Yes & "Thee Apostle" could be ahmmm, a man of emotion as characterized by a kinsman Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his paper about William Williams & Welsh Calvinist Methodism....Lloyd Jones writes:
...My argument is, that cold, sad, mournful, depressing Calvinism is not Calvinism at all. It is a caricature; something has gone wrong somewhere. It is mere intellectualism and philosophy. Calvinism leads to feeling, to passion, to warmth, to praise, to thanksgiving. Look at Paul, the greatest of them all. We should not talk about 'Calvinism'; it is Paul's teaching. He tells us that he wept. He preached with tears. Do you? When did we last weep over these matters? When did we last shed tears? When have we shown the feeling and the passion that he shows? Paul could not control himself, he got carried away. Look at his mighty climaxes; look at the way in which he rises to the heavens and is 'lost in wonder, tore, and praise'. Of course, the pedantic scholars criticize him for his anacolutha. He starts a sentence and never finishes it. He starts saving a thing and then gets carried off, and forgets to come back to it. Thank God! It is the truth which he saw that led to these grand climaxes of his; and it is bound to do so. If we understand the things we claim to believe we are bound to end in the same way. 'Who shall separate us from the love of God?' And the answer is, 'I am persuaded'- and in the language of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists it is much better and stronger- 'I am certain'. It is sure, it is certain, 'that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'. Or listen to him again at the end of Romans 11, 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.' How often have you had that 'O' in your preaching - you Calvinists ? Calvinism leads to this 'O'! - this feeling, this passion. You are moved to the depths of your being, and you are filled with joy, and wonder, and amazement. 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!' -and so on. Or take the same thing at the end of Ephesians 3. These are men dominated by a sense of the glory of God, and who are concerned about His praise.
Willis...I guess you and I are the only two people in the universe who believe a sinner is defined as one who sins :) (let's not bring up the fact the one saying this believes in some magical, mysterious salvation for some apart from faith in Christ) ;)
Amazing my name is continually brought up on threads I'm not even participating in.
I hear you loud and clear regarding your OP.
You have much more patience than I do, I will say that.
I think we have seen by this very thread where 99% of the instigation starts.
You cannot even start a thread asking for grace without being attacked on it...and we can see the common denominator.
The irony is in the fact when I am "frank" and upfront on stating something, for ME it's construed as an attack and stirring up strife demanding a physical butt whoopin by larger reformed people.
Such a clear double standard.
You have made your point loud and clear.
I lean more toward DoG than FW, but that doesn't change the fact that you are my brother in Christ along with all the others that are FW. I've enjoyed our posts in the history forum and already knew that you were on the freewill side of the ORBs. That's not important to me. What's important is that we preach Christ; His death, burial and resurrection.
Go talk to Quantum or Thinking Stuff and ask them about me. I knew this subject matter would take on a life of its own & I begged them not to become involved in it. I have no issues against anyone other than allow me to worship God in my own way (Beliefs) & in my own Church. I will further tell you that up north where I live,Ive never seen fighting like this....any bible believing church here is fighting liberalism & the apostate churches it produces. Still, nothing is lost on me thru this malicious in fighting other than to be more selective in the Churches I now associate with & the theology I practice....this is something I had pretty much let go until this Forum & these ahem, err ah so called debates taught me a deeper reverence for the Doctrines of Grace & The Sovereignty of God.
I will never forget that lesson so I thank you all for your participation in the learning cycle.
I think some who have no nameable theology, those who just ahve made up their own based on what they do not like about the DoG, think they are superior BECAUSE they are not educated.