Reformed, Calvinistic influence from BB discussions

If the debate does not lead you to have a burden for the non-believer, you are wasting your time with a silly debate. This is why most all Calvinist are high on missions. God has chosen to share the gospel to this world in this age, by the Word and the preaching thereof. This is what drives Calvinist, to share the truth ...that man is a sinner and God saves sinners. God saves them, not us. We share the good news to the sinner, for this is how God has chosen to work it.

Other wise as I said...it is a silly debate and a waste of time

 

I selected other.

My explanation: I think we spend a lot of time arguing over the soundness of Cal/Arm instead of discussing the gospel itself. Some have even said that Calvinism is the gospel. While I basically agree with reformed theology, I do not believe that Calvinism is the gospel.

While Calvinism may serve to elucidate the gospel, it most evidently is not the gospel. The gospel is Christ, and his atoning sacrifice. So what I want to proclaim is Christ. Since I don't believe that Calvinism is the gospel, how can I preach Christ without getting into a debate regarding Cal/Arm, which I am sorely prepared to win.

First tenet: Men are completely lost. (This is total depravity.)
Second tenet: God sent his son, who died on the cross to bear the penalty of our sins.
Third tenet: When we have faith in Christ, we have peace with God.
Fourth tenet: Salvation is totally the work of God, apart from man.
Fifth tenet: (to answer the critics of LS) Christ disciples those whom he calls.

I didn't discuss election, or particular atonement. The reason is, too many ways to allow divisiveness over private interpretations.

I can't come up with a good acronym.

 

In the past, the discussion became mere debates to me. And so I was in error because I came to the boards to debate. I left the boards for a season, and hopefully what you have seen in my recent posts are not debates, but rather discussions, reasoning from the Scriptures, and exhortations that are exegetical in nature when I am discussing doctrine.

Since I have been back, the discussion have been of great worth to me personally and to my family. I have been challenged to think through my beliefs and search the Scriptures again and again to give a reason for the hope that is in me. This has been true with the doctrines of grace called calvinsim, the sovereignty of God and of God's Providence. Other discussions have highlighted areas of weakness and the need for further study of the Scriptures. I do expect that in beginning my studies with Reformed Theological Seminary I will delve into the weaker areas of my beliefs more thoroughly.

One such area is the Sabbath. Our church's confession of faith, and the beliefs of our elders, is a perpetuation of the Sabbath by Christ, aborgating the Old Covenant practice and instituting Sunday worship as the Christian Sabbath. I fail at this point to see this in the Scriptures and have taken private exception to it with my elders (for which they have very graciously and lovingly given me liberty).

Perhaps this would make for a great discussion on the boards.

RB