You just don't UNDERSTAND!

As long as this is your opinion then great. By way of example, I personally have nothing to prove to anyone but it is as far as I'm concerned one of the negatives for me, as I study and interact with reformed thinkers is that they feel certain that the only reason why everyone else doesn't think like them is because they truly don't understand reformed theology.

Of course if true, that would beg the question, "do all reformed thinkers/believers understand reformed theology?"

 

Can you clarify what kind of truth you are referring to? Would you consider understanding self evident truth to be only illumined by the HS? That is,can the man without the HS understand that 2+2=4? And also that the basic truth premises of logic are understandable without the HS? I assume that you are referring only to truth that is taught in scripture, correct?

 

Yes Skan, unsaved people can understand truth revealed by the scriptures, whether they are willing to believe it is another matter.

I'd bet if you were to show 100 unsaved adults the scripture that says, FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, and asked them if they understand what this verse is saying, nearly all, if not all would say they understand it.

However, if you asked those same adults if they believe this verse of scripture is true, then you would get a very different answer. Many would
deny they are sinners worthy of hell, and would claim they are good enough to earn salvation. I have experienced this many times going door to door with my pastor.

It is not that they cannot understand what the scriptures say and mean, it is that they are unwilling to accept it as truth.

Ask any evolutionist if they understand the creation account in Genesis. They understand it, but consider it myth and do not believe it.

The problem is not lack of understanding, it is lack of faith.

 

Exactly. There is the testimony of thousands of Christians, some on this forum who say they resisted accepting Christ, sometimes for years, and the #1 reason is that they did not want to give up some sin in their life.

They understood they were sinners, they understood the wages of sin was death, they understood Jesus died for their sins and rose again. They understood they could have forgiveness by trusting Christ. But they were unwilling to give up their sin.

This is the primary reason people do not get saved.

 

Think that we have to remember that there is a part of man that always wants to somehow "help" God out, get the credit to have "come to God" but the Lord says that He will share His glory with None, and salvation is of the Lord!

 

You better come to Jesus, or you will not have life.

Jn 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

 

main reason is that natural man CANNOT receive the things of God, for they are spiritual discerned...

So agree with your premise except goes back i extra step...

Why cant they get saved? because they cant unless the Lord draws/calls/elects them to come to Jesus, and receive Eternal life...

They are doing their "natural desires" w/o that work of God, preferring to stay in darkness than come to the Light...

 

If you don't come to Jesus, you will not have life.

Jn 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

 

Yes, it is nonsense, Jesus COMMANDS us to come to him, and says those who will not come to him will not have life.

Not to come to Jesus is to disobey him.

 

That is the Calvinist understanding isn't it?

I have been saying for two years that Calvinism teaches the exact opposite of what the scriptures say.

 

If you are one of the elect of God, you will be able to respond in faith and believe/receive the Lord Jesus Christ...

Comes back to this...
Does God granr "general" grace so that all could receive/believe, or does it apply it to His elect only?

And I don't see how disobeying Jesus command to come to Him factors in here...

Didn't he plainly tell us that a vast majority will go down thre broad road to destruction, and thus "disobeying Him?"

 

It is not a strawman. That implies a dishonest distortion. It is because Calvinists to not understand the biblical explanation. They are blinded from the truth by their false Calvinist teaching. If they did understand it correctly they would embrace it.

 

They never came to him, that is why he said I NEVER KNEW YOU.

And as far as grace, the scriptures say;

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God THAT BRINGETH SALVATION hath appeared to all men.

God doesn't show a general grace to some men, and an effectual grace to others, that is a man-made doctrine. God shows the grace THAT BRINGETH SALVATION to ALL MEN.

 

Back to the OP, I have had discussions with unbelievers concerning evolution many times. The ones who are knowledgeable of the theory of evolution know the creation account very well, and usually present what they believe are logical and scientific arguments against it.

So, in this case it is not that they do not understand the scriptures, they know them very well. But in most cases their minds have been blinded by modern science. They consider the creation account to be a superstitious myth created by ancient men who had no knowledge of science. But they understand perfectly that I believe God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days.

 

Here is where I just stop dead & read with amazement... "If you hold to the doctrine of original Sin" . How can you question that? Thats the fall of man! * Adam willfully transgressed the law of God and therefore plunged himself and his posterity into a state of guilt and corruption (Rom. 5 : 12-19) .That now man in his natural state is dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2: 1) and is unable to recover himself by an act of his own "free-will" (John 1: 13; John 6: 44; Rom. 3: 10-20; Rom.9: 16). To put it simply, the essential teaching of the doctrine of total depravity is this: Human beings have no spiritual life—sin has killed them. We are all dead spiritually and will eventually die physically.

This doctrine has been upheld by many very intelligent people over many years. But here you are telling me "IF" All the flags go flying in the air. Then when I take a look at my own testimony, it just rings clear & cements it. For me there is no "If". Im convinced.