Repentance and Faith:

Arminianus believed that repentance and faith were fruits of God's work, because Armininanus recognized something that many Calvinists overlook, the presentation of the gospel IS A WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, anything that happens as a direct result of man's hearing the gospel message can clearly be called a fruit of the Spirit's working. Don't you agree.

 

A.

B is not the answer because it is not supported in the scripture. Why would God make a provision for our way out of the bondage of sin through means that we were not able to accomplish because of that very bondage, yet hold us responsible for not using those means?

It not only doesn't make any sense, it is not scripturally supported.

I agree. We are born again through belief in the Word of truth.

Understand what? The gospel or the "deep things of God" as is referenced in this passage? Notice that even the Corithian brothers couldn't receive these things Paul is speaking of, it can't be salvific in nature if brethern haven't yet accepted it.

Who is Jesus speaking to, and what is he speaking about in this passage?

He is speaking to Jews all of which had been hardened according to John 12:37-41 and therefore were unable to believe, accept for the remnant who were chosen to be the ones who carried the gospel message to the world. The twelve were chosen, as Jesus points out in this same chapter, out of the Jews to accomplish a special purpose. The rest were not ABLE to come to Jesus and learn from him because they weren't "given to him by the Father" to be apostles.

Understanding the historical context and the scope of the passage is necessary to grasping the author's original intent. Read this passage again without your Calvinistic presuppositions and I think you will see what I mean.

 

I think I agree with that Mike.

What you are missing is that this part of God's plan is a part of the historical context in which the rest of the scripture was written. Therefore, when there are texts that speak of Israel's inablity to believe you should apply that to support texts for Calvinisms view of Totally Depravity, instead it should be understood as temporary judicial hardening of God.

 

See - I have a wierd lil problem with some of the wording people are going with

We are regenerated then we are saved?
We are reborn a new creature and after that we are saved?

This makes no sense - It is putting on our God what is OUR responsibility - Not that we save ourselves, but that we respond to His offer to do so for us.

1 - God cannot be solely involved in salvation - because every Christian Ive seen is sinning part of the time - and the makes God's initial job either flawed, or His ability to preserve extremely weak

2 - Faith and repentance ARE man's response to God - Man cannot generate these salvificary conditions WITHOUT God generating the cause(s) for them.

3 - Salvation is not a one time blip on the temporal radar - It is an ongoing process - one that we are called to be a part of - To reason with God - to work out salvation with trembling and fear - to pray without ceasing - rejoice evermore - Go ye into all the world.....

 

Amen!

 

The root error of the Arminian's gospel of freewill is its failure to see that man's part, repentance and faith, are fruits and effects of God's work and not the essential ingredient's supplied by the sinner as "man's part of the deal."

There is no such term contrast in Scripture as "calling of God" vs "Effectual calling of God" - that is simply a notion Calvinist's make up.

God "Effectively DRAWS ALL mankind unto Him" John 12:32. And as a result ALL MANKIND is ENABLED to do what total depravity DISABLED in the matter of choosing "life" - choosing to respond to God.

In Christ,

Bob

 

It's all about Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrace.

mike [Cool] </font>[/QUOTE]You negate the words of Jesus in John 3:16, John 3:18, and John the Baptist in John 3:30-36. Jesus said

Jesus also said,

John the Baptist said,

It is only by Hearing the message from God, by whatever means we do hear the message, that we can have faith which is the single ingredient that man adds to salvation. "It is by grace, the environment; through faith, the means, that we are saved..."

 

"Whosoever" means ANY out of ALL. That is, out of ALL that exist, some, or many, may believe in Jesus, even on his name and receive eternal life.

(ALL of them)? Not hardly, because names can be "blotted from" the Book of life and God's word tells us the singular condition that causes one's name to be blotted out is lack of faith! A condition that causes all sorts of other conditions. Names can be added to the Book of life TOO! Those who Hear the Gospel and Believe in Jesus (God) have their names "added to the book of life", for they too, are recipients of Salvation thru faith in Jesus because Jesus Atonement covers their sins.

 

All who are born are written in the Book of Life.

All the elect who are and will be saved eternally are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Bro. Dallas Eaton.

 

He who writes names in the Book of Life also blots names from the Book of life. The same "He" writes names into and blots names from the Lambs book of Life.

 

The Lamb's Book of life, as the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, was written before the foundation of the world.

To be blotted out of the book of life is to be removed from present life. To be cut off is to have your name removed from Israel and not have any raised up to continue your name.

Bro. Dallas Eaton

 

You are saying then that the Book of life is the book of all the people who have, are, or will live on this earth, and that the Lambs book of life is the book of the elect.

I wonder why God did not think to call them that?