God can only save those who believe

Whether I'm a calvinist or non-calvinist, I'm interested in what context says.

But it seems like some are willing to set context aside for a pet position.

 

The father of the prodigal son allowed his son to wallow in his sin. It was the son's choice to come back to the father. He "came to his senses." In other words, he made a choice to do that which is right. But he didn't have to make that choice. He wasn't forced to do it. He could have "continued to wallow."

 

Apparently, God is powerless against the will of man.

 

God doesn't force man to do anything.
He made man in his own image and likeness.
That means that he gave man a mind to reason and a mind to choose; to discern between good and evil. This is something that the animals cannot do.
If man desires to choose evil over good, then that is his decison. God gives man the choice. Calvinism wallows in its decision to decide for God that God cannot give man a choice. Calvinism has commanded God to not give man a choice. That is quite arrogant of Calvinism, don't you think?

 

[quote="Isaiah40:28]An admission:
I cannot afford the time needed to post here.
I feel quite convicted about it every time I sit down to read and post.

Many things slide, including my much needed patience and time with my kids and husband.

I'll never convince anyone differently.
That's God's job.
I think I'll let Him do it without me and do what He does require of me.

Love to you all.[/quote]
thanks for letting us know why you are bowing out.

Man has no power other than to choose. God can forcibly save each and every person who has ever, or will ever exist, but then He would be going against His very nature. Adam and Eve's eyes were opened in the garden, and they knew good and evil just as God. In that moment man made a choice, and we all have to make that same choice at some point in our lives... to accept or reject.

I cannot see where you, or anyone else, comes up with man having the power over salvation. A bullet can kill, but it is the person behind the gun who makes the choice to pull the trigger. the person holding the gun does not have that power himself, but the bullet in the gun does. So how can the person claim to have to power if all he did was to decide to pull the trigger?

Man is nothing compared to God, but God holds us inhigh esteem, high enough to bleed and die for us. If man has the power you say, Christ was not needed and His suffereing and death were a sideshow. It is through the finished work of Christ on the cross that we are able to even chose at all, but the power is not in man.

God would have all men to be saved, but He leaves that decision with us. No, that would not be the way I would have done it, but I am not God and I do not suppose to know His will and ways.

We do not know who will or will not accept God's offer of salvation. I would have never guessed that I would accept salvation, especially with the mindset I had. I have seen people who I never would have thought would accept Christ do so weeping in happiness. And I have seen fine, honorable people turn and walk away. God calls, and we share the gospel, but do not know who or when.

God lets us make our own decisions, be they good or bad. He also lets us live with the consequences of those choices, good or bad. Sin brings chastisement, and that is part of it. Until we have hit rock bottom, we seldom bother to look up.

No parent who insulates their child is being a good parent. Children have to learn, and dealing with the consequences of their choices is a part of learning. When we are saved, God doesn't immediately snatch us out of this world and into heaven... we stay here to further His kingdom and spread His grace. So why, then, we you suppose that He would shield us from our own folly?

 

Again, apparently God is powerless, you have described a god who is not a god.

 

No, I have exposed the weakness of Calvinism; I didn't describe God, I described Calvinism.

 

doube post

 

The prodigal son was already a "son".

I think God will allow one of His people to wallow in their sin also.... knowing it will have its effect, and that the son will return with a lesson learned.

 

You prove your ignorance of Calvinism over and over and.............................

 

I admit that that is an extreme statement. I said it to make a point. There are Calvinists here that deny that man has no free will, and cannot make any choice. True?
And yet the Bible says: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That demands that one make a decision. Man is not forced by God into making a decision. He is not a robot forced by the Holy Spirit into making a decision. He does have that free will.

The Calvinist believes that grace cannot be resisted, i.e., Irresistable Grace.
And yet, Stephen said about the Israelites "Why do ye always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did..."
Obviously it can be resisted, and has been many times. It is resisted because man has a free will to resist the drawing of the Holy Spirit, the conviction of the Holy Spirit. But Calvinisim says, No, this is impossible.

 

I totally agree with you. My husband accepted Christ back in 2004 and left for Iraq in 2005 while in Iraq he cheated and then when he came home in Oct 2006 he left me and the kids. He even moved in with another woman. He was like totally running from God, but I didnt give up on him or our marriage. I kept on keeping on in prayer standing in the gap for my husband. The biggest wall came down when I forgave my husband it was like the floodgates were opened and the bitterness and anger and resentment were gone. We have since begun working on reconciliation. My husband isnt back with the Lord yet but God is still working on Him I see changes everyday of his life. God is like mapping out the steps for him. I have faith some day he will come marching home to the Lord just like the prodigal son, he has already come marching hom to me ready to be a husband and a father again. Cant give up faith Gotta keep on praying..

 

When you say something that you know is not true....... what is that?

 

Let me see.......uhhhmmm....how about "extreme statement" ?:laugh:

 

Is there something in my above quote that is not true.

 

Why don't you ask Isaiah40?

 

you misunderstand.