I will pretend for a minute that I an a Calvinist

Someone google, "religious affiliation identical twins." If there is significantly higher occurrence for identical twins sharing the same Christian profession then among non identical siblings that would tell us something.
------------
No, that wouldn't tell us anything - consider Jacob and Esau. Romans 9 says that God's sovereign choice transcends all environmental/genetic factors.

 

"What determined it?" is really just a game of question begging because it assumes that a deterministic explaination is required.

Excuse me but what "assumption" are you suggesting Tom is pointing to? He is telling you that something changes in the heart & souls of those who come to faith & there is no mystery about it. Neither you or I or Tom for that matter espouse Roman Catholic "Mystery" Beliefs LOL so lets dispense with that way of thinking. Brother, there is something concrete that causes the believer to come to Christ while the other doesn't get it.... & Tom's question is very clear & exacting, so again what is it?

 

Yes Tom & that is why I did not step in and answer the question......rather I would have preferred that SeekingTheTruth could have been present to answer. I apologize if I interfered. It's a good question though!

 

Is this what the Baptist Board has become? Just let stupity run rampant, anything to get the hit count up?

Moderators you should be proud.

 

The old strawman that we present or hold to some "secret" or "mystery" having to take place. It's not even worth addressing yet another rabbit trail of his
as none of it truly represents what any of us believe. This from the guy who is presented fact after fact, proof after proof, and quote after quote, yet still denies what is clearly seen and what is clearly proven in presentation, only to have him do the dance of "name names, prove it again."

Several have been down this same old beaten path with him and have arrived at the same conclusions. It's a tired old song and dance bro, nothing new. :sleep:

Most of the threads he comes up with are purely subjective out of some personal situation he's experienced, or some "gotcha" moment that is readily dismantled. Dialoguing with him in these things is not a profitable engagement from this side.

- Peace

 

Oh brother Grasshopper...... it is but a distasteful thing to be witness to such tactless dialog however both outlandish & controversial commentary inevitably help to improve readership. That equates numbers that are attractive to advertisers. Alas, Christian brotherhood is taking a back seat ... to ca ching! :tear:

 

:sleep:

I only & humbly seek to clarify my brother.

 

And lasty to address, " Why then do you preach, if you are already sure that all of the elect are going to be saved in Heaven?"

Simple answer: For the comfort and instruction of the Lord's people (Isa. 40: 1-2, 9; Eph.4: 11-16). :godisgood:

 

Or then again we have this................

God in scripture chooses us. there is "no free will" ,,,just sinners who are made willing.

 

DC

No.....not all are sheep. Jesus has specific sheep that are given to Him read Ezkiel 34.Some are goats. All of the lost sheep will be found, because of the Covenant. Jn 10:27-30

 

I love and agree with that verse. Thanks for posting it, but I'm not sure what it had to do what I actually wrote.

Well, we already all know that is your interpretation of the scripture, but thanks for telling us again.

 

Faith comes by hearing, thus if they believe, God gets the credit for giving them what they needed to believe, but if they reject then its totally their fault because God gave them all they needed to respond and they chose to trade the truth in for a lie and suffer the consequence. Unbelievers are without excuse.

 

Well of course it is, do you think I would believe otherwise? But that doesn't mean man can't trade that truth in for lies and allow their hearts to grow defiled and be given over to their fleshly lusts, does it? Read Romans 1.

Amen.

And in addition, no one has cause to make excuses because God has provided everyone all they need to believe and be saved. No one can say, "I wasn't granted faith..." or "God didn't really love me..." or some other excuse like that.

Amen! And their ability to rebel and suffer the consequences is likewise is granted by God...

Amen. And rebellion from start to finish is of man. Wow, we are agreeing a lot tonight! :thumbsup:

Awww, and you were doing so well then you had to go and imply I'm like a muslim terrorist. Nice...back on the ignore list you go......drive safe.... :wavey:

 

:laugh:
Awww, and you were doing so well then you had to go and imply I'm like a muslim terrorist. Nice...back on the ignore list you go......drive safe....


I know you will be peeking however....:laugh::laugh::wavey:I believe you secretly desire to believe in the DoG...so you will look!

 

All who are saved are the elect. God chose to save you despite you sinful status. It wasn't because you were special or good or smart enough to choose Him.

Here's where you have a big misunderstanding of Calvinism. Election does not teach that people "love the Lord" but cannot be saved because they are not elected.

Who doesn't have a chance? If you say the non elect. Can you tell us who the non elect are? And they have a "chance" but will reject Christ. Election isn't about keeping people out of heaven but out of hell. God isn't standing at the gate of heaven rejecting people coming to him.

This part was uncalled for. Let's keep this at a Christlike level.

 

Once again you reveal the limitless depth of your ignorance as to what Calvinism is.

NO Calvinist sees people who "love the Lord" as people outside of God's elect.

No Arminian with half a semester of theology would think that Calvinists believe that.

This is why you really have no business doing this kind of thing.

All of us, including me, speak before we should and on occasion make comments from our alligator mouths that over ride our tadpole behinds- but you do it incessantly.

Take a theology class or go to a church where the pastor is qualified to teach you theology. Then come back and debate.

Until then, you have no business swimming in the deep end of this pool.

 

I'm afraid so.