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delvanis said:

I do appreciate all your replies, but our differences is in how God deals with man and what he expects of man.If man was not exposed to the gospel and wooing of the Holy Spirit, man would never choose God on his own. This much we agree on.

.....Our difference is not that God has chosen a people for himself, for he has. But rather God has chosen a people who have of their own volition, when convicted by the gospel and Holy Spirit, submitted THEIR WILL to him.

No, that's not in agreement with what we've been saying. Regeneration preceeds faith. Man will not submit his will until he's born again and his very nature is changed. That's also the problem with those who follow Christ for a time and then fall away. That decision was done in their own will for whatever reason and they were not truly changed from within.

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Pilgrim wrote:

The ONLY way that ANY man will repent and believe on Christ unto salvation is if he is given a new nature (regeneration/born again/born from above/made alive) by God. This regeneration creates a new nature, one which is predisposed/inclined toward God, i.e., a love for God, a hatred of sin, a desire to live in holiness, a passion for Christ and a recognition of the sufficiency of His atoning sacrifice. Thus, this new nature moves the will irresitibly.... NATURALLY.... so that the one chooses that which before he was unable/unwilling to do.

Regeneration is the spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his/her inherently sinful nature is changed so that he/she can respond to God in Faith, and live in accordance with His Will (Matt. 19:28; John 3:3,5,7; Titus 3:5). It is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8). This change is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It originates not with man but with God (John 1:12, 13; 1 John 2:29; 5:1, 4). It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature.


Wes

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts