elect are incapable of resisting the Holy Spirit's inward call to repentance and salvation.
P - - Perseverance of the Saints means that all those who are truly saved will certainly be brought to heaven and to glorification and will never be lost.
These Arminian definitions are found in the Wycliffe Dictionary of Theology and are condensed in that work by a Calvinist, Roger Nicole(Gordon Divinity School). I will take some liberties with them for the sake of clarification. They are the views of Jacob Hermann (Armin) a former student of Calvin who came to doubt Calvin's theology.
1. - - God elects only on the basis of foreseen faith and condemns only on the basis of resistance to grace.
2. - - Christ provided a universal opportunity by dying for all men and for every man such that ALL those who turn to him as true repentant believers are saved.
3. - - Man is so depraved that foreplanned divine intervention and preceding divine grace are necessary to bring about faith or any good deed.
4. - - According to the foreplanning of God, man was created with the ability to resist Divine Grace.
Oh, I see. No, Lydia knows how a heart changes from unbelief to belief. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
No he isn't. We wanted to see how you'd portray it....a little psyops there, my friend. (We sent TWO messages.)
You portrayed it INCOMPLETELY. (And you know that I know. But now I know what I want.)
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