Abraham ?
others?
For all ?
The problem with Calvinism is its attempt to reconcile and systematize that which the Bible does not reconcile. Though there is value in systematic theology, there is also a danger. We must be careful simply to believe the Bible as it stands. I believe Acts 13:48, which says "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed," and I also believe Acts 13:46, which says the unbelieving Jews had rejected God's salvation and had judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life. I don't try to develop a theological system that will somehow make perfect sense of it all.
The teaching of Five-Point Calvinism is that God has determined and decreed that some are to be saved without any conditions to be met on their part. This is called Unconditional Election and is the choosing of some to salvation in Christ, while at the same time leaving the rest in their lost condition by not choosing them. This election is not based on God’s foreknowing that certain would believe, but is based on His sovereign will to elect certain ones. Those who are not chosen to be part of the Elect of God can in no way enter into that company. In line with this teaching the statement is made that God does not love all men, but only those whom he has chosen to be saved. The Scriptures are very plain that God has His Elect ones who by faith in Jesus Christ are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). They are adopted by God and Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4,5). This election is plainly declared to be based on the foreknowledge of God (1 Peter 1:2 and Rom. 8:29). Since God knows the end from the beginning He foreknows those who will believe in Christ. He has purposed that they will be to the praise of His glory throughout the ages and through them He will show the exceeding riches of His grace (Eph. 2:7).
The Scriptures are also very plain in stating that "whosoever will" may come to Christ. Please read the following Scriptures--John 3:15,16, 4:14, 12:46, Acts 2:21, 10:43, Rom. 10:13, Rev. 22:17. The word "whosoever" means all, any, every, the whole. Since we believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Word of God we are forced to believe that when God moves the Scripture writers to say "whosoever," then that is exactly what He means. That there is a condition to be met in order for one to be saved is proved by our Lord’s words in John 8:24--"for if ye believe not that I am he, ye. shall die in your sins." Other Scriptures have already been quoted under Total Inability to bear out the conditional requirement of believing in order to have salvation.
That God loves all men in this world and sent His Son to die for them is abundantly clear from John 3:16. The Five-Point Calvinist changes the meaning of the word "world" here and adds to the Word of God by placing immediately behind it two words, "the elect." The verse then appears this way, "For God so loved the world (the elect) that He gave His only begotten Son, etc.’’ I have seen this verse written in this way in gospel tracts. The word "world" is used 77 times in the Gospel of John, I would encourage you to take Strong’s Concordance and look up each utterance, then insert the wards "the elect" behind each usage of it. You do not have to go far before you see how ridiculous it is.
You see, if God does not love all men then we should not love them either. Since our Christian character comes from the indwelling of our Lord, we cannot show forth an attribute that is superior to His. Yet strangely enough, the Word of God says we are to love our enemies, our wives, our husbands, our children. If we must love lost sinners, and our Lord is holier than we are, we must believe that He loves them too. I’ll believe John 3:16 as it stands unaltered by the followers of John Calvin.
BigMack
Catholism in drag Mack..
Jesus said: "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6:39).
Jesus teaches us several things concerning God's will. First, that God has a certain definite purpose in Christ which determines the final state of all things (predestination). Jesus is not speaking of the law or the moral will of God, but of God's purpose.
Second, Jesus teaches that of all which is given to Him He will lose nothing, that is, God's will (His eternal decree) shall surely be done. God's purpose and will shall stand.
God's will is His sovereign purpose in Jesus Christ, to raise up unto eternal glory at the last day all that is given to Jesus Christ.
Mack Jesus said He was the good shepherd..a few questions...Do the sheep find the Shepherd or does the Shepherd find the lost sheep?
Can Goats ever turn themselves into sheep?
Did God predestine your existance?
Preach on, Brother Mack! :-)
AS
The Scriptures are also very plain in stating that "whosoever will" may come to Christ. ~ BigMack
Well, sure! Did you actually think that any Calvinist here would disagree with this. I quoted these verses to an Arminian once. His name is unimportant (faith_j). He actually went nuts on me posting a private e-mail I had sent him and accusing me of all kinds of stuff.
Now that we have that straightened out, you need to address the point I have made. The cheesecake is freely available for anybody who wants it. Unfortunately:
And no one, having feasted on rib eyes desires cheesecake; for he says, "I'm stuffed from the rib eyes."
Therefore, why should you complain if you are not offered cheesecake?