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Luke, please try to remain focused on my questions. I understand the moral differences between killing and murder. Your point is taken. But, the ending of a life (like any "evil" or "sin") is either done by God's active/decretive decree or by his permissive decree. Meaning it is either done...

Aaron, can you please explain how your conclusions regarding a good tree being unable to bear bad fruit and a bad tree unable to bear good fruit is consistent with a saint who sins and obeys? Does the saint switch from being a good tree, when he chooses to obey and resist temptation, and then...

No, I haven't. It is by His mercy the gospel is even sent... Which can be taken to mean: The Calvinistic answer: God will choose to show mercy to a select few people and damn the rest to hell from birth due to their being represented by Adam in the Fall... OR, the Biblical answer: God...

True. Faith cometh through hearing His words! :thumbsup: But who ever said a gift must be irresistibly applied for the giver to get full glory? And since those who reject that gift are held to account for their unbelief by spending an eternity in hell, my view leaves them without any...

Amy, ambiguity is the weapon of choice for those backed into a corner. Just watch how politicians answer direct questions when there is no good answer for their particular position. That is what we are witnessing here with Aaron.

Yep, through faith. Now you are getting it! :smilewinkgrin:

Then why did you appeal to the crucifixion as the worse of all evils as proof that God has determined ALL things when now you appear to being saying that he doesn't determine molestation in the same manner he does murder? Please expound. Plus, molesting may not include motive. Someone can...

I can't think of any reason a biblical author would use the term "all" when he really was thinking that God would only elect a select few from every nation. (And yes, it is "few" in relative terms.) It makes little sense for the biblical authors to use inclusive terms like "world" and "all...

Aaron, can you answer this question, please?

So Peter was a bad tree when he denied Christ? David was a bad tree with he committed adultery? You were a bad tree the last time you sinned? Do you switch from being a bad tree when you sin to being a good tree when you obey?

Which would also require you to deal with a bad tree becoming a good tree, then producing good fruit.

Allow me to explain. They think of men kind of like we think of animals who have instinct. For example, the nature or heart of a Lion is created to desire meat, right? So, if you gave the Lion a "choice" between eating a salad or a slab of raw meat the Lion would always "choose" the meat...

:thumbsup: Well said. I agree totally! Nations are made up of individuals. I just wish Calvinists would consistently carry this understanding into chapters 10 and 11 when Paul goes on to explain how the individuals in Israel who are being temporarily hardened haven't "stumbled beyond...

As explained several times before, I don't mind using this label for simplicity at times, but most non-Cals don't like any of the man-centered type labels due to the direct instruction of scripture apposing such. I do affirm perseverance, and so did Arminius for the most part. He did have...

Case and point. There is a large SBC church in my area that is currently supporting 129 foreign missionaries who are not with the IMB. Some SBC missionaries don't go through the IMB because of their strict restrictions (no alcohol consumption in the last 2 years, no teenagers etc). Others...

That wasn't the point Luke. Please put down the axe and try to understand without being so disagreeable. I have conceded that Calvinism, in it's pure form, is not anti-evangelistic proving that I'm not attempting to attack you regarding our soteriological differences, so the least you could do...

This thread has gotten off topic. Please read the post regarding the rules of this board. Thank you.

But, Jesus wasn't entrusting himself to all those who were expressing faith in him (Jn 2:24); in fact when he began with difficult teachings such "eat my flesh" in John 6 they turned and left him leaving only the 12 by his side. He spoke in parables to keep men from repenting (why is this...

Again, I'm not denying that all, including Gentiles, must be 'enabled.' I'd be happy to walk through those passages as well, but to keep the length under control maybe we can start new threads on those passages? Nor do I. God elected Israel to be the nation through which redemption would be...

12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of...