Get Yourselves A New Heart

[Martin Marprelate]

When the LORD God says, "Get yourself a new heart" and "repent" that is not unilateral activity. That is a call to action. I see no other way to interpret that as man having at least a wee bit of responsibility in the matter.

The Doctrines of Grace do not deny man's responsibility. They deny his ability.

There seem to be four possible responses to God's word in Ezekiel and elsewhere.

1. The Natural Approach (cf. 1Cor 2:14). This is either to be utterly bewildered by the whole thing as in John 3:4, 9 & 6:52, 60, 66 or to take it in a crudely literal way like the Church of Rome which gives the New Birth by baptism and eats our Lord's body every Lord's Day in the Mass.

2. The Pharisaic Approach (cf. Rom 10:3). This is to decide that you will spruce up your old heart until it's as good as new and be born again by your own efforts.

3. The Semi-Pelagian Approach (cf. Luke 9:57). This is to realise that you can't do the whole thing yourself, but to think that if you say a little sinner's prayer or raise your hand at a meeting and give your heart to Jesus, He will polish it up for you just like new.

4. The Tax Collector's Approach (Luke 18:13). This is to realise that your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and that there's no way in the world that you can get yourself a new one. To understand that your most righteous acts are like filthy rags and that God would be perfectly just in sending you to hell this very moment. Then to cast yourself upon God's mercy relying upon nothing but His promise to save those who come to Him through the shed blood of Christ Jesus.

This last approach is only possible for those whose hearts God has already softened to receive His word (Matt 11:25; Luke 1:79; John 6:44; Acts 13:48 etc).

Steve

 

[percho]

And who is saying that man does not have a responsibility?

I think perhaps you are confusing our Calvinism (for want of a better word) with someone's caricature of Calvinism. This is why I don't bother getting involved here. With all due respect, In, there is no indication that you understand our position.

I do not know about Tom but as for myself that position in part is that God told them the same basic thing back in Deut. 30 when he put before them life and death and told them to choose life. What did do they and all that have lived have done. They choose death. They will always choose death as Paul said Rom. 3:11,12 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. All have sinned,

Now today is preached choose Christ and live. If they did not choose to live back in Deut. are they going to choose Christ. What does the one you chose say? And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Who was Lazarus and how did he find himself in the bosom of Abraham?

 

[Dr. Bob]

God commands man to repent and believe the Gospel. Hundreds of times. To ALL men, not just the elect.

Of course, only the elect, regenerated by the holy Spirit, will be able to repent and not die. All others? They go on their way trying to earn by works their salvation or ignoring it all together.

I appreciate God commanding men to get a new heart and not die. This is exactly what we do - we preach you must repent and believe. It is what calvinists do. It is what missionaries do (remember, the missionary movement was started 100% by calvinists.

There is no "tension" between the statement of GOD sovereignly changing hearts and His command to ALL men to change their hearts.

 

[InTheLight]

4. The Tax Collector's Approach (Luke 18:13). This is to realise that your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and that there's no way in the world that you can get yourself a new one. To understand that your most righteous acts are like filthy rags and that God would be perfectly just in sending you to hell this very moment. Then to cast yourself upon God's mercy relying upon nothing but His promise to save those who come to Him through the shed blood of Christ Jesus.

This last approach is only possible for those whose hearts God has already softened to receive His word (Matt 11:25; Luke 1:79; John 6:44; Acts 13:48 etc).

Steve

OK, this is exactly how I believe people become saved. This was my personal experience as well. So, am I a Calvinist?

 

[webdog]

There is no "tension" between the statement of GOD sovereignly changing hearts and His command to ALL men to change their hearts.

The tension is in your very words...

Of course, only the elect, regenerated by the holy Spirit, will be able to repent and not die.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

OK, this is exactly how I believe people become saved. This was my personal experience as well. So, am I a Calvinist?

If you don't know I'm sure I don't. :laugh:
If you're not, you should be.

Steve

 

[webdog]

Bump. Surely the calvinists here do not pick and choose which topics to discuss?

 

[InTheLight]

God commands man to repent and believe the Gospel. Hundreds of times. To ALL men, not just the elect.

Of course, only the elect, regenerated by the holy Spirit, will be able to repent and not die.

So God commands people to do things He knows (and predestines) they will never do?

 

[webdog]

Bump. The so often vocal compatibilists surely can be vocal on this thread.

 

[InTheLight]

Bump. The so often vocal compatibilists surely can be vocal on this thread.

Webdog, the usual response from Calvinists to questions of this nature is:

"It's a mystery. Who knows why God does some of the things he does."

"God can do what ever He wants to do."

"God hasn't revealed that to us."

"God is sovereign, we are nothing. We shouldn't dare ask such questions."

"It was such an outlandish question I did not deign to grace it with a response."