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Decisional Regeneration

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by ReformedBaptist, Aug 27, 2007.

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  1. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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    It's not just poor Nic, its poor sinners! Let the truth of God in this manner drive them to despair and a sensibility of their utter helplessness to save themselves. And let them call upon the Lord with all their hearts.
     
  2. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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  3. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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  4. lbaker

    lbaker New Member

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    ...for all the good it will do them if they aren't among the elect, right?
     
  5. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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  6. lbaker

    lbaker New Member

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  7. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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    Show me a single sinner who wished to live in heaven, be free of his sin and self-pleasure.

    I have never met one. They are quite happy with their own religion or non-religion, they delight in their sins, indeed, they love darkness more than the light.

    Speak to them of heaven and they sneer. Not Allah's heaven which is full of immorality and self-indulgence. But a heaven where God's glory is supreme, wherein righteousness dwells and no unclean thing dwells in it. They will at once be disgusted with your heaven, either because they cannot be the center of it, or else they cannot indulge their fleshly passions there.

    I am not impressed by a man who wishes for Jesus in order that he may escape hell, if he is in someway terrified by it. Even a natural man fears punishment. I am impressed by a man who longs for heaven that he may escape sin and satan and worship Jesus Christ in the full purity of holiness and glorification.
     
  8. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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  9. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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  10. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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  11. lbaker

    lbaker New Member

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    Whether or not a sinner wishes to live in heaven and give up his sin should have no bearing on his election though, correct?

    For example, the prayers of Cornelius had no bearing on whether God saved him or not, right? God could just as well have, and perhaps has, ignored the prayers of many men in similar circumstances, according to Reformed thinking.
     
  12. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    #112 TCGreek, Aug 28, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 28, 2007
  13. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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  14. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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  15. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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    I do have to run, but in first glance you have the cart before the horse here. Obviously God was preparing Cornelius for that day, because all who come to Jesus and believe on Him have been taught of the Father.

    Les, when our dialogue started, had you already made up your mind about Reformed Theology?
     
  16. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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  17. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. "Foreknowledge" refers to God knowing someone intimately in advance. It is never applied to a thing but to a person or group of people.

    2. Compare this with Matthew 7:23: "I never knew you..." What is meant here that Jesus didn't know, when John says Jesus knew who would not believe in Him (John 6:64)?

    3. This must be a different type of knowing or foreknowledge. I propose that it means "to know beforehand in an intimate way."
     
  18. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    Just don't add up.

    Here are some who "knew" God and then their foolish heart was darkened. (They Glorified Him not as God)
     
    #118 Brother Bob, Aug 28, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 28, 2007
  19. lbaker

    lbaker New Member

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    RB,

    Okay, soooooooo, is your point that God was sort of ramping up Cornelius to get him to the point where he could be regenerated? Is the idea here that the prayers and good works of Cornelius were a result of a sort of pre-regeneration preparation? If that's the case would it then follow that whenever we see prayers and good works they are the ramping up of an elect individual, if not the works of a regnerated individual?

    To answer your question - I definitely was/am of the free-will camp, but I hope open minded enough that if you had pointed a scriptural smoking gun in my face I would have had to reconsider my position. I hope the same could be said for you, RB, that if I had been able to make a good enough argument you would have reconsidered your position.

    Les
     
  20. lbaker

    lbaker New Member

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    Okay, back to responsibilty:

    In Calvinist/Reformed thought, are we in control of, i.e. responsible for, our eternal destiny or not?

    Thanks,

    Les
     
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