What is meant by Cals when they ask: do you believe "by our own ability?"

Well, I can't speak for him, but I can say for me that I'm still repenting. God is giving me the ability to repent. He's changing me so that I can see my sin differently and therefore repent. Hence, repentance is a gift. That's at least how I see it. I would say be careful in deducing a statement. Remember, you are looking at it from a different perspective. This is where a lot of misrepresentation comes from on both sides. You look at a statement and come to a very logical conclusion to you because of your perspective, but I come to a different one because of mine. We have to be careful here.

I don't see any "reason" that Calvinism takes away. I nor any Calvinist that I know believes that God does something arbitrarily.

Well, this is where we disagree, but it appears by your statements above that you might not understand what we mean, or at least how I see it. There are some things that I differ with other Calvinist because I don't' attempt to line up with Calvinism. I believe the bible teaches that both faith and repentance are gifts of God. This does not mean that we don't have faith, nor does it mean we don't actually repent. It simply means that the ability to do these things (faith to God, not just faith in general and repentance from sin, not just repenting in general) are gifts. Our eyes have been opened, our hearts have been changed.

good! This is where some hyper Calvinists get so wrong. They get so caught up with things like election that they forget the means by which God saves people.

 

You need a definition in there? Inexcusable and illogical attempt to prove something here.

Look up the word "repentance" in the Greek, yes? Just as I assume you do for other definitions? Voila, there's the definition. Just as easy as looking up any other definition.

Thus your argument is flawed.

 

Everything has context, which I didn't take the time to explain. Thus my abbreviated answer.

Your conclusion would be akin to this.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)
--The verse is not saying what it seems.
But you say.
"Aha! Baptismal regeneration. There is the definition. Just as easy as looking up any other definition."
You ignore too many details.

 

What about Ephesians 2:8-9?
that teaches that all parts of the spiritual package is from God?

Including even our faith to believe?

 

:laugh:

No, there is no such thing as Baptismal regeneration, you need to know that.

Faith regeration? Is that what it is?

You can't help but twist things can you?

All you need to do is look in your "books" and realize what repent means.

It's even necessary in the epistles.

Gospels and Acts? How to be saved, and repentance necessary.

General Letters/Epistles? How to live after salvation and the necessary repentance.

That should serve as a good outline for you to study and perhaps preach also.

 

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:37)
Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)

 

These are the things you resort to here.

 

Yes. It is good advice.
In common language it is: Practice what you preach, and start doing it right away.

 

DHK,

That is not my position.....why do you say that....

All men are responsible to repent. Men repent...God does not need to repent,
God does not repent for us......that is my position..God enables the elect to repent,,,,then they[the elect repent and believe]. simple dhk isnt it?

jbh 28 picked up on the fact that you totally misrepresented my position;

 

Though perhaps an exercise in futility, we're still waiting for a straight answer from Scandal. Do men have faith by nature, or is it endowed by the Spirit of God?

We all know that all things are from God. All things were created by Christ and for Him. Even the wicked for the day of judgment, but that does not mean that all things are hallowed, natural or within the power of men.

 

9For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

No argument here. It is a change of mind toward God. They turned from their former life of rebelling against God to a life of serving God. That is repentance. Notice it is not a turning from sin, per se. It is turning from a lifestyle of rebelling against God. There is a different. They didn't repent "of their sins." There is a big difference.

I denied that a person must repent of all their sins. I still hold to that. It is an unbiblical doctrine, and not taught here or anywhere else in the NT.

That repentance is a Jewish doctrine? Yes you better quote me on that!! I said no such thing. You are taking something I said out of context.

There are some things, like Pentecost, that happen only one time in history. This also was one event that happened only one time in history. Yes, you can respond to it.

 

Every man has faith by nature. Almost from birth (or shortly thereafter) my children knew instinctively who their parents were. They would not go to strangers. They knew who their shepherd was; who their voice was, and would not follow another. They had faith in them that they would provide for them, nourish them, protect them, etc. To be held by a stranger was uncomfortable, and they didn't feel at ease. They placed their faith in their parents.

Jesus said that unless your faith is like a child's faith you cannot enter the kingdom of God. Jesus likened the faith of an adult to the faith of a child. It is obvious from the words of Jesus that even a child has faith. It is a natural ability. And unless we have that child-like simple confidence in the Lord we cannot be saved. It is complete and full confidence in Christ, and Christ alone that he has the ability to save, and He alone will save. That is the faith of a child. Jesus confirmed that little children have faith.

 

Hello DHK,
Thank you for taking time to respond. I am glad that ovet time I see where I agree with some of your posts,ie, those about the scripture as Gods word, the trinity, and some other elements of the Faith.
At this point in time are differences here look as if they will remain just that.

In the other post you said I presented a "red herring" when I mentioned Jesus healing the man with the withered hand. You missed the point of my illustration. Let me clarify it. You just said in this last post;

Here is the third choice that you do not see as some of us see it;
God grants, [graces,] [gives,] the gifts of saving repentance,saving faith, and ability to believe unto salvation.....by giving us spiritual life from the dead.

Then and only then when bondage to sin and satan has been broken, are we restored to a right mind,and made willing by grace, to repent and believe the gospel savingly, through faith
Notice.....it is us who repent,and believe through faith...and that not of ourselves ..it is the gift of God. God does not repent,and believe for us...He enables us to do it....but we give all glory to God..because all of it comes from HIM.......you had objected here;

DHK.....they were commanded to repent,and as we know....they did not do it they were unable and unwilling to do what they were commanded to
do..... This shows what I am saying. Sinners unaided by God do not seek Him in the correct way, they are unwilling and unable.
When I brought up the miracle of healing, Jesus healed for several reasons, but one reason is to demonstrate His grace...these commands were given to people in the gospels;
1}stretch forth thy hand

2]take up thy pallet and walk

3] Lazarus come forth

In each case the person was commanded to do something that left to themselves the were unable to do. God gave the grace and ability...
then and only then the person could obey,once God enabled them[/B]

All men are commanded to repent and believe today! They do not want too.
God makes some of these unwilling people willing to.
He does not have to save anyone, but in mercy He saves many.
God has already given the command 2000yrs ago...but the Holy Spirit grants it to whom God wills. He never purposed for all men everywhere to be saved

 

can we stick PLEASE to discussing the OP?

drop your personal attacks and TRY to answer the cals here if you can?

lets ALL just agree to be more Christ like, Eh?

 

I am all for that.
Again, it is good for you to take.
Check this post.
http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=1713998&postcount=65

This is where you started your attack against me instead of politely replying to my post. You replied with personal insults, and have been doing ever since. Now you tell me to drop the personal insults??

As I have been telling you all along. Practice what you preach.

 

Checked the link, i am NOT him, i am jesusfan!

And good to see that we both agree biblical repentance IF you hold that in strictest sense NOT us repenting and forsaking all of our personal sins, but that we agree with God that NONE of our 'rightousness" will save us, no religion etc

But that ALL one casn do is turn to jesus and get saved by what He did do on our behalf...

basically, requesting us to turn from self salvation efforts to God salvation in jesus!

 

maybe they think that way because they fail to see just how sinful before God we ALL are, and that God plan is perfect, as He does not make any mistakes in His plan of salvation?

as per Apostle paul, who are we to argue with God being the Potter and we being just clay?