The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Arminian Atonement of John Piper

Strictly speaking, the term "prerequisite [unto]" carries with it the idea of something to be done BEFORE or IN ORDER TO enter into something else it is the requirement thereunto. Now there can be no debate as to the necessity of faith & repentance, as absolutely indispensable activities of the redeemed / regenerated soul. Without faith it is impossible to please God, etc. HOWEVER, faith is not a requirement which one must fulfill BEFORE one is "saved", or IN ORDER TO enter into the state of salvation, out of the state of being dead in trespasses and sins, unjustified and utterly alienated from God! But faith & repentance are integral parts OF salvation! The redeemed soul is both required to believe and enabled to believe. Christ's sheep believe, because they are Christ's sheep, because He died for them . The spiritual wolves, dogs and swine do not believe, because they are not of His sheep (Jn.10:26), Christ has not laid down His life for them and He is NOT calling them by name.
The reprobate wicked cannot be saved EVEN IF they fulfilled the alleged universal "prerequisite" of faith and repentance, because CHRIST'S BLOOD WAS NOT SHED FOR THEM! To assert the opposite, implies a hypothetically universal, conditional atonement! To assert the contrary means that Christ in a certain sense died for all men (and we are back to the square one). But Christ did not die to redeem everybody, IF they fulfill the "prerequisite"! He died to save His people and He SHALL save His people from their sins.