• Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Calvinists vs Armenians: A Challenging--But Senseless--Debate

Status
Not open for further replies.

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
It answers the question "who hears?"

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

I think this passage answers "who hears" with a bit more insight (who hears the call of God for salvation)
 

TCassidy

Late-Administator Emeritus
Administrator
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

I think this passage answers "who hears" with a bit more insight (who hears the call of God for salvation)
Yes, unto babes in Christ. Exactly my point. Who hears? The regenerate. (After all, a babe is a person who has been born, right?)
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
Yes, unto babes in Christ. Exactly my point. Who hears? The regenerate. (After all, a babe is a person who has been born, right?)
IMO, i don't think that is the comparison that is being made. Look at the contrast between wise and prudent/Babes. He just got done denouncing the towns because of their lack of repentance, their PRIDE.

They were wise in their own eyes. They didn't need God or His Christ.

I believe that is the point of Christ's statement, The prideful spirit versus the humble spirit, that's who God reveals Himself to.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven
 

TCassidy

Late-Administator Emeritus
Administrator
I believe that is the point of Christ's statement, The prideful spirit versus the humble spirit, that's who God reveals Himself to.
Except that is not what He said. He said "His sheep follow Him." And those who hear Him are called "babes." Not fetuses. Babes. With ears capable of hearing him. :)
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
Except that is not what He said. He said "His sheep follow Him." And those who hear Him are called "babes." Not fetuses. Babes. With ears capable of hearing him. :)

I was referring to the Matthew passage.

John 10 deals with another subject...those who wanted to be leaders who were only hirelings vs. Christ and His Spirit who is the porter and the Shepherd. His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Another voice they will not follow.

This passage has different implications. IMO.

back to my original importation (lol) not resisting isn't a work. Yielding oneself to the Spirit of God and His Christ is not a work. It's the Response that God desires and means when He says repent and believe. Surrender, yield, give in.
 

TCassidy

Late-Administator Emeritus
Administrator
yield
yēld/Submit
verb
1.
produce or provide (a natural, agricultural, or industrial product).
"the land yields grapes and tobacco"
2.
give way to arguments, demands, or pressure.

A verb. Something you do. You can't write your own dictionary when the words disagree with your presuppositions. :)
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
yield
yēld/Submit
verb
1.
produce or provide (a natural, agricultural, or industrial product).
"the land yields grapes and tobacco"
2.
give way to arguments, demands, or pressure.

A verb. Something you do. You can't write your own dictionary when the words disagree with your presuppositions. :)
Yielding can happen without "doing" anything :)
 

InTheLight

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Where can you show me from scripture that our responding to God results in our regeneration?

...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:31 NKJV


Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo
 

TCassidy

Late-Administator Emeritus
Administrator
...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:31 NKJV
Yes. The bible is given to us so we can believe correct doctrine, and we have new life, believing on His Name.

But I still fail to see where you have to do something. Unless you are talking about "believing" which, of course, is a work.
 

TCassidy

Late-Administator Emeritus
Administrator
Yielding can happen without "doing" anything :)
So an active verb can be a - well, a what? I already posted the dictionary entry for "yield." Did you miss it? Yield: Active Verb. Verb: a word used to describe an action. Action: something done or performed; an act; a deed.
 

InTheLight

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Yes. The bible is given to us so we can believe correct doctrine, and we have new life, believing on His Name.

But I still fail to see where you have to do something. Unless you are talking about "believing" which, of course, is a work.

I see. So if believing is a work, then faith is a work as well, huh?
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
So an active verb can be a - well, a what? I already posted the dictionary entry for "yield." Did you miss it? Yield: Active Verb. Verb: a word used to describe an action. Action: something done or performed; an act; a deed.
LoL...you are very strong willed!

Ok...let's take it to the extreme, a person WENT to a revival to hear the Word, they DID something.

Your train (of thought) makes sense when it stops at the station of your choice :)
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
LoL...you are very strong willed!

Ok...let's take it to the extreme, a person WENT to a revival to hear the Word, they DID something.

Your train (of thought) makes sense when it stops at the station of your choice :)
I agree that it is difficult to nail down. It sounds to me like the argument is that it is a work to resist but it is also a work not to resist (both believing and not believing are seen as active verbs).

I believe (actively, I suppose) that all men by nature resist God. But I also believe than when God reveals truth it generates belief (not as an action on the part of the believer, but as a result of truth revealed).
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
Site Supporter
I agree that it is difficult to nail down. It sounds to me like the argument is that it is a work to resist but it is also a work not to resist (both believing and not believing are seen as active verbs).

I believe (actively, I suppose) that all men by nature resist God. But I also believe than when God reveals truth it generates belief (not as an action on the part of the believer, but as a result of truth revealed).
I can roll with this :)

God reveals truth. Agreed

He opens the eyes of the blind. Agreed.

Does that mean they will submit to the will of God and be saved?

Luke 17:14-19 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

I do not equate revelation of Truth to regeneration. Nor do I believe regeneration has to take place for revelation of Truth.

Understanding of salvation and sanctification and who God is, yes that needs regeneration.

God revealing that you're a sinner in need of a Savior, that's the work of the Word and Spirit prior to regeneration. Otherwise you'd know all about salvation and it's in workings and out workings the day you got saved.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top