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Decisionism

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Rippon, Mar 31, 2006.

  1. genesis12

    genesis12 Member

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    Revelation 3:22

    "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

    This is the last time the word church appears in the Book of Revelation until you get to the closing verses in Rev 22. Revelation 1:4 thru Revelation 3:22 is directed to the churches. Beyond that........

    Revelation 4:1

    "After this (after the message to the church has been completed) I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me..."

    From here until the end the Revelation concerns the Tribulation, not the church. The "door opened in Heaven" is the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John concerning the Tribulation.
     
  2. StraightAndNarrow

    StraightAndNarrow Active Member

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    The story of Philip and the eunuch in Acts 8 shows that a Christian (with the aid of the Holy Spirit) can bring an unsaved person to an understanding of the scriptures.


    Act 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
    Act 8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
    Act 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
    Act 8:30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
    Act 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
    Act 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
    Act 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
    Act 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
    Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
    Act 8:36 And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
    Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
     
  3. Calvibaptist

    Calvibaptist New Member

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    Straight, what is your point? I think everyone here believes that God uses Christians sharing the Word to bring people to Himself. This is the means. The question in every one of these threads is "what finally causes that person to believe?" Calvinists say it is God, and He gets absolutely all the glory. Others say it is that man's free will, yet (unbelievably) God still gets all the glory.
     
  4. Calvibaptist

    Calvibaptist New Member

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    I'm pretty sure most people understand that this whole letter was to go to the seven churches in Asia. But, and I know you know this, there are subsections in chapter 2-3 that are personally addressed to each individual church.

    This verse (3:20) is found in the subsection that begins in verse 14 with, "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write." Therefore, this verse is part of the personal message for this church that will eventually be read by the 6 other churches.

    My point is that this is not a verse talking about entrance into salvation. It is a message written to a church.
     
  5. Me4Him

    Me4Him New Member

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    To understand the scriptures you have to start out with everything in the proper context, and then, and only then will everything in scripture "harmonize",

    that starting point is that God loved the world, didn't send Jesus to condemn it, and die for all sin so all "might be" saved.

    world refers to the "unsaved".

    interpret scripture in context of the stated mission of God/Jesus, man's belief/unbelief, you'll have the correct answer of why people go to hell.
    The correct interpretation of scripture is neither, Calvinist, Universalists or Open Theists.

    God does have foreknowledge of the future, and many perishing, but if it's not his will for any to perish, their destruction certainly wasn't predestine by God.
     
  6. quickened1

    quickened1 New Member

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    Hey Calvibap,

    You were Non-Calvi for a long time it seems. Id like to know if, back then, you felt you deserved some of the glory for your salvation? Im just guessing but I dont think you would have felt that way. I know you are aware that our Lord healed some blind men, as recorded in scripture.
    "And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh into Jericho, a certian blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him, and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord that I may recieve my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Recieve thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he recieved his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God." (Luke 18:35-43)
    All the glory went to God. The blind man got none of it. He claimed none of it. The miracle was from God, through the faith of the blind man. This is a picture of salvation. I know of no one who is saved that claims any glory. I cant imagine someone who just recieved Christ, getting up off of his knees thinking he saved himself or that he should get one drop of the glory. Can we heap any condemnation on this blind man and others like him in scripture? No. Then why is it that the Non-Calvi is condemend for his position? Why is he accused of taking God's glory?
     
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