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Respectfully, I disagree. A straightforward reading of the text tells us that the Father knows the day and the hour, implying a specific moment in time. There is virtually unanimous agreement on this, which includes both those who hold to the deterministic foreknowledge and simple foreknowledge...

Greetings, brother @John of Japan. I suppose it's that fleshly aspect of us that leads to our shortcomings, especially on the internet. But you’re correct; I think we all have been at fault in that regard if we’re truly honest with ourselves. I’ve certainly issued my fair share of apologies...

Those who believe in God do so because their will has been freed. It’s not because they had free will in the first place.

Well, that’s not what Calvinism teaches. The elect do indeed make a choice, but this occurs only after God transforms them from someone who hates Him into someone who loves Him. Once they are regenerated, the only choice to make is to believe, but this does not imply that God is the one making...

A slave cannot free himself, no matter how hard he tries. It is God who starts that process, not us. Only after they have been liberated can they come to Christ. Is everyone in search of rest? Not at all; many individuals are perfectly content living in sin and have no desire for a savior...

John 8:34-36 (ESV) Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. The verses you mentioned come from being liberated...

Where we part ways is that I believe nobody can freely trust in Him without first being set free by the Son. If that group has already received blessings before creation, then it is God who decides who belongs to that group. As mentioned, it is a reality that was achieved in the past and is...

Regardless of what my theological view is, the OP provides the evidence to support the claim that at least one early Christian writer believed that the exact number of God’s elect was settled based on their usage of a singular noun.

Matthew 24:30 (ESV) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:36 (ESV) But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the...

Hi, Van. I believe the text indicates that the focus of the choosing is "us," rather than "in Him." Paul subsequently elaborates on the numerous blessings we receive by being "in Him." Therefore, I do not believe that this perspective can be substantiated when considering the flow of thought...

It is often asserted that the doctrine of predestination and election was the invention of Augustine during the 4th century. I did some digging to see if there were any extra-biblical sources on predestination going back to the Apostolic Period and was intrigued by an epistle called “First...

I’m sure God uses many different methods to reveal Himself, whether it be through dreams, the preaching of the Gospel, or by reading Scripture. That doesn’t negate the fact that a person’s heart needs to be changed first in order to respond positively to that revelation.

But the implication then is that God is trying to use any means necessary to entice a person to believe, but in most cases, He can’t quite seem to get the job done.

The thing is, Ben, what we’re saying is that man is so enslaved to sin that even if Jesus manifested Himself right in front of them, which would leave no doubt of His existence, they would still slam the door in His face every time. That’s why it takes the work of God to change their nature to...

Check this link. https://www.baptistboard.com/forums/baptist-theology-bible-study.4/?starter_id=2867 I’m on mobile, so for me the filter options are on the top right.

Yes, it seems the overall season search function doesn’t go back very far. I hope that gets fixed eventually. You can, however, search for threads he’s started by adding his name to the filter. He’s posted quite a bit in the Baptist theology/Bible study section...

Can you please explain what you mean by this, @Silverhair? What 4th century doctrines?

@Silverhair I feel like I could try to explain my beliefs 100 different ways but we will always come to a stalemate. I’ll leave it to the Holy Spirit to continue to guide both of us to the truth.

Perhaps Davey and Goliath?

I can’t speak for other Calvinists, but I never approached the Bible with any preconceived notions. In fact, there was a time when I would probably agree with many of the things you’re saying now. But, when my positions were challenged by Calvinists, and was forced to think through my beliefs, I...