And so this hardness of calvinism then begins to falsely accuse saying "based on emotional element." There is no denying man changed after the fall, but within that change was a spark, a life, that always had that ability to choose God if given the opportunity through the mercy of God to accept His way. This is always preserved in scripture, non-emotionally. That is how God made us in His image, otherwise we are not made in His image if it is not so, but we know that we are according to Genesis. This applies most perfectly to Rom. 5.12-18, Eph. 2.1-5.<br><br>Notice this point I had made still stands at face value on the foolishness of the cross that "God chose me and not you!" through calvinism is wrong which agrees with 1 Cor. 1.25-29, Eph. 2.8,9. Under unconditional election the emphasis again is taken off of the grace of free-will and placed unto a different kind of grace, shown in Eph. 1.4 because "unconditional" is harsh. Indeed, God chose me before the foundation of the world only because He knew I would choose Him (and I did not know this myself until I was saved) not because He chose me not matter what I decided, far from it. That would strike the cord of unsettling strangeness if that were true. Like Rom. 9.6-16 says God is the final decider, not man's choice, for man may say he chooses but it may be a false choosing, so unless that choice is fulfilled under God then God will not give grace, that choice first graced originally to receive or not to receive. Proper cause and effect is seen here in armenianism. This is the difference in the reading of scriptures, one more humble than the other. Same for John 1.12,13, for it is not self-will, nor will of man, nor of the flesh, but those that received Him fulfilling God's plan of mercy and grace originating not in the will itself but in that One who first gave that will in Genesis. A leads to B leads to C, not C leads to A leads to B. C=salvation. B=choice. A=grace. The order is all messed up under calvanism which passifies the spirit and blanks the mind. The former proper reflects mankind and God, while the latter is lefting wanting.<br><br>Let's examine your mistaken assumptions of what I believe - "But for the sake of argument, let's assume that your proposition is true; i.e., that man's salvation is not based upon an eternal decree of God apart from any consideration of anyone in particular and that salvation is not only equally available to all men without discrimination but also within the ability of every man without discrimination according to their own "decision". First, man's salvation is based on the eternal decree of God, and is based on the individual, not as you say, not anyone in particular. Second, it is not a "decision" but a "reception". The later is more authentic because it is a receiving, not a deciding for some don't even decide but nevertheless receive. Some decide, though still never really receive. Do you see the difference? There is nothing to boast in receiving, and even boasting in in Christ is ok, but there is a boasting in deciding, though armeniasts don't boast of deciding but purely Christ himself. Through this assuming nature of yours through calvinism and that harshness of it you then use terminology like "idiocy" emotionally claimed noetically. Obviously spurgeons take is on "decision" and self-will misunderstanding "receiving" His Word, His life. There is humility in the latter, not the former, nor is there humility in saying "God chose me, not you, before the foundation of the World and there is nothing you can do about it" in calvnism suggesting an artificial system afoot that all these things about coming to Christ are just for show.<br><br>One final point, I also notice a tactic of calvinism is always to provide 1001 articles to circumvent and gloss over this basic principle, not realizing that covering something up does not get rid of it, that is God's Word is not coverable. If one has the time God-willing is not wasting, one can identify the error in each calvinistic article or perhaps it is more well pleasing to the Lord to not to even engage things such as this that stir the mind, and weaken the spirit.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
Last edited by waronthesaints; Sun Aug 17, 20033:45 PM.
