Perhaps Van is a closet Calvinist who dances with Calvinistic thinking at every opportunity and is attempting to restate the purpose of this thread into his own scheme.
More shuck and jive, Calvinism's double predestination is the topic of the thread. Why did God make "the many" sinners? All mankind has been made sinners.
Is there any post in this thread to indicate that it is either about "double predestination" or upon Calvinism other that what Van has posted?
Perhaps his own preoccupation with the topic obliges him to seek it out even when it is not a matter of discussion.
1) If God made all mankind sinners, all mankind is condemned.
One can see in this statement the attempt to place God at fault.
All have sinned because it is obliged by the fallen nature to sin. God didn't make the fallen nature. God made man "upright," but Adam sinned; as a result, all have sinned because that is the natural man - the nature of humankind.
Van is attempting to "bait and switch" - or in his terms "shuck and jive."
2) If God made sinners unable to seek God and trust in Christ, then everyone not chosen for salvation and altered by Irresistible Grace, is unable not to sin and unable to obtain mercy. Thus, Calvinism teaches God is the author of sin, yet punishes those He caused to be sinners and unable to obtain mercy.
Again, this is an attempt to blame God. His conclusions are based upon his erroneous desire to show a view as God
making sinners unable to seek God.
Yet, who sought whom in the garden when Adam was hiding?
Through out the Scriptures, who is constantly seeking whom?
God.
Using bait and switch - shuck and jive - dancing around, trying to convince the reader that some theological view is in error when it is his own determined shuck and jive tune that he dances and not what is the truth.
It isn't God that made sinners "unable" to seek God.
It is the sinner sinning that hides (Adam) from God's call, seeks to blame others or events (Adam) for their sin, and is estranged (Adam) from God. What person has NOT done what Adam did. Who is it that seeks God? Who must be found
by God offering repentance and redemption?
Do not the Scriptures clearly state that no person seeks God that all persons have sinned? Is it not documented throughout Scriptures that it is God's hand involved in redemption - both physical and spiritual - not human effort?
The dance is over, why do you keep shuck and jiving?
Why do you make attempts of baiting the reader and then switch to using what is not consistent with a view you desire to oppose?
3) Did God create all things? Yes, and everyone agrees so a distraction from the purpose of the thread.
Really?
Then why do you seek to distract by having point one and two above? Just to make the post read as if you are being factual?
Isn't that "shuck and jive" in it's very blatant form?
But, more to the point, is there not (even currently running on the BB) thread(s) that discuss evolutionary schemes as the origin of humankind?
NOT EVERYONE agrees.
This thread was NOT offered as distraction.
4) Did God make all men as part of all things? Of course and everyone agrees so a distraction from the purpose of the thread.
See above for a response to this part.
Just more of the same moves on the dance floor after the band has packed up and left.
5) Is all mankind wicked? Yes, our hearts are deceitful and incurably bad, Jeremiah 17:9. (KJV says wicked) See Mark 7:21-23.
This reads more like a closet Calvinist or at least a wannabee!
Desire that this thread become a Cal/Arm debate so badly that actual "baits" of the hook are prepared so to "switch" the OP from it's purpose.
6) Can we find a basis for considering some sinful act of men wickedness, over and against all the other acts of wickedness of all men? Perhaps, several verses suggest those that do not acknowledge God are wicked fools. But the end of all unforgiven folks is the lake of fire, whether religious or not.
Can you consider "some" sinfulness as wickedness? The OP in part is seeking to address that issue.
The OP suggested that ALL sin is exceedingly sinful. That wickedness just isn't doing wickedly, but is. A person is wicked - therefore they do wicked.
Van your dance time is over.
Come clean and admit that the whole purpose of your post was an attempt to show this thread as something that was never intended to be - labeled as part of a Cal/Arm discussion.
Bait and switch moves dancing the shuck and jive after the band has gone home and the lights are turned out.
If you are truthfully interested in the OP and not in your own scheme of distraction, why not try discussing these NON cal/arm things that the OP attempted to incite the BB thinking:
1) That God created all things.
2) That God made those who are wicked.
3) That God uses all to His purpose and design.
4) That God is completely involved and not benign or uninterested.
5) That God uses His discretion to preserve the wicked even to the evil day.
6) That if in fact God is keeping tabs on the wicked, how much more does He involve himself in the believer's everyday life.
7) That wickedness has no layer or level, but is, as any sin should be considered by the believer, exceedingly sinful - wicked.