Sir Pilgrim,
I did say in an earlier post that I believe that Language is our weakness, both in available words and the understanding and use of these words.
However I continue to try to explain what I think. I think that we are arguing at cross purposes. What you have said, Methinks you are confusing at least one thing in regard to the effects of man being in his "natural" state, i.e., "unregenerate". Total Depravity doesn't nullify a person's intellect; the ability to think or comprehend. Some of the most brilliant minds born on this earth were unregenerate God haters. Being unregenerate means that one's "predisposition/inclination" is opposed to God and all that is good (aka: God's prescriptive will, His law). Put in the vernacular, unregenerate men hate God and anything that is holy, pure and good. (cf. Rom 8:7, 8; Eph 4:17-19) Now, as to the topic at hand, whether an unregenerate man can understand something of God, it is more than clear from Romans 1:
is not outside of what I believe, persons who are unregenerated always seem to fall short in their knowledge of GOD owing to all of what is stated in the scriptures. Who He is, where He is, How to contact Him. Yes intellectual reasoning can summarize that there is a God who made all this, and there are inate feelings (placed there by God as the scripture suggests) that evoke a need to recognise GOD and to find out the Truth and this Truth is only present in the Bible, which is of best use to the regenerated mind. I have not offered an excuse to the unregenerated, or argued that they are excused by virtue of being unregenerated, God prompts every one to realise that there is a GOD above all things and above all imaginations. I have also said that the way to the Truth about God (if it is being sought after) is found in the Bible and it would be more fruitful as the seeker becomes regenerated. Cautioning that one should not seek to intellectually comprehend the things od GOD outside of Gods way.

I hope I did better this time.
Respectfully,
Roy

Last edited by Delivered; Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:10 PM.