Whenever there is a discrepancy between what God says and what man has chosen to believe, we always have to go with what God says. There is not one verse of Scripture that indicates that God makes the choice for man as to eternal destiny. Repeatedly, God says He has provided a way of salvation and it is up to man to choose whether to accept that way or reject it. When God says that it is not His will that any perish, we have to choose to either believe what He says or not believe what He says. If it's not His will that any perish, then He is not going to determine that some will perish and take their option to accept Christ away from them.
From what I've seen on this thread and on previous threads dealing with Calvinism, the impression I'm getting is that people who have this belief system want the responsibility for their eternal destiny taken out of their hands and handed to God. Unfortunately, nowhere in the Bible does God take responsibility for the decision that He has given to man to make. It's extremely risky to believe that one has no control over whether or not to accept Christ's death on the cross as payment for sin; it is taking the risk of a lifetime to go through life believing that we are totally helpless, that we are nothing more than robots, that God made us, tells us that He does not want us to perish, then cruelly decides, while telling no one that He is deciding and by leading people to believe that the decision is theirs, that certain people have been chosen to go to hell after all.
John Calvin, at the time of his death, admitted that he was wrong about atonement. It's too bad that those who still believe his errors haven't heard that he did, at the end, repent.
I'm not sure what exactly you're stating. Calvin's belief was that God illuminates the soul to irresistably draw one to Himself. You make a choice but once God has revealed Himself to you, then you follow after Him.
We are born with a sin nature, but we do not have to spend our lives enslaved to that sin nature
You can only be set free by the Son. And if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
From what I've seen on this thread and on previous threads dealing with Calvinism, the impression I'm getting is that people who have this belief system want the responsibility for their eternal destiny taken out of their hands and handed to God. Unfortunately, nowhere in the Bible does God take responsibility for the decision that He has given to man to make.
The responsibility for salvation rest soully (pun intended) on the shoulders of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of Christians is to be obedient to what God has called us to do-love justice, do kindness, and walk humbly with our God. This latter part includes preaching the good news. If we see thousand come to Christ or we see no one, it doesn't matter. God only wants us to be faithful to His calling of preaching the gospel.
It's extremely risky to believe that one has no control over whether or not to accept Christ's death on the cross as payment for sin; it is taking the risk of a lifetime to go through life believing that we are totally helpless... that we are nothing more than robots
No one is making this claim. It is the Spirit that convicts the world of sin, righteousness and of judgment. As for robots we are far from this. It is our desire and lust to sin against God. We are only slaves to sin because we desire it. This is the nature of the fall. We fail to understand that when God looks at us He really is looking at His perfect Son. Instead we buy into the notion that we're something special. It's no wonder that God is constantly hastening and chastening us.
John Calvin, at the time of his death, admitted that he was wrong about atonement. It's too bad that those who still believe his errors haven't heard that he did, at the end, repent.
Could you please provide a source? If Calvin was in error at the time of his death, I can only assume it was under stress of the moment. ;O)