Featured If you are not a “Calvinist”….

The foundational problem with this gotcha question that is one of the favorite questions of Calvinist’s. It’s foundational idea is flawed because it focuses on the action of belief as a work but it fails the test of what a biblical work is.


The answer to the question was given by Jesus and in no part of it did Jesus ever mention believing or rejecting God as a work yet He made it clear that the act of coming to God and rejecting Him is left to the individual even though they both hear the same gospel. This is by Gods design.

pAnd this isthe judgment: qthe light has come into the world,and rpeople loved the darkness rather than thelight because stheir works were evil. 20 tForeveryone who does wicked things hates the lightand does not come to the light, ulest his worksshould be exposed. 21 But whoever vdoes what istrue wcomes to the light, so that it may be clearlyseen that his works have been carried out in God.” John 3:19-21


What it doesn’t say is that men love darkness because they were not elect according to the calvie definition of election. In fact election is not part of this anywhere.

 

We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ because we wanted to be when we found out we could be, and by him we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the "hope of the glory of God," which is the new body in which we can come into the presence of God.

As usual, Calvinism has it 180 degrees opposite of the truth. They say that faith is a work. They really say this, in spite of the scriptures saying just the opposite.Watch it, the scriptures saying the opposite of Calvinism.

Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
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13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression.
16 Therefore [it is] (the promise) of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

I do not want to be gross here or offensive but Abraham manifested his faith by a conjugal visit with Sarah. Had he not done that after the promise that he would be the father of nations, then it would have proven he did not have faith in God and his promise. Abraham was 100 years old and the scriptures say that Sarah was past child bearing at 90 years old.

It is just silly to say that faith is a work and it makes no sense. There is an "obedience of faith" for the nations to receive the "gospel of God."

Ro 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Here is a passage that says faith is not work.

Ga 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

God commands sinners to believe but he does not program them to believe.

Ro 6:17 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.

 

see I have a clear answer most of which you ignored and then suggested I don’t know. This type of response is common among calvinists. If you don’t have a clear response to mine just say so.

 

Very short answer, for me curiosity. Rom 1:20 really says it all. How a person can look at creation and think it just happened is beyond me.

You ask what makes me different from those that do not believe. I think it comes down to the difference between can’t and wont. For the ones that do not believe it is not that they cannot believe it is that will not believe. My sister in law said that she wished she could have faith like my wife and I. When I talked to her she said that she just could not give up her life style, she wont change. My brother is the same, he wont believe because he would have to change his life style.

 

what I believe is what Jesus said about this topic.

 

Most do not understand how salvation happens. First God imparts the new birth. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit causing us to believe, based on this experience. If someone pats you on the back, you received a pat on the back just as we received Christ. Any act of the will before experiencing this has nothing to do with salvation.

 

You wrote:
The answer to the question was given by Jesus and in no part of it did Jesus ever mention believing or rejecting God as a work yet He made it clear that the act of coming to God and rejecting Him is left to the individual even though they both hear the same gospel. This is by Gods design.

pAnd this isthe judgment: qthe light has come into the world,and rpeople loved the darkness rather than thelight because stheir works were evil. 20 tForeveryone who does wicked things hates the lightand does not come to the light, ulest his worksshould be exposed. 21 But whoever vdoes what istrue wcomes to the light, so that it may be clearlyseen that his works have been carried out in God.” John 3:19-21

 

Actually two questions.
The first question is nonsense. Since no one knows the mind of others.

The second question also is problematic. God is fully omniscient.

 

That is what I’m saying that is what Jesus said.

 

What was the cause why one lost sinner heard the Gospel message and received Jesus as their Lord and savior, and yet one right next to them stayed deaf and dumb and blind?

 

I’ve answered that

 

I believe this is @Revmitchell s answer:
the act of coming to God and rejecting Him is left to the individual even though they both hear the same gospel. This is by Gods design.

Therefore, Rev seems to be dualistic. Humans cause their own salvation, but that is the way Rev believes God designed it.

So, short answer: Humans cause their own salvation, according to what Rev has specifically stated.

Now, let's see if Rev tries to backtrack.