How Do They Know?

[David Michael Harris]

Your response is ambiguous. Why did God pity you and not others? How did that affect your freewill acceptance of the Gospel Call? Surely you can communicate better.

And certainly the back rubbing by you and Skandelon was rude in light of the seriousness of the question!

Stop provoking me

That's the 64 thousand dollar question isn't it.

Read my testimony.

http://www.holyfear.net/?page_id=9

You may not like though as it has the words John Wesley in it.

 

[Winman]

Kind of a funny question, for if we were given faith by God without being aware of it, how come Calvinist's and Doctrines of Gracer's are aware of it?

I would ask you, how did you know when God regenerated you?

 

[FR7 Baptist]

What was it in your psyche, character, whatever, that made you receive Jesus Christ as Savior while others just as smart as you, just as moral or sinful as you, have rejected the Gospel Call?

Nothing except the Holy Spirit drawing and enabling me to do so.

 

[Skandelon]

Then please tell us what act of Grace God performed in your life "in order that I [you] might believe unto salvation?"

I'm starting to believe you don't read all my posts.


Here let me post it again:

I am not a Calvinists and I believe that we do have "free will." But I aslo believe that God has performed an act of Grace in my life in order that I might believe unto salvation.

I believe God sending his Son to disciple the apostles and to die on the cross was an act of Grace.

I believe God sending the Holy Spirit to inspire the scripture and send the powerful truth of the gospel to the whole world was an act of Grace.

I believe that when my parents, full of the Spirit themselves, witnessed to me and shared this powerful truth with me that was an act of Grace.

I just don't believe that any of the acts of Grace were "irresistible" and unique only to those "unconditionally elected." Find some passages that support these parts of your dogma and then maybe your point will be valid and worthy of further consideration.

 

[David Michael Harris]

Kind of a funny question, for if we were given faith by God without being aware of it, how come Calvinist's and Doctrines of Gracer's are aware of it?

I would ask you, how did you know when God regenerated you?

If that was to me then I would say that Angels rejoicing. And the fact that I rejoiced like the Philippian jailer, also the fact that my whole life changed and the Bible was alive to me, brought forth by the Word of Truth I believe James puts it. Also I got baptized and testified to the truth of God as is taught in Jesus Christ. Not sure what more proof you need but God and heaven was well satisfied.

Goodness me, it sounds you would have me doubt my own conversion. That cannot be good.

 

[David Michael Harris]

As to back rubbing with Skandelon, that's nonsense, don't know the guy, he even sounds like a Calvinist at times lol.

No offense Skan, bro, lol.

 

[OldRegular]

Kind of a funny question, for if we were given faith by God without being aware of it, how come Calvinist's and Doctrines of Gracer's are aware of it?

I would ask you, how did you know when God regenerated you?

Winman

I have told you before that I spent many hours in prayer before I believed that God had saved me. So obviously God had performed an act of Grace in my life that made me desire Him and eventually exercise the Faith with which He had endowed me.

At that time I did not understand the Doctrines of Grace any more than you do now. I have always believed that Salvation required a Supernatural act of God but it was only as I allowed the Holy Spirit to open the meaning of Scripture to me that I came to accept the Doctrines of Grace.

 

[OldRegular]

Nothing except the Holy Spirit drawing and enabling me to do so.

Why you and not all?

 

[OldRegular]

I'm starting to believe you don't read all my posts.


Here let me post it again:

I am not a Calvinists and I believe that we do have "free will." But I aslo believe that God has performed an act of Grace in my life in order that I might believe unto salvation.

I believe God sending his Son to disciple the apostles and to die on the cross was an act of Grace.

I believe God sending the Holy Spirit to inspire the scripture and send the powerful truth of the gospel to the whole world was an act of Grace.

I believe that when my parents, full of the Spirit themselves, witnessed to me and shared this powerful truth with me that was an act of Grace.

I just don't believe that any of the acts of Grace were "irresistible" and unique only to those "unconditionally elected." Find some passages that support these parts of your dogma and then maybe your point will be valid and worthy of further consideration.

I read all your posts. I am asking you what specific act of Grace did God perform in your life that enabled or caused you to believe while others do not?

 

[David Michael Harris]

Winman

I have told you before that I spent many hours in prayer before I believed that God had saved me. So obviously God had performed an act of Grace in my life that made me desire Him and eventually exercise the Faith with which He had endowed me.

At that time I did not understand the Doctrines of Grace any more than you do now. I have always believed that Salvation required a Supernatural act of God but it was only as I allowed the Holy Spirit to open the meaning of Scripture to me that I came to accept the Doctrines of Grace.

I became a Christian within a couple of months.

I feel sorry for a lot of people brought up in Christian fellowships, must be hard to know when.

I have been blessed but also had a hard time. I have had to have the leopard spots whipped off me. Made me tough though. Or should I say will, not sure the Lord has finished correcting me even now, getting better though.

 

[OldRegular]

http://www.holyfear.net/?page_id=9

"God’s grace was quite irresistible because of it’s power and loveliness and yet at the same time I opened the door to Him who was knocking and that was after a period of time being convicted of my sin."

Interesting testimony David but just why did you open the door while others do not?

 

[David Michael Harris]

"God’s grace was quite irresistible because of it’s power and loveliness and yet at the same time I opened the door to Him who was knocking and that was after a period of time being convicted of my sin."

Interesting testimony David but just why did you open the door while others do not?

That's easy, I chose to. Not a fool you know. I guess others preferred darkness rather than light. I came to the light that it might be shown that what I did was carried out in God.

Seriously, Oldreg, I think there is a lot of truth in what I just said.

 

[David Michael Harris]

I was not and never will be ashamed of Christ and His teaching.

 

[David Michael Harris]

Btw, I am only standing up for my own thoughts on this, not trying to undermine anyones thoughts on the interpretation of Scripture, that you have to work out for yourself.

 

[Skandelon]

I read all your posts. I am asking you what specific act of Grace did God perform in your life that enabled or caused you to believe while others do not?

What you need to realize is that the drive to explain a truly free choice in this manner is really just a game of question begging because it assumes that a deterministic explaination is required. The choice between available options is what free will is all about and it is finally mysterious, beyond full explanation, for full explanations presuppose the very determinism we reject. Do you understand? Now, if you answer the question on my other thread titled, "Let's suppose Calvinism is true...then why don't all Christians believe it?" then you will better understand our position.

 

[OldRegular]

Now, if you answer the question on my other thread titled, "Let's suppose Calvinism is true...then why don't all Christians believe it?" then you will better understand our position.

Lets suppose that Freewillism is true ...then why don't all Christians believe it?

Incidentally I don't consider myself a Calvinist. Calvin held several doctrinal beliefs that I reject.

 

[Skandelon]

Lets suppose that Freewillism is true ...then why don't all Christians believe it?

Incidentally I don't consider myself a Calvinist. Calvin held several doctrinal beliefs that I reject.

Go to the thread and you will see that I just answered that question. That will keep us from mixing up these discussions. Why won't you guys just answer it? I even gave you multiple choice...do I need to add another alternative?

 

[David Michael Harris]

Incidentally I don't consider myself a Calvinist. Calvin held several doctrinal beliefs that I reject.

I would be interested in knowing about those.

 

[OldRegular]

Go to the thread and you will see that I just answered that question. That will keep us from mixing up these discussions. Why won't you guys just answer it? I even gave you multiple choice...do I need to add another alternative?

I answered the question in your OP Skandelon now you answer the question in mine.

 

[OldRegular]

That's easy, I chose to. Not a fool you know. I guess others preferred darkness rather than light. I came to the light that it might be shown that what I did was carried out in God.

Seriously, Oldreg, I think there is a lot of truth in what I just said.

I agree you are not a fool. But does that really explain why you chose positively. Is it just possible that it was the work of God not David Michael Harris?