Flaws of Arminianism

You can keep repeating this and in so doing you will be repeating your personal opinion, not God's word.

The Bible tells us that no human has the capacity to tell God that he (the human) is choosing God.
Instead, the Bible always tells us that God chooses all who are and will be citizens in His Kingdom.
Salvation has nothing to do with free will. It has everything to do with the King's choice. It has everything to do with who is written into the King's will (new covenant) so that name receives the Inheritance as an adopted child of God.

Hebrews 9:15-17,24-28
That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead. The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.

For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

roby, you have thrown down the gauntlet against God, telling God that if salvation is not accomplished by human free will then God has made you and all humans into robots. That is a bold accusation of your King. Perhaps you might rethink that accusation and consider repenting.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit wrote down the names of all who will receive their Inheritance...before the foundation of the world was set. When Jesus died, the New Covenant (Last will and testament) of Jesus was invoked. The names of the persons who inherit eternal life are read off and receive their Inheritance.
God wrote the Will. God chose everyone who would receive an Inheritance. If God didn't write a name down, that person has no legal claim as a child of God. That person will be a goat, not a sheep.

The Bible rejects your opinion regarding free will being the means by which a person becomes a child of God. You can keep preaching free will, but you will not be speaking for God.

 

Thank you, agedman. This is an excellent breakdown of Vanianism and a very gracious response.
I note Van has responded as one would expect.

 

Honestly.

I do not know why anyone responds to Van.

he distorts words, and meanings as well has having no understanding as to how to interpret scripture

his hermeneutical skills are exactly as bad as his Greek skill.

I was hoping no one would respond and this thread would die.

I know, the Gospel is at stake.

oh well, I have been warned and sure that I am banned now.

everyone have a great New Years!!

 

Cattle are free to roam within the fenced range, fee to choose from what is offered on that range, but they have no authority or right to that which is not available. It is so with human kind. The unregenerate cannot of them selves choose other than what is good. They cannot choose that which is perfect.

Humans are born in sin and no one has to lead them or guide them into worshiping what the ungodly offer. It is already in the natural man who does not nor cannot comprehend the things of God much less of their own volition choose to partake what is outside the boundary.

 

I remind you it is GOD, or an apostle, who repeatedly said "whoever", without one "whoever if predestinated". To ADD to His "whoevers" is ADDING to His word.

Again, why have Bibles, churches,or preachers at all if everyone's already predestinated with no chance to change it? Calvinists are saying in so many words that Jesus' sacrifice doesn't matter since their "fate" is already pre-determined.

 

There's not one "whoever if already elected" among them.

 

Jesus said salvation is available to WHOEVER.

 

1. We are by nature children of hell. We deserve hell hence it is a kind and merciful God who would choose to save anyone

2. Can you please provide a scripture reference where the Bible says that we have a free will

3. No one claims God makes anyone a robot

 

You are correct

the Bible does say whosoever; but man cannot believe.

yes, God commands us to do something that we cannot do which is believe the Gospel

just like God commands us to keep the 10 Commandments knowing that we cannot keep them

 

That’s what being at the mercy of God means biblically ie until God does something to us (the new birth), we have no hope

 

I remind you that the whole of scripture interprets the sentence you are apparently clinging to.
False teachers often build their bad theology on one sentence while avoiding or ignoring the whole of scripture.

It is clear from Jesus discussion with Nicodemus that not all humans would be "born again." John 3 has literally nothing to do with "free will." You are forcing your theory onto the text and the text itself rejects your theory.

roby, did you choose to be conceived or was that someone elses decision?

John 3:1-21
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

 

I posted a group "whoevers" in a previous post that in so many words says we may choose.

Then, we have free will, right?

 

Scripture says "whoever", without one "whoever if already elect", etc. That settles it.

 

Is it?

Look upon the list of Scriptures you presented.

Are they not as “if then” conditional statements?

For example, denying and following brings salvation, a qualifier to the “whoever.”

The Scriptures present folks are already condemned. God doesn’t double predestination, but chooses of all already condemned those to His purpose.

Certainly, there is that general appeal made, just as the sowing is indiscriminately done, the preaching goes out to all.

However, only the prepared soil raises the seed to harvest. Is the dirt in charge of itself?

The “whoever” is not only conditional, but the condition represent the levels preparation folded into that person.

Today, in my area of Texas, the sun is shining. The house in which I dwell is receiving a great amount of light. If I were outside, I would also receive that light.

That pertains to the physical, but has spiritual application.

The Christ is the light of the world, shinning indiscriminately upon all. However, people reject (turn away) from the light, but those who remain in the light, to them and only them God gives the authority, the right, the power to become His child. Not by blood, birth, station or will.

Do you recognize the passage I paraphrased?

Did I render it correctly?

Whoever comes is prepared and given the power to come. Not all, but a few.

 

Predestination and Election very comforting to the redeemed

 

It seems you reject all scripture, except the word "whoever" where you interpret that word to mean a universal all...even though the context (which I gave you) shows you that the whoever is limited to those whom God chooses to cause them to be born again.
All the entirety of the Bible is ignored by you as you cling to a word, which you don't even correctly understand.
roby, we call that narrow-minded thinking on your part. You are rejecting the Bible for one word that you incorrectly interpret. No one can help you. You would rather accuse God of creating robots than admit you misunderstand how John has applied the word "whosoever."
You, sir, have a big problem to resolve and even worse, you won't even acknowledge you have a problem.

Ephesians 1:3-11

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

 

I agree. The part that you are leaving out is that all of us are "broken". Our free will is tainted ... "And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed." [John 3:19-20] ... “THERE IS NO RIGHTEOUS PERSON, NOT EVEN ONE" [Romans 3:10] ... "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold into bondage to sin. For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate." [Romans 7:14-15]

THAT is why ... "it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy." [Romans 9:16] ... because ... "it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure." [Philippians 2:13]

GOD does not FORCE us to love and obey Him, God EMPOWERS us to love and obey Him. The original "lump of clay" [Romans 9:21] was tainted and only God can purify the clay and create a vessel of mercy.

 

Personally, I see more problem with his "conversational" skills. He really has trouble responding to questions or comments without a tangential diatribe sprinkled with persecution angst. His theology is more "heterodox" and worthy of debate (if only he would actually discuss IT.)

 

You did fine with your paraphrasing. But again, the Scriptures read "whoever". Salvation is open to all, but not many accept it. Some have more opportunity than others. And the prayers of righteous people avail much.

 

If one has come to Jesus, that one has become elected. Predestination for all simply isn't true.