Three Reasons Why I'm Not A Good Calvinist:

Good man, rip!! And how often have we said that Calvies believe they are "saved" in the same way as Israel was "elected?" And it bears a strong resemblance to a trip to the animal shelter for a dog!

And are you saying that is what salvation is like?

For a soul, a dog has instincts. He doesn't know God. He only learns what "master" means when he is taken home (saved, so to speak).

A dog doesn't understand why its master makes it do tricks or herd sheep or whatnot. Same way as a Calvinist on the mission field, right? Calvies don't go to the mission field to reach those God can't effectually save so guess what? So Calvies say, "We go cause God commands us to," or " We go cause that's the way God has chosen to do things." Sounds like a "master-dog" relationship to me.

There's a ton of other things neither dogs nor Calvies seem to know. Neither knows about its soul -- neither knows how evil entered into the world -- neither knows how its (M)aster chose it -- neither knows what The Revelation of Jesus Christ (by John) means -- both have incomprehensible vocabularies (try explaining a parent's "total depravity" to a parent who is doing everything possible to raise their child right) -- (the only limit to this list is the time I want to spend on this post). :tear:

I know -- you'll say I'm "teeing off" on Calvies. Believers are, after all, "sheep." But that's only in parables, friend. My observations seem quite literally to apply. And I suppose there are those that happily know nothing, love to be petted and fed and sheltered, and who "wag their tails" furiously whenever they hear their master's name.

skypair

 

I had hoped to engage you on a point-by-point basis. What points are not comparable? Even a dog eventually turns to/repents to and obeys his master who chose him, right?

I gave another list to rip. You may want to look at that one as well. I believe the point to be made is that because man is not made like a dog spiritually, man's choosing is not monergistic as is the case with dogs. IOW, I don't think I misunderstand Cavlinism nearly to the extent that Calvinism misunderstands the human spirit. And that is why I use the illustration of a dog. Calvinism appears to constitute man's nature and God's redemption of him as if man were a beast.

skypair

 

It might be better Sky if you made another thread about it so as not to derail TCGreek's.

 

Good idea. I was going to "collect my thoughts" here and "bounce them off" TC but apparently he is not inclined to a "bottom of the thread" airing of his opinions.

skypair