Sovereign choice of God part deux

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

By His enabling Grace, not by our own sin sick flesh.

Nobody here has a problem with the commands of God. The problem is that some think they can please God in the flesh.

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

I don't understand the question. Could you clarify, please?

 

If it is not regeneration, giving us the ability to believe, repent, and obey, what is it?

 

This is a good point. It demonstrates the fallacy of using such analogies literally. The “spiritual dead” are not passive in their rejection of the message of the gospel (in fact, Peter’s sermon in Acts assigns guilt to the Jews who crucified Christ for their rejection; and Paul assigns guilt for Gentile rejection of what is understood). So they must hear the gospel in some manner. It is that they reject what is heard. They do not understand the gospel for what it is.

I agree with the Calvinists (and Classic Arminianism) that men cannot believe without the work of the Spirit towards belief. But you are right that the analogy of a “spiritual corpse” certainly has its limitations, and those limitations are often exceeded in debate.

 

What I mean is his point is right, that if we do not understand allegory and metaphor we can come up with all sorts of doctrine. This is apparent when you take "spiritually dead" (e.g., "let the dead bury the dead") in a more literal manner than is presented in Scripture (e.g., a corpse). A corpse cannot do anything to his benefit, this is true. But a corpse also cannot sin.

There are many words which are used in this way. When we take the Supper, the bread is not literally Jesus' flesh (although the word used is σῶμα, meaning Jesus' "body") and the wine is not literally blood (although the word αἷμα is used, and αἷμα means "blood"). We do not literally carry crosses when we take up our crosses (although those are the words uses) and we do not literally cut off body parts that offend us (although the language, in your mode of interpretation, may indicate otherwise).