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:applause: I am now standing by my chair applauding. Literally. I'm not joking...my kids are looking at me funny.

They will conclude that God ordains, determines, or decrees sin but because of the language of their 'blessed' catechisms passed down from the forefather's of their faith, they avoid the word 'author.' Why? Because their confessions say that 'God isn't the author of sin' and that is like...

Replace the word "choice" with its given definition and there is no doubt in my mind that you deny that people have choices. Here allow me: "People are able to 'select between two or more possibilities.'" You, as a determinists, deny that there even are two or more possibilities, much less...

Well put. :thumbs: I pray people will objectively and thoroughly grapple with this post. Kudos.

Thank you for you contribution to this thread. I believe you have great insight on these matters. :thumbs: Ironically, the determinist should be thanking you as well, because if they are correct then you are doing what you have done by God's determined will so as to accomplish His greatest...

Got to stop you there Luke. I never said that man should make decisions 'without cause.' That is not what we believe. We believe God is the cause of his decisions and has created men to be the cause of their decisions. Choosers make choices. Determiners make determinations. The agent is...

I believe AW Tozer masterfully describes the biblical view of divine sovereignty: "God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not...

The obvious purpose of provoking those who were being hardened was that they might also be saved, as that is EXACTLY what Paul states in Rom. 11:14. This however KILLS the Calvinistic interpretation and understanding of Romans 9 where they presume the hardened ones are the non-elect reprobates...

Ironic that a hard determinist would hold to that view. :confused: So, when you think a good thought you don't give God credit for being the origin of that good thought, but you still think He determines all things that come to pass??? Sorry, but that seems strange to me, Luke. Thoughts...

Just Curious... When Jesus said, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." Do you just...

I disagree Luke. The Spirit speaks to me with very clear words at times in my life... You've never thought (internally heard) something like, "Luke, you need to speak to that person." or "You should stop and help him." ??? If that is not the Spirit, who is it? YOU? Are you the origin of...

Valid point. Curious as to what you think that looks like...

To add... stats (if accurate) show that many pastors struggle with the temptation of pornography. Can we assume they will be in hell if its homosexual porn vs heterosexual?

Suppose a man who has very feminine characteristics and struggles with homosexual desires, but who is a believer and very humble of heart. And then there is a preacher who is purely heterosexual but who has struggled with lustful desires, and acts as if he knows all the answers and like he...

You make a good case, Luke. Thx

Actually, it seems that Matt. 18 does instruct us to confront others for their sins and cast them out if they don't repent....and it doesn't limit it to particular sexual sins. Again, not really debating, just trying to discern why one sin is treated differently than others.

Can you show me where the scripture specifically say this? I'm not really disagreeing, just asking for support. Yet gluttons, gossips, materialists, etc don't? I'm just pushing you to explain why one sin is more damning than another when it comes to God's grace and our response to it?

I am not sure what you are asking. The bible does teach that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rm 1:16) and I believe there is enough evidence to suggest that the gospel appeal enables the individual to respond to it, after all; why else would they be held response-able if they are...

Here is the bottom line when it comes to the issue of Pelagianism: If you affirm that the Gospel IS a powerful work of the Holy Spirit then YOU can't believe that someone who believes the Gospel is doing so apart from a powerful work of the Holy Spirit, can you??????????? How does one go...

You will need to define what you mean by 'power in himself.' Would you consider someone who is confronted by the powerful, Holy Spirit inspired Gospel appeal to trust in the righteousness of someone else for his salvation as having power in himself? You will also need to define what you mean...