Is it really synergism?

God said “come let us reason together...” so God is the author of reason. However, truth doesn’t always seem reasonable to us.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB)
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:23 (NASB)
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

 

Let me offer another model: Christ’s work in making righteousness available to the world (by giving up his own) has the affect of repealing God’s corporate, universal judgment of Adam in lieu of individual judgments. This necessitates the resurrection of each & every human being who has ever died so that they may face an individual judgment.

Acts 24:15
having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

John 5:28
“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,
29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Revelation 21:8
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Daniel 12:1
Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Because of Jesus ALL are resurrected, but those without the righteousness of faith to cover their sin will be judged for their individual sin. Therefore a measure of grace (from Adam’s universal judgment) extends to all.

Romans 5:18 (NASB) So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (NASB) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Though there is justification of life to ALL men, many (those without faith in the gospel) will subsequently experience a second death.

 

I’m pretty sure God made the first move.

Romans 10:17 (NASB)
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Galatians 3:5 (NASB) So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Galatians 3:8 (NASB) The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU."

It was God who first preached the Gospel to man & made him righteous for believing it. In fact the earliest preaching of the gospel was Genesis 3:

Genesis 3:15 (NASB) And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."

Galatians 3:16 (NASB) Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.

 

Yes and I don’t have the time to debate with you, however may I ask you, do you think Jesus was an idealist?

 

#4

 

I think Jesus was a believer in God’s promises. If I had time, I would consider why this question is relevant.

 

What we are looking at is super-naturalism VS naturalism. Both are monergistic. Super-naturalism = born again in the Holy Spirit in order to believe. Naturalism = believe with the flesh to be born again.

 

believe with the flesh to be born again VS born again to believe with the Spirit.

 

I'm going with Antinamianism, since they seem to despise getting tagged with a name for some reason.

 

Again, I agree with you, Gup20. But again, unless you are questioning my salvation, which I don’t think you are, we are making the same point. The discussion would be much different, as in pointless, with someone who rejects Jesus or the Scriptures.

 

The flesh believe? Belief capable of salvation occurs in the soul and spirit of man.

 

Not unless born again. Faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The flesh hates God and worships only idols. The proof? None righteous. Jesus defines righteousness as love for God = all hate God unless born again.

 

None righteous does not mean the flesh hates God and only worships idols. One thought does not lead to the other. That is a fallacy known as the false cause fallacy.

 

Jesus defines righteousness as love for God and people. And Paul say none are righteous = all hate God by nature.

 

Sorry you can repeat the same untruth as often as you want it doesn't make it true. Nothing there says that we cannot respond to the gospel.

 

It's simple logic.

 

No, it is philosophy and it is wrong

 

Does scripture say the lost hate God all the time? Nope. But Calvinists claim it is true. The lost were made sinners, are unholy, and dead in their sin, but does this mean they are unable to seek God at any time or to believe in Jesus at any time? Nope. But Calvinists claim it is true.

However no verse supports their interpretation.

The OP was spot on when it explained God set His redemption plan, where He credits our faith in Christ as righteousness or not. We can will to be saved till the cows come home, but salvation does not depend on the one who wills, but on God who credits our worthless faith or not. The second and third soils had faith, but were not saved, Matthew 13.

One of the problems with the either/or choice, is it excludes both or none. Did Jesus die for the church or for all mankind? The answer is not one or the other, but both. Another issue is temporal, we are either His sheep, or we are not. But does this mean we will never be His sheep? Nope. Many time we see a false dichotomy.

 

Is the concluding remark, ". . . There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. . . ." false? Romans 3:11 for Psalms 14:2.

 

See I think this is why both sides of the Calvinism vs Arminius debate are wrong. This is why the debate never ends... because they are both wrong. Both sides errantly believe that faith leads directly to righteousness or salvation... this has given you the false impression that Calvinists are super-naturalists and Arminians are naturalists.

In reality, both sides have exactly the same flaw - both incorrectly assume that faith leads directly to righteousness. It does not. Faith first qualifies the believer as a child of God, and an adopted descendant of Abraham. Once you are qualified, you INHERIT righteousness as a gift which was promised to Abraham's descendants as an everlasting covenant;

Gen 15:5-6 KJV
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Gen 17:4-8 KJV
4 As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Gal 3:16 NASB
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as [referring] to many, but [rather] to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.

Gal 3:6-9 NASB
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, [saying,] "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

Rom 4:8-13 NASB
8 "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." 9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
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So we see first that when God said "so shall thy seed be" in Genesis 15:5 and 17:7, that according to Gal 3:8, 16 God was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to Abraham, and when he believed the gospel, he was made righteous (prior to circumcision which is a foreshadow of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - which is circumcision of the heart). Then God promises that the righteousness He gave Abraham would be inherited by his descendants.

So salvation is an INDIRECT result of faith, not a direct result of faith as both Calvin and Arminius pre-supposed. Our salvation qualifies us for human adoption as a descendant of Abraham. This is essential because WE ALL ALREADY KNOW that the children of Abraham (or the Children of Israel) are God's chosen, elect people. John Calvin himself said that God gave us an example of an entire people being elect in the "offspring of Abraham" ... but Calvin didn't realize that this is how ALL Christians are saved. Calvin didn't realize that this elect group - the offspring or descendants of Abraham - has open enrollment! When we have the same faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ that Abraham had, we are considered the descendant of Abraham, and are qualified as heirs to the promise.

Eph 1:13-14 NASB
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God's own] possession, to the praise of His glory.​

So we believe, our faith qualifies us for human adoption, and once adopted, God miraculously indwells or fills us with His spirit making us born a new creature. God circumcises our heart by filling us with the Holy Spirit.

Gal 3:26, 29 NASB
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.

Deu 30:6 NASB
6 "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

Deu 30:19 NASB
19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

Rom 8:16-17 NASB
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him] so that we may also be glorified with [Him.]​

Both a heavenly witness and an early witness are required of the choice God commands man to make for salvation. Yet when we've made our choice, it is GOD who circumcises our heart, not our choice. Our choice or even our faith doesn't motivate God, but rather God's own promises motivate God.

Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Nehemiah 9:7
You are the LORD God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham.
8 You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite— To give it to his descendants. And You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous.

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