Posted on 12/09/2025 5:38:35 AM PST by metmom
“‘When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road’” (Matthew 13:19).
The hard-packed soil beside the road represents the unresponsive hearer who “does not understand” the gospel, solely because of his or her own hardheartedness. The person has continually resisted the gospel or anything else related to true spirituality because of an insensitive, impervious heart.
The Word lies on the surface of the unresponsive heart, exposed to attack by Satan. Such a hearer’s lack of repentance insulates him or her from Christ’s help and leaves them victim to assault by the enemy of the soul.
Such people remind us of the fools who hate wisdom and instruction (Prov. 1:7) and say there is no God (Ps. 14:1). They are often self-satisfied and self-righteous, and the gospel is simply veiled to them because “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel” (2 Cor. 4:4).
Satan uses various means to snatch away the seed sown: false teachers who promote spiritual lies, fear of human opinion that opposes Christianity, pride that blinds people to their real needs, and all sorts of other sinful prejudices against the truth of God’s Word. All of these realities ought to prompt us toward prayer for and reaching out to the lost so that God may save some.
Ask Yourself
If lack of repentance is the key ingredient in shielding people from their need for Christ, we must continually guard ourselves from this hardened condition, even after being saved. Would this be a good time to deal directly with any unconfessed sin, turning away from it and back to the mercies of God?
So THAT is what all the buzz is about!
We have another thread in play concerning this.
Yet you miss my point.... the name Calvinism applied to what is touted to be “true Christ Logos in Flesh “ washed doctrine argues against it being so.
For example, though others have tried to argue it so in direct opposition to Paul, we don’t say Paul’s preachings and teachings are principles of “Paulist-ism” the same way that scriptures are used in a way to support “Calvinism”. We accept that Paul preached under the influence of the Holy Ghost and thus accept his scriptures and letters as having the imprimater of the Godhead itself and themselves ...the three in One.
So my argument ....Calvinism so long as it is identified as such is man made while Paul’s preaching was God breathed. Calvinist views aren’t all bad and it doesn’t deny the Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Yet it’s like adding a garnish like parsley to the Lords Supper or the Eucharist if you wish to call it that. It looks nice, it might frshen the breath but does it have a place in a meal of bread and wine, flesh broken and blood poured out?
You miss my point. What Calvin taught is what Paul taught. You may disagree with that, but that is what we Reformed believers hold to.
“The enlightenment of faith IS a gift from God the Holy Spirit through the word. Without this gift, nobody could believe.”
That is exactly right. And while some would teach that faith is a gift given only to the elect, The Bible teaches otherwise: Romans 12:3 insists that God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Now, while we might not understand what the measure of faith is I would assert that it is the right amount to be saved if someone chooses to do so. Particularly after hearing the word of God.
Paul taught Christ...Calvin taught Calvin’s interpretation of Paul!
Paul said “Be imitators of Christ and be also imitators of me” going on to explain what he meant by that. Are you saying we should be imitators of John Calvin, too?
If so, looking at Calvin’s history I see a lot that we should not imitate!
If so, looking at Calvin’s history I see a lot that we should not imitate!
Sure,,,,looking at the fruits is part of what the Word teaches...not one of the Apostles and Prophets were quasi government and military leaders but I suppose one could look at King David. Still... Calvin was not these men!
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