TC suggested I open this thread. I had posited on another thread that the Calvinist view of salvation is very much like my own view of a man going to a kennel and "electing" one of its poor, mangy, soon-to-be-euthanized canine tenants. Here are some of the things I see in common:
1) At the point of "election," neither man nor dog has any knowledge of his Master.
2) His "election," man or dog, is strictly "monergistic" with no thought to "merit" seeing as how both are in the same state as other equally as undeserving "mutts" at the point of "election." Both might be said to be "irresistibly drawn."
3) The dog, and man, both operate on instinct/sin nature as "beasts" and are, thus, "totally depraved," having no "God consciousness." "Moral guidance" is "inoperative" in both.
4) Both dogs and Calvies have incomprehensible vocabularies. And some may snicker at this but its hard to teach a dog or Calvie about their master's "program" without actually speaking their language rather than the master's!! Indeed, right here on this board and this thread we are going to see that we don't speak the same "language" among ourselves!!
5) Even once "elected" and "taken home," neither really knows his Master. They both know that they get rewarded for doing good, punished for doing bad. Both can learn "behaviors" without ever understanding their purposes. Here's a few examples:
a) Calvies, and dogs, "behave like" they are "elect"/saved though they cannot comprehend how they were "chosen."
b) Calvies will go to the (mission) field knowing that God is going to save whom He will (the "elect") anyway. But they do it, they say, because "God commands it" or "God has ordained to send them out for whatever reason." That's about all a dog knows about the "tricks" (even sheep herding) his master has him perform, isn't it? I think we call it "blind faith."
c) Calvies pray even though they KNOW that God never changes His mind. Even a dog knows this is not true.
I believe the point to be made is this: Humans do something (like get saved) because the know and understand something. Dogs do not. Men are not dogs. If you never know nor understand God, you can never rise above being His "best friend" but a "brute beast" nevertheless.
skypair
1) At the point of "election," neither man nor dog has any knowledge of his Master.
2) His "election," man or dog, is strictly "monergistic" with no thought to "merit" seeing as how both are in the same state as other equally as undeserving "mutts" at the point of "election." Both might be said to be "irresistibly drawn."
3) The dog, and man, both operate on instinct/sin nature as "beasts" and are, thus, "totally depraved," having no "God consciousness." "Moral guidance" is "inoperative" in both.
4) Both dogs and Calvies have incomprehensible vocabularies. And some may snicker at this but its hard to teach a dog or Calvie about their master's "program" without actually speaking their language rather than the master's!! Indeed, right here on this board and this thread we are going to see that we don't speak the same "language" among ourselves!!
5) Even once "elected" and "taken home," neither really knows his Master. They both know that they get rewarded for doing good, punished for doing bad. Both can learn "behaviors" without ever understanding their purposes. Here's a few examples:
a) Calvies, and dogs, "behave like" they are "elect"/saved though they cannot comprehend how they were "chosen."
b) Calvies will go to the (mission) field knowing that God is going to save whom He will (the "elect") anyway. But they do it, they say, because "God commands it" or "God has ordained to send them out for whatever reason." That's about all a dog knows about the "tricks" (even sheep herding) his master has him perform, isn't it? I think we call it "blind faith."
c) Calvies pray even though they KNOW that God never changes His mind. Even a dog knows this is not true.
I believe the point to be made is this: Humans do something (like get saved) because the know and understand something. Dogs do not. Men are not dogs. If you never know nor understand God, you can never rise above being His "best friend" but a "brute beast" nevertheless.
skypair
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If you don't understand, please don't blame others.