I wish to understand what, if anything, do Calvinists reckon is God's criterion for salvation.
His decree to save one man and damn another is based on what, according to you?
Thank you.
Other than the words in these verses that are in Bold, the last thing a sinner needs to concern themselves with is Determining and Decreeing What God Can Be, or not.
You either know God and Love Him, or not.
"Ephesians 1:3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ."
If there is a way to chase down this message, it is great.
Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul
I would say what R. C. SPROUL teaches here, as a positive/ negative way to see Predestination.
All sinners would Go to Hell.
God Chose Some,
according to the good pleasure of his will,...
Do you Love that God?
That is the Only God there is.
I hadn't heard this message or any other from this man, but he is exactly right.
The idea of 'Choosing or Electing those who Go to Hell' is not a Biblical concept.
IAs a Bible Believe, the administration here rationalized their pigeonholing of me incorrectly, as a 'Hyper'-Calvinist. That would be someone who goes with the idea of 'Choosing or Electing those who Go to Hell' which is not a Biblical concept, any more than questions about 'criterion for salvation'.
All sinful souls, When God negatively addresses their condition by doing nothing, then, God Allows them to go their own way, in sin, and Go to Hell Forever.
All Human Beings would have Gone to Hell.
Salvation Will Take a soul A Looooong Way toward Understanding The Bible and Biblical concepts and actually Loving The God of The Bible, Who lost souls hate.
The unbeliever does not believe they are in that sinful condition
...and that they have sin that blinds them to God,
... and THAT THEY ARE IMPOTENT,
...and have No Ability to even know the Eternal Depth
...and Consequences of their sins Against God, or...
... THAT THAT SIN MUST HAVE GOD INVOLVED
TO CONVICT THEM of Their Total Depravity or Total Incapability.
By not Having God Convict them
and Give them the knowledge of their inability to believe,
Apart from God,
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE AWARENESS
OF THAT SINFUL CONDITION,
FROM WHICH
GOD MUST GRANT THEM REPENTANCE.
All sinful souls are children of WRATH BOUND FOR HELL..
.. that must Have God Show them their sinful HELPLESSNESS...
... that must Have God Convict them of their HELPLESSNESS.
... and God must GIVE THEM REPENTANCE
of That sinful condition of Helpless, Impotent, Total Incapability and Depravity..
... Then, after Hearing The School Master and The Law and The Gospel,
HOW JESUS DIED FOR A REASON, FOR THE SPECIFIC SINS
THAT WERE PLACED ON HIM, FOR HIS SPECIFIC PEOPLE (
MATTHEW 1:21),
...SINNERS ARE COMMANDED TO REPENT
AND if God Gives them REPENTANCE Toward God
and Faith in The Work of Jesus' Death, Burial, and Resurrection,..
... The sinful soul is GIVEN BIBLICAL SPIRITUAL BELIEF, IN THE NEW SPIRITUAL BIRTH that REGENERATES AND BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE to the previously dead soul.
THOSE ARE THE SINFUL SOULS GOD CHOSE TO GIVE TO JESUS TO SAVE...
.. AND JESUS ACCOMPLISHED REDEMPTION FOR THOSE GOD GAVE HIM.
...
No sinful soul has ever 'believed', 'had faith', or 'power', for Salvation,
UNLESS:
.. THEY WERE PREACHED THE GOSPEL
... GIVEN CONVICTION OF THEIR SINS BY GOD..
... GIVEN REPENTANCE TO TURN FROM THEIR SIN BY GOD...
.... AND BE GIVEN FAITH TO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN JESUS BY GOD.
...
EACH and EVERY TIME Salvation is referenced in The Bible in any way
IMPLIES GOD SAVED ONE OF HIS CHOSEN ELECT HIS WAY.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY IS IMPLIED.
PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL IS IMPLIED.
CONVICTION OF THE SINNERS TOTAL DEPRAVITY IS IMPLIED.
GOD-GIVEN REPENTANCE IS IMPLIED.
GOD-GIVEN FAITH AND BELIEF IS IMPLIED.
JESUS IS THE SAVIOR IS IMPLIED.
The Bible implies everywhere, Saved souls were Chosen.
EACH OF THE IMPLIED ACTIVITIES of GOD are TAUGHT in The Bible.
A soul Must Be Born Again to Be Taught The Bible.
....
Any 'experience' of religion that does not include:
the Spirit Wrought Awareness and Conviction
of THE SINNER DESERVING HELL,
HAVING EARNED AN ETERNITY IN HELL
AND JUSTLY BEING CONDEMNED TO HELL, BY GOD...
THAT GOD THEN GIVES REPENTANCE AND FAITH...
HAVE NOT BEEN SAVED AND ARE GOING TO HELL.
That is what a sinner that has not seen the incapability, helplessness,
and impotent Total Depravity of their soul, as an Activity of God,
needs to concern themselves with.