Pilgrim

Actually that does help, thank you. yep

You also stated: "Additionally, if one holds to the biblical doctrine of Total Depravity as it is enumerated in the Canons of Dordt, man being "spiritually dead" having inherited a corruption of nature and whose disposition is only toward sin, then it stands that unless the whole man is given spiritual life, i.e., a new disposition, he will never nor is he able to exercise faith. Why? Because unlike modern semi-Pelagianism and the old Arminianism, the Reformed Faith holds that the will is not an independent element of man but is rather totally dependent upon that which influences it; the mind and the affections. Therefore, a simply "something" to enable man to respond in faith MUST BE effectual upon man's entire being; mind, emotions, will. That "something", therefore of necessity must be regeneration, to impart life to that which is dead... the whole man. Arminians contended at the Synod of Dordt that all that was needed was "prevenient grace" which somehow could overcome the depravity of soul yet without actually entailing the giving of spiritual life. This ALL of the Reformed churches throughout history have utterly rejected as spurious and indefensible from Scripture.

It would therefore be very interesting to find out what this "something must happen" your friend has maintained which enables a spiritually dead, morally bankrupt, God-hating sinner to believe and which is not a recreation of the soul, aka: regeneration."

As I indicated in another post which you can find at: https://www.the-highway.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/posts/44990.html he uses the words "illumination and calling" as the work of grace that irresistibly draws the elect to Christ.

This as far as I can see is not in any way similar to Arminianism; in fact from what I gather (I e-mailed him for clarification on this) the major difference is the words he uses for the grace that enables the sinner to come to Christ. He does not believe in Arminian prevenient grace, because what he seems to be saying in more in line with Reformed thought, in that it is irresistible. His understanding of the word “regeneration” seems to be his main problem.

Tom