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Where does believing faith come from part 3

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Winman

Active Member
Really? Scripture itself stands against you:

Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Will He go against His nature? No. Neither will sinful man.



Romans 5 is against you here:

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.


Even though mankind didn't break specific commandments of God, man still died between Moses and Adam. This shows that mankind is held guilty for Adam's sin and mankind dies because of Adam's sin.



This is not the case. Mercy, by definition, is given without just cause. If one deserves mercy, it is no longer mercy.



In the antebellum south you'd surely "bond-servant" yourself to your generous benefactor. If you didn't you'd not be able to survive. An African-American former slave would not be able to make his own way in the south.

Further, the passage of Romans 6:22 that talks about being set free from sin and have become slaves to God is interesting because "set free" and "having become slaves" are both passive participles, meaning that the being "set free" is not voluntary and the "having become slaves" to God is not voluntary either.

So, scripture would, again, be against you.

Blessings,

The Archangel

My bible (KJV) does not say slave, it says servant. Big difference. And even slaves can be disobedient to their masters, and even escape.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.


Obviously you do not understand the words "Let not" or "yield". Why would Paul have to give these commands to a regenerated man if Calvinism is true? Calvinism says God's grace is irresistable. If Calvinism is true, these commands are absolutely unneccesary and absurd. If the regenerated man is now a slave to righteousness, he cannot possibly sin.

Tell me, have you ceased to sin 100% since you were regenerated?

And notice in verse 17 that Paul says "but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you". Whoa, Paul is giving these people credit for obeying the gospel and stealing from the sovereignty of God!
 
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DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
DHK

First I want to say that I do not use the word stupid lightly. The use of this word was not allowed in my home. However:

1. I have been accused of lying and being ignorant by carpro. Are these pejoratives? What is the real difference between stupid and ignorant? Furthermore to accuse one of lying is even worse.
Then why use it all. Older software on the BB would not even allow a poster to post the word. It is an ugly pejorative. There is no such thing as "using the word lightly" when it is against the rules to use such words.
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3. Show grace to the other posters. When someone disagrees with you, discuss it; but be slow to offend, and eager to get into the Word and find the answers. Remember, when discussing passionate issues, it is easy to go too far and offend. Further, if we are "earnestly contending for the faith" it would be unrealistic not to expect at times to be misunderstood or even ridiculed. But please note that your words can sometimes be harsh if used in the wrong way. The anger of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
4. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. The board has an edit button enabled. We encourage you to use it and edit your own words. Moderators and Administrators will be visibly proactive in dealing with potentially offensive situations. Posts of a violent or threatening nature, either implicitly or explicitly, will be deleted, and the poster's membership revoked. We encourage personal problems with other members be resolved privately via email or personal messaging.
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I have a daughter. Sometimes she does things that are out of line. Often she comes up with the excuse: "But my brother did it and he didn't get punished." That seems to be the same old childish excuse here. And it is childish. Two wrongs don't make a right. Are you going to blame your bad behaviour because someone else got away with theirs. Deal with your own sin, and leave others out of the picture.
I am one moderator that oversees a number of forums. I can't read everything. But when I catch one infraction I consider myself fortunate, and perhaps this warning will serve as an example to others as well.

There is no excuse to use the word stupid twice in two consecutive paragraphs. BTW, you called it a pejorative the first time you used it.
2. My God and Savior has been accused of making men robots and forcing them to believe by you and Winman. That shows an abominable ignorance of Scripture.
This is a false accusation. Your Calvinistic view of Scripture makes men in the eyes of God look like robots. Don't blame God. That is where the blasphemy comes in. We are referring to your outlook on Scripture; your theology. To cast this aspersion on God is blasphemy on your part. I would stay away from that accusation if I were you.
The second accusation you have made here is that both Winman and I have "an abominable ignorance of Scripture." I would say that that would require an apology on your part. We are ignorant because we don't agree with you. I don't call you ignorant for not agreeing with me; why should you do the same. Ever consider that you may be wrong? You should.
So I used the word stupid which is no more pejorative than ignorant or lying.
This is over the limit and by all standards should be taken to the BB administration. I didn't not call you ignorant. I did not lie. Why the accusations? I disagree with your theology. The false accusations are absolutely unwarranted.
Now you say in your response to my post in part:

The above remarks are simply a disgusting parody of what I said. I will say this. I had rather be God's robot than delude myself into thinking I am the author of my own salvation.
As I said previously in the conversation, no non-Cal believes what you attack them of believing, that we are the author of our salvation. This is a false accusation. Not one of us is "deluded" into thinking such things, and yet continually you make this false accusation. And then you wonder why I use such caustic and sarcastic language in my response to you. I tire of the same old, the same old, the same old, all the time.
Furthermore, dragging the heretic Benny Hinn into the discussion makes me wonder. Are you, a moderator, calling me a heretic?
The reference to Benny Hinn was a lame excuse at humor which you did not take well. No I was not calling you a heretic.
I thought that was not allowed on this Forum. You take me to task for using the word stupid after I have been called a liar, ignorant, and believe that God makes us robots. And then you call me stupid and cleverly imply that I am a heretic like Benny Hinn.
Prove your accusations!
1. I did not call you a heretic.
2. I did not call you a liar.
3. I did not call you ignorant.
4. I said that your theology makes men robots. That is not what God actually does of course. That is the end result of your theology.
5. I did not call you stupid--I, in a cleverly worded statement, warned you against such "stupidity".
You then say:

The above is completely false, furthermore, it is blaspheming God to make such asinine remarks as:
You can't see the forest for the trees, can you.
I actually quoted you, and added some of my own embellishments (a little sarcastically, mind you), to make the point. Your point was that God had a specific order in salvation, and the way it was worded, you left gaps between this order. Reread your own post. God elects. You expounded on it. Then God regenerates. you expounded on that. So, how much time is there between that election and that regeneration. You give an impression as if there is quite a bit of time, as if God could not do all things at once--which indeed he does. Thus regeneration and conversion takes place at the same time, and faith precedes them both.

But your mind is made up; you seem to be unteachable, and only want to argue for the sake of argument. No matter who tries to teach that faith precedes regeneration, even if they could prove it beyond any shadow of a doubt, would you accept their proof?
 
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OldRegular

Well-Known Member
My apologies to carpro. I accused him of calling me ignorant and a liar in my post #118. I should of said webdog. My humble apologies carpro!
 

OldRegular

Well-Known Member
Your Calvinistic view of Scripture makes men in the eyes of God look like robots. Don't blame God.

The above statement is completely nonsensical. How can any belief I hold affect the way God looks at mankind?

On the other hand I suspect this makes sense to since you believe your action is the ultimate determinative in your salvation.
 

AresMan

Active Member
Site Supporter
I know this will offend the Calvinist's, but their concept of God is not much different than date rape. It is not much different from a man slipping a drug into a young lady's drink to cause her to lose her inhibitions and willpower to resist.

Even unsaved man understands this type coercion as criminal, and men are rightly sent to jail for these actions.

But this is basically what Calvinist's believe God does. An unsaved man hates God and wants nothing to do with him (unscriptural), God regenerates him supernaturally, causing his will to turn to God (unscriptural). The man has no choice in the matter, just as when the date rapist slips the drug into the lady's drink when she is not looking.
That is a ridiculous and horrible analogy when one reads the glorious and vibrant pages of Scripture expressing the love of God for His people. A better illustration is that of a father seeing a wandering child rebelliously walking toward the road. The father shouts at the child to get off the road. The child disobeys. The father then runs to the child and pulls him off the road just as a car flies by honking its horn. Upon this act of LOVE, the child can then only realize what the father did for him and love him for it.

This is not love, and this does not glorify God in the least. A saved person does not love God because he chooses to, he is forced to by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit if this doctrine is true (which it isn't). It is an overwhelming force, it is irresistable by Calvinist's own doctrine.
Regeneration changes someone from a state of being dead in sins to being alive unto Christ. Regeneration gives one a new nature and that person thereby acts upon it.

A horse does not fly and does not will to fly because it has neither the nature nor the capacity to fly. Pegasus is a horse with wings. Because Pegasus has wings, Pegasus freely flies. Pegasus has the capacity and the nature to fly. Regeneration is like God changing a horse from an ordinary horse to a Pegasus. The horse can then fly and desires to fly because a whole new meaning to life exists because of its new nature. When God regenerates someone who is dead in trespasses and sins and willfully and purposefully sins out of nature and desire, God opens his eyes by granting a new nature. That nature gleefully and joyfully desires to serve the God who gave new life.

If GOD can never lovingly "violate" the "free will" of someone, then parents have more love for their children than God does. They will even force a child against his will if it means protecting the child from certain danger. Such act is pure love. However, you suggest that God just waits "powerlessly" or "unwilling" to intervene on behalf of people as he watches them march toward their doom.

And the God of Calvinism is not a loving God. Oh, he loves a few men, but the vast majority he hates. He created them solely to punish them with everlasting torment for his own pleasure. These poor non-elect are no different from the elect, they are sinners just as are the elect. They just happen to be unfortunate in that God did not choose them from the foundation of the world to save. They have no possible escape from this endless eternity of torture and torment.
Let me ask you a few questions.

1. Would God be perfectly just and vindicated to send everyone to hell as payment for his willful sin against Him?
2. Can God also show grace and mercy to sinners despite the fact that they completely and utterly deserve otherwise?
3. Is God in any way morally obligated to show grace and mercy to anyone when they already deserve hell?

The way you talk it is as if sinners deserve some kind of "chance" to avoid their own just punishment. It is as if God has some kind of moral obligation to waive just punishment. The fact that God saves anyone is inexplicable grace and mercy that is truly a mind-boggling miracle.

Also, if you believe in foreknowledge according to "foreseen faith," then you believe that God in eternity decided to create sentient human beings whom He also knew would never come to Him in faith. He still created them and just sat "helplessly" as they carried out their own doom. He could have intervened on their behalf and drew them to Himself as a father would pull a child off the road, but, you see, He "loved" them so much so as not to violate their "free will." He loved them enough to give them a "choice" that He knew would be wrong. Unlike a father who loves a child so much that he would save his child from danger even if against the child's will, God has no special love like that for any human being. In fact, God doesn't really adopt His own children, they adopt Him as their father.
 

AresMan

Active Member
Site Supporter
Calvinist's cannot explain why God does not regenerate and save all men. God could save all men if he so desired, but for reasons that will never be known to us he hates many billions and billions of people and has determined even before that person was born that he will be tortured forever in the lake of fire.
Non-"Calvinists" cannot explain why God does not regenerate and save all men. God could save all men if He so desired, but for reasons that will never be known to us He lets many billions and billions of people dead in tresspasses and sins, and has determined even before they were born that they would, be tortured forever in the lake of fire.

He loves them so much that (even though they have the alternate reality ability to "choose otherwise"), knowing what they will choose on their own, He lets them fall in it when He could intervene, show Himself as a light, and speak in an audible voice as He did to Saul on the road to Damascus.

And if Calvinism is true, then God is a liar, or at least very misleading. When he says his son died for all men, that is not the truth. He only died for the elect.
You assume that "all" means every person without exception rather than all without distinction. You simply cannot even entertain the notion that "all" can mean "people of every nation" even though other passages seem to define a scope:

God redeemed people by His blood out of every kindred, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9-10).
He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:14-16).
He purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
He gave Himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25).
He shall save "His people" from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

When God says whosoever will may take the water of life freely, that is not true, only the elect can take this water if Calvinism is true.
There is NO contradiction here. It says that the ones willing can take the water. It does NOT say that every single human being has the "ability" to be "willing." Why is it that you must read things into the text when they are not there?

When the scriptures say God is not willing that any man should perish, this is not true.
Please read the context of 2 Peter 3:9. It is NOT talking about God desiring something that He knew could never happen.

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:

2Pe 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming [see v.9]? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise [of His coming, see v.4], as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward ["you", the "beloved"], [and this is how his longsuffering to the beloved is carried out:] not willing that any [of us] should perish, but that all [of us] should come to repentance.
God is longsuffering TO US-WARD ("beloved"). How is He longsuffering to the beloved? He is not willing that any of them should perish but that all of them should come to repentance. Because of this, His will is carried out and none of the beloved shall perish. All of the beloved DO come to repentance.

God is not only willing, but from the foundation of the world chose the unelect man to perish in everlasting torment.
We both believe that God lets the unelect continue with their own free will choice.

And if Calvinism is true, God is a very confused person. He calls to people to come to him, all the while knowing they do not have this ability. He calls people to believe when he already knows they cannot. He tells people to take careful heed to what they hear, already knowing they do not have the ability to hear his words whatsoever.
Do you believe that God does "whatever He can" to "convict" every person? If you believe that someone could still reject God if He gave him a "road to Damascus" experience, then you believe in a "Total Depravity" worse than even I do. ;)

When you Calvinist's can explain all this, perhaps I will give your doctrine a listen.
I do not like the term "Calvinist," but I hope I have explained some things for you.
 

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
Not quite as clever as you thought DHK
Lest the readers get confused about the real meaning of this statement let's analyze it for them. I did not call you stupid here.

Yes, indeed it is! "It is stupid to say!! And to say one is stupid is just plain stupid, so avoid the stupidity, please!!

"It is stupid to say!" That statement is a direct quote from you. You said it not I. I am quoting you. Go look back at your original statement. I am not calling you stupid here; I am quoting your own words. Sorry for the mis-punctuation.

"To say one is stupid is ...stupid. That is a statement of fact.

"Avoid the stupidity." As a moderator that is my advice to you. It is not name-calling. I did not call you stupid here.

I quoted you; made a factual statement; advised you not to act as you have been doing.
 

OldRegular

Well-Known Member
There is apparently some misunderstanding on the part of some on this forum about God's choice of some unto salvation in Jesus Christ. The following Scripture written by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives the answer.

Ephesians 1:3-7
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;


Similarly the question has been raised as to why God did not regenerate the elect at the same time he chose them. I suppose if God could elect someone unto salvation in Jesus Christ who is not yet born he could regenerate someone not yet born. However, that is not what Scripture teaches. Note the following Scripture:

Ephesians 2:2-6
2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:


Notice verses #2 & 3.

2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.


The Apostle states that those who were to be regenerated were sinners just like everyone else. So it is obvious that God did not elect and regenerate at the same time. Rather He chose to regenerate in time. Those who are curious as to why can check when they get the chance.
 

OldRegular

Well-Known Member
Lest the readers get confused about the real meaning of this statement let's analyze it for them. I did not call you stupid here.

Yes, indeed it is! "It is stupid to say!! And to say one is stupid is just plain stupid, so avoid the stupidity, please!!

"It is stupid to say!" That statement is a direct quote from you. You said it not I. I am quoting you. Go look back at your original statement. I am not calling you stupid here; I am quoting your own words. Sorry for the mis-punctuation.

"To say one is stupid is ...stupid. That is a statement of fact.

"Avoid the stupidity." As a moderator that is my advice to you. It is not name-calling. I did not call you stupid here.

I quoted you; made a factual statement; advised you not to act as you have been doing.

I see eisegesis is not limited to Scripture!
 

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
The above statement is completely nonsensical. How can any belief I hold affect the way God looks at mankind?

On the other hand I suspect this makes sense to since you believe your action is the ultimate determinative in your salvation.
Nothing you believe; nothing you do affects the way God looks at mankind. Please don't think so highly of yourself. I will explain or demonstrate again from what you said how you in your belief system seem to believe that God creates nothing but robots.

Your quote:
Nothing could be further from the truth. God through regeneration makes us a new creation in Jesus Christ.[Ephesians 2:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17] He changes the will which was against God to a will that desires God, a will that desires to follow and obey God. He then gives us the faith to believe the Gospel, the faith through which, believing in the atoning death of Jesus Christ, we are justified and declared righteous.[Ephesians 2:8; Romans 3:23-31]
Note: there is no choice here left to man. God does (forces) everything upon man. Man has no choice. He becomes a pawn in the hand of God; a robot in His hand with no will whatsoever. The image that God made in, is taken away.

1. God makes us. That is a forceful statement. When I make someone do something do something it is by force. When I make something out of something else, it is by force.
2. He changes the will. That can only be by force. The Jews would not recant though guns were put to their head, and they were sent to the gas chambers.
3. He gives us the faith to believe. Contrary to Scripture God does not give the unsaved spiritual gifts. This does not make sense in any way. Again it is a statement of force. He gives them the faith so that they will believe.
4. Therefore we ARE justified.

You have taken an unsaved person and now declared him justified without any statement of his faith and trust in Christ. Yet the Bible clearly says:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

You have made robots out of mankind giving them no chance to put their faith in Christ. They are simply robots, elect of God, having no choice in the matter but to praise God whether he wants to or not.
 

psalms109:31

Active Member
Body of Christ

We were chosen in Christ Jesus, not apart from Him. In other word it was Christ and His body that was chosen before the foundation of the world. Believers make up His body.

To think one was chosen outside of the body is something that isn't true.

Paul letters was to believers not unbelievers.
 

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
We were chosen in Christ Jesus, not apart from Him. In other word it was Christ and His body that was chosen before the foundation of the world. Believers make up His body.

To think one was chosen outside of the body is something that isn't true.

Paul letters was to believers not unbelievers.
That is a lame statement. Every book is written to believers--the whole Bible. Luke wrote Acts and and the Gospel of Luke, both to believers, and yet we have recorded:

Acts 13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

John in his gospel records:
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

To say that there is nothing in any of the epistles that pertains to unbelievers is not "rightly dividing the word of truth".
 

psalms109:31

Active Member
Paul letters

Paul's letters was written to the churches believers. He wouldn't write to unbelievers and say they was chosen before the foundation of the world.

I wouldn't call that lame but the truth
 
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DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
Paul's letters was written to the churches believers. He wouldn't write to unbelievers and say they was chosen before the foundation of the world.

I wouldn't call that statement lame but the truth.
He writes about Pharoah, an unsaved man, whom he had chosen for his purposes.
In Romans 3:23 he writes that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," a statement of fact applicable to all men--saved and unsaved alike.

Look at this description:

Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Does it describe the believer or the unbeliever.
There is much written about the unbeliever in the epistles.
Look at the description given in Romans chapter one. Who is it applicable to?
 

psalms109:31

Active Member
No problem with that

I didn't say he didn't write about unbelievers that would be lame. I said he wrote his letters to churches believers.
 
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psalms109:31

Active Member
Point

My point is that those who are chosen before the foundation of the world are those who are in Christ, apart of the body not apart from it.

It is Christ body that was chosen before the foundation of the world.
 

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
My point is that those who are chosen before the foundation of the world are those who are in Christ, apart of the body not apart from it.

It is Christ body that was chosen before the foundation of the world.
Simple logical states that if God chose some to be saved, then he chose the rest to be damned. That is Calvinism. You can't have one without the other.
 

OldRegular

Well-Known Member
DHK Post #142
Your Calvinistic view of Scripture makes men in the eyes of God look like robots.

My post #145
The above statement is completely nonsensical. How can any belief I hold affect the way God looks at mankind?

On the other hand I suspect this makes sense to since you believe your action is the ultimate determinative in your salvation.

DHK Post #151
Nothing you believe; nothing you do affects the way God looks at mankind. Please don't think so highly of yourself.

My BOLD! Nuff said!
 
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