What is the doctrine of Calvinism?

[4His_glory]

Yes...All who believed in those areas were baptized.

Thats not what the passage says- it says all Judea was baptized by John, not all who believed in Judea was baptized by John.

So was all Judea baptized?

Yes...good tidings of great joy to all people now whether they chose to accept it as good news is their free will. Herod could have rejoiced like he lead the Wise Men to believe he was, but he chose hypocricsy.

How about all the people who never heard? Did it bring joy to them.

I guess I'm a "Free Will"-er if I'm to understand that by this it means that a individual has a free will to choose or reject Christ. Not a predetermined election that this individual would choose or not choose Christ.

I agree that man could willfuly choose to trust Christ if his will would allow him too, but because man's will is only bent on sin, he will not of his own self choose salvation in Christ, therefore God must sovereingly intervene. We know from the Scriptures that those whom He does save were chosen before the foundation of the world.

I don't know how you can say there is not predetermination by God because the Bible indicates that we were chosen by Him on numerous occasions.

 

[James_Newman]

I didn't see your name in there. Wouldn't you have to 'persevere' before you could know that you were one of the elect?