The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Some meat for the dogs . . .

Would you mind explaining how a lack of knowledge equals a lack of volition? The commission of sin is not dependent upon our knowledge. Much as you may break the law of the land by speeding though unaware of the speed limit, you may break the law of God (commit sin) without realizing it. In any case, every choice you make is by your own volition. Even while being coerced, one still has the choice to disobey the coercer. If he obeys the coercer to commit sin, he still commits sin. The presence of coercion does not negate the action.


I find this ironic in a post where you are telling me that intellectual knowledge of what is sin is required before one can be said to have committed a sin! How useful is mercy, when mercy is not even necessary? But indeed, Catholic theology in the modern age does place "a great premium upon God's overriding and awesome mercy to all mankind," much to the furthering of her idolatry and apostasy, not to mention her own internal incoherence. For aside from the fact that the same Roman Church has taught at various times and according to various teachers that no one outside of her baptismal registers and no one not admitting the authority of the Bishop of Rome may be saved, she has still to deal with the difficulty of how her so-called God may be salvifically merciful to every individual and yet allow so many to perish eternally in the fires of hell.


I find it disheartening that my non-Calvinist friends constantly wrest that phrase from Scripture, if not to their own destruction, to the destruction of so many others. For even a cursory reading of the context indicates that it does not refer to every individual who exists, has existed, or will exist, but indeed refers to a very particular group, which we Calvinists describe as "elect," according the designation of Scripture.


Genesis 6:5, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

That, sir, is indeed an EVIL WILL, and it describes the state of man since the Fall. Note, the state of man, not the state of some men.


As do I. But then I think the Eastern Orthodox are as apostate as Rome, and that even the best among Christians hold to erroneous doctrines in some point. We are yet to be perfected.


Who else but the Pharisees, which is abundantly clear from context? Is Jesus incapable of using irony? Certainly you don't believe there is a class of men which has not been called to repentance.


It is possible only by the regeneration of the Spirit. But since you are so keen on prooftexting, do I even need to quote to you from Romans 3:9ff., or do you know that passage by heart?


I have no cause to do so, for I know that God's promises are true. No one can be saved from hell unto eternal life and yet perish in hell unto eternal damnation, for then his salvation is utterly meaningless. God is true, though every man is a liar.


Who falls away but those who are not truly inheritors, those who are not saved? The warnings are true, but those who fall away are false. They go out from the church, but they were never of the church to begin with.


I insinuate no such thing, although you seem keen to put words in my mouth. The fact of the matter is that the "Calvinist soteriological paradigm" is not only true, but biblical, apostolic, catholic, Augustinian, and even asserted as truth by the Council of Orange. The Roman Church has far more explaining to do regarding the basis of her myriad heresies, particularly their departure from the Bible (and therefore from the Apostles!), than have Reformed Protestants.