Though I did not do so, there is no rule saying I cannot bring your salvation into question. It's an interpretation of the rules about the manner of our interaction. If it is now being interpreted to mean one cannot give a straight answer to a question of doctrine, then it is robbing this board of the stated purpose of its existence, and is actually working to suppress the truth, and to give one sect defacto status and power over another.
1. I did give you a straight answer. I told you that I believe both camps worship the same Christ but that we understand him differently. Obviously, I believe my camp understands him more correctly than yours, otherwise I'd still be in your camp. But, I'm not going to play your game of pitting us against each other as if one of us is IN (as believing in the REAL Christ) and the other is OUT (as believing in the FALSE Christ). For the same reason DHK has already said, such things are deplorable and you really should be ashamed of yourself.
2. If you have a problem with the rules of the board take it up with the Administrative counsel. Right now it has been told to the moderators that such things are not allowed because they are seen as unnecessarily inflammatory.
The two doctrines do not describe the same Christ, and the difference is fundamental, not peripheral. It touches on the very nature of the Atonement. What did Christ actually do on the Cross?
And many Calvinistic scholars like Bruce Ware (recently quoted by Luke), Spurgeon, and some even say Calvin himself didn't support the concept of Limited atonement. Do you think they don't believe in the same Christ as you either?
I can give a description of my son and then his teacher can give a description of him and those descriptions would no doubt be different. Does that mean only one of us know the real son? No, we just understand him differently and one of us is probably more accurate than the other.
and that's why when Calvinism is faithfully expounded, some of the more simpering Noncalvinists get restless and begin to beat the don't-question-my-salvation drums.
Uh, we have no problem with you faithfully expounding on what you believe. We have a problem when you make implications regarding how you are the only ones who really believe in the real Christ, as if the "christ" we believe in is not the real one. We all see what you are doing.
I won't do it, and neither am I compelled by the rules to do so.
ok
So I say without apology, Calvinism is the Gospel, and nothing else. Does that offend you? Well, Christ is the πέτρα σκανδάλου, the Petra Skandalon, the Rock of Offence. You should be glad that it may provoke you to jealousy, but your problem is what was said, not with the manner in which it was said.
I would only get jealous if the people who are coming to know Christ are the type of people I'd want to be around and want to emulate. The kind of people who exude joy and love. Contagious Christians who humbly serve others and give of themselves to build up his kingdom. People like that might win me over to their "view" of Christ, because I'd know them by their fruits....love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
I see from you the fruit of faithfulness to your system, but I haven't gotten to know you well enough to see any of the others, so frankly there is nothing to get jealous about. :saint: