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Does Calvinism require a higher spiritual intellect, spirituality, and...

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Luke2427

Active Member
Luke:

"We also presuppose that the average church goer in this country is no where near a spiritually mature as he should be."

This can most definitely be said of EVERY believe of ALL time. All of us are in the same boat, and....we all put our britches on the same way, one leg at a time.

How do you know? How do you know, according to webdog's logic, that you are just not way below the curve and the rest of believers around the world are exactly where they ought to be?

As webdog said, "I missed the memo where quantum was appointed spokesman for whether a believer is what he ought to be or not..."

And this britches thing, does that mean in your mind that there are no levels of spiritual maturity?

Was William Carey, when on the mission field, no more spiritually mature than the one year old in the faith Christian who is still cheating on his wife on occasion and not giving much to support the work of God at all??

After all they both put their britches on one leg at a time right??
 

Robert Snow

New Member
Nope, It was meant to mock a cry baby who apparently cannot accept Reformed theology as a valid Christian Faith. You are the one who outta be ashamed of himself.

Now you've gone and done it! When I stop crying I am going to call my pastor! :tear: :tear: :tear:
 

quantumfaith

Active Member
How do you know? How do you know, according to webdog's logic, that you are just not way below the curve and the rest of believers around the world are exactly where they ought to be?

As webdog said, "I missed the memo where quantum was appointed spokesman for whether a believer is what he ought to be or not..."

And this britches thing, does that mean in your mind that there are no levels of spiritual maturity?

Was William Carey, when on the mission field, no more spiritually mature than the one year old in the faith Christian who is still cheating on his wife on occasion and not giving much to support the work of God at all??

After all they both put their britches on one leg at a time right??

No, I am sure that some are "spiritually" more mature than others, but what I can say, is that there is not a person on this board qualified to make that judgement, you or me or anyone else. No matter how many seminary or bible classes we have participated in.
 

Luke2427

Active Member
Well here it is..."Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."
I think my "data" is in solid ground. How about yours?

No. I do not think it is. The verse is absolutely true. But that doesn't mean that few AMERICANS are going. It just means that few of the masses of mankind as a whole are going.

There is nothing in that verse that demands that ALL Americans not go to heaven.

America's population is about 300 million. The population of planet earth is almost 7 BILLION. If all Americans went to heaven who die in the next ten years it would be a drop in the bucket compared to those who die world wide. Even if a third of those who died worldwide were Christians and added to the Americans who all go to heaven it is STILL FEW comparatively.

So no. Your data is not solid because it assumes something that isn't necessarily so.

According to your logic you cannot say that most Americans are not saved. And that verse does not help you.

Huh :confused:
Please tell me you didn't compare our inability to raise the dead with what a person does know, doesn't know and their relationship with God (that only THEY can know). :laugh:

No, no. The dead have been raised before and as far as you know they are being raised everyday. Since you have no stats to prove otherwise you must base your conclusion that the dead are not being raised every day all over the world on SIMPLE EDUCATED CONJECTURE- the same thing I base my statement that the average Christian is not very spiritually mature on.

That is why you have so much problem with your Jack and John analogy...your "presuppositions"

I don't have any problems with it. None at all. You do.
No I don't, as I am not stating a fact as you did.
Where is this "education" coming from...your opinion? If it's conjecture, there must be some evidence. What?
It's hardly irrelevant. Your whole theory is based on mere opinion. Have you ever thought about the implications from your opinion, btw? If the majority of believers do not have a good relationship with God, what is that saying about the influence of the Holy Spirit?

Spiritual maturity is what we are talking about. I did not see that anywhere in the above lengthy and, imo, meaningless argument.

There's a relevant response! I will also declare Luke2427 does not know what is in a person's heart or head, and doesn't know and cannot know what the "average church goer" can and cannot grasp.

Then I will also declare that webdog does not know what in an American's heart or head, and doesn't know and cannot know what the "average American's" relationship with his Maker is.

Pretty simple, isn't it?

This evidence is based on the fact Luke2427 is not divine and is not privileged to have access to "the average church goers" mind and heart. How's that for educated conjecture?

So is the evidence that Webdog is not divine and cannot know whether or not the average American knows God. According to webdog, you have to know every human heart in order to know ANYTHING at all about the current culture.
 
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Luke2427

Active Member
No, I am sure that some are "spiritually" more mature than others, but what I can say, is that there is not a person on this board qualified to make that judgement, you or me or anyone else. No matter how many seminary or bible classes we have participated in.

I cannot judge that William Carey was more spiritually mature than the year old Christian who is still cheating on his wife and not giving hardly at all to his church to help further the cause of Christ??

The lengths to which some will go to stubbornly stand where they are most comfortable are often shocking.
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
"The Father's love is not for a few only, but for an exceeding great company. "A great multitude, which no man could number," will be found in Heaven." —Charles Spurgeon, Autobiography
 

Aaron

Member
Site Supporter
At least Aaron admits what many don't...that if you are not a calvinist, you are not a christian.
Never said that. Not once. All Christians adhere to errors here and there.

However, it's hard for me to say that one can remain a non-Calvinist and be a Christian, because the disagreement is fundamental. It has to do with the condition of man, the nature of God and the Atonement.

Anyone who denies that, doesn't understand the debate.
 

Aaron

Member
Site Supporter
In which edition of the Aaron's Dictionary of English Definitions will I find this? :tongue3:
Calvinism is a system of belief. It is the Christian belief. It is the doctrine delivered by Christ and the Apostles. Calvin and Luther were the ones who articulated it for the last four centuries.
 

quantumfaith

Active Member
I cannot judge that William Carey was more spiritually mature than the year old Christian who is still cheating on his wife and not giving hardly at all to his church to help further the cause of Christ??

The lengths to which some will go to stubbornly stand where they are most comfortable are often shocking.

You are the one who is never ceases to amaze me with your brilliance. I am reminded of an old line from "Dirty Harry" (Clint Eastwood) You are a legend in your own mind.
 

Luke2427

Active Member
You guys (and gals) make me want to quit this board... :BangHead:

Gl, I think you are sharp as a tack and very logical and I think you make great arguments.

But, brother, you get pretty rough on here, too. Keep that in mind when you get frustrated with others.
 
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