Out of the blue salvation

Calvinists don't believe you don't have any mental assent before salvation so your question is flawed. here we go again with another thread based on a faulty premise.

 

ps- i was saved at the age of 5. you can read my entire testimony here:

http://www.pre-evangelism.com/articles/testimonies/dan_testimony.htm

 

Yet...

IN the Westminster Confession the doctrine of Total Inability is stated as follows: — “Man, by his fall Into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.”

http://www.the-highway.com/depravity_Boettner.html

And real, honest Calvinists do proclaim that people don't have any mental assent before salvation, it's called total depravity. Hense the totally valid premise of my question.

Are you a Calvinist? If so you need to change your thinking based on your own testimony. </font>[/QUOTE]You completely misunderstand what the westminster confession states and what Calvinism in general states. Total inability means that a person cannot have mental or spiritual understanding or acceptance of God APART from the Holy Spirit. It is very obvious that the Holy Spirit enabled me to desire and understand the gospel message. Do we need to create a poll for you too so you'll understand Calvinism?

 

double posted. sorry.

 

I might also mention that not a single Calvinist or the Baptist Confession claim that salvation is 'out of the blue.' That is yet another false assertion (strawman) presented against us (like Diane was guilty of before she polled us). Why don't you poll us and ask us if salvation is out of the blue? Why don't get you get your facts right? Why do you guys have such a problem with this? Disagree with us- no problem! Misrepresent us? What's up with that?!

 

Apparently you missed T's point. He was illustrating the absurdity of your opening post by being absurd in the opposite direction. I got saved when the Holy Spirit irresistibly called me to faith, and I responded by choosing to believe. I'm really not sure what you think Calvinists believe.

 

"out of the blue" is a phrase that at its root means 'not from within' but from without the person described as having or gaining something without evidence of "earning or acquiring it". It came to me 'out of the blue', or he got it 'out of the blue'. So in the discussion of Salvation of man, that which is not from within, or possessed by works, is merely 'out of the blue'.

That is not an apt phrase regarding salvation, because we have a clear definition that salvation is through faith, and that faith comes to man by the hearing of God's word. Salvation is not of works, so there can be no evidence of 'earning it'. Salvation is not a matter of election, else there would be evidence that one is under election while another is not.

Salvation is not by predestination either, else it is not by faith. Anyone who gains faith through hearing Gods word is saved and no we are not predestined to hear God's word. Yes, we hear God's word and it effects us, maybe even to the point of regenerating us to be receptive to things of the spirit.

Salvation is available to all who hear and come to faith because all sin has been atoned therefore by faith we have everlasting life (salvation).

There are no especially selected "elect", save for the Jews. Election is a myth, a figment of your literalist imagination.

 

Cassidy, why do you ask the post stupid questions, and make ignorant statements as you have done here?

Name me ONE Arminians who is truly saved, take even 1% credit for their Salvation?

You are like Whetstone, who cannot deal with the facts of Scripture, cannot answer our questions/objections, and then say some nonsense in the hope that you could break us. You guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves

 

Name me ONE Arminians who is truly saved, take even 1% credit for their Salvation?
</font>[/QUOTE]Yeah, talk about Arminians making strawmen of Calvinist points, here's the old Calvinist-made strawman of non-Calvinists claiming even a tiny shred of credit for their own salvation.

 

Claiming I am unable to deal with the facts of scripture? Totally unable on my own? Yes. With the help of the Holy Spirit? No. I've written extensively on why I believe Calvinism is Biblical ( http://www.pre-evangelism.com/learn/theology_articles/soteriology/whycalvinist.htm ). You claim that I cannot answer your questions/objections. Again, I must say that on my own you are correct. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I am enabled to. As for being ashamed, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. With adequate scriptural evidence and a no-nonsense approach, how have I failed to live up to your expectations as a 'Calvinist who can defend his beliefs'??