Some questions for anti-calvinists #1

No correct answer!

"on its own good merits" denotes works, and salvation is not of works.

If "on its own good merits" were not part of the question, then my answer is YES! We are made in the image of God and we do have the inherent power to come to Christ, He gave it to us. He also gave us His authority to do so. "Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest!" He could have said, "sit tight, I'll get to you in a moment" but he said "Come unto me" declaring that we can, sinner or saint!

 

TCassidy, here you go again, asking those foolish questions. The way you word them, is as though you suppose all non Calvinists are liberal in their theology. How wrong

 

while tcassidy's question is rather clumsily worded, it got me thinking: non-calvinists do not say that the will isn't corrupt- they just say that Christ enabled their wills on calvary. Calvinists say Christ enables our wills when he draws us to salvation. So i guess my question is: can you show me evidence that Christ enabled the wills of all men on calvary?

 

Whetstone, your questions are just a bad as TCassidy. What of all this "enabling of wills"? The fact of the matter is, that to have a free will is to have the ability to chose between two or more options. Hence we read in Scripture, "choose this day whom you will serve"; "choose life", "come unto me", "if you seek the Lord"; all such questions that were asked to everyone, and could only be done so if humans possess a free will to either accept or reject.

 

no, already anwered this on other board. If God had not sent the Christ then man would be lost. He could not will himself to be saved or will God to save him. You see it was totally of God's choice and not man. If He had not sent the Christ then man's choice would be hell only.

 

Whetstone, your questions are just a bad as TCassidy. What of all this "enabling of wills"? The fact of the matter is, that to have a free will is to have the ability to chose between two or more options. Hence we read in Scripture, "choose this day whom you will serve"; "choose life", "come unto me", "if you seek the Lord"; all such questions that were asked to everyone, and could only be done so if humans possess a free will to either accept or reject. </font>[/QUOTE]I think you get the impression that Calvinists deny the existence of man's will. We do no such thing (I want you to realize). We simply acknowledge that we only have as many choices available to us as God allows- and of those choices, God draws our wants to accomplish His will. As for shying away from what I was saying about enabling the will- you deny the very thing you believe because I have worded it in a way you don't like. Perhaps I will reword it?

You claim that because Christ died on the cross, all men are then able to accept him.

This means that Christ has opened the door of every man's will by shedding his blood. Correct?

That is essentially the exact same thing the Calvinist believes- except we believe Christ has only opened the door of the elect's wills, and this opening happens when the Holy Spirit draws that person. This makes sense as only the elect excersize their wills to accept Christ. Can you truly say you would have chosen Christ without him first chosing you? If so, you are a better man than I, for I know if God had not first come to me, I would never have gone to Him.

 

There is none so blind as he who WILL NOT see!

 

That's good Cass, you would make a good lawyer.

"Please answer the question yes or no. Did you stop beating your wife yet?"

BTW, your question has less than nothing to do with the debate.

 

As I posted on another topic,
I believe that God is COMPLETELY omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent--and that He can do anything He so chooses....but that He CHOSE to give us free will and CHOSE to allow us to execute it fully and completely as WE choose. Since ALL CREATION was created by Him and speaks of Him, there is a natural (as in "God-created") yearning inside of us DESPITE the Fall--NOT out of any remaining "goodness" in us, but simply because GOD DESIGNED US THAT WAY....so that we WOULD "miss Him" and search for Him, even when we know not what it is we seek.
And again I ask (thanks padre for YOUR answer previously), based on THIS point, am I truly arminian? Partially calvinist? Where do I fit on the sliding scale?
Thanks.

 

No.

I can't speak for all of them, just myself.

 

TC I think the difference is that I believe man can make a choice, man must make a choice. God has given all mankind that ability. I feel that calvinst make it sound like sinful man is oblivous to God and vice a versa. I don't see that in scripture. In fact I see that man can respond to the gospel.