Why Do People Hate Calvinst?

[webdog]

I hate to have to be the Hebrew police again...but the word "Inclination" is not in the original text. The word is the Hebrew noun ִיֵצֶר This word can, at times, mean "inclination" but in this instance it clearly means "intention" and it refers to the content of the heart or the reasoning of the heart.

In fact, the very same word is what we find in Genesis 6:5 "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (ESV; Emphasis mine).

So, it does not mean "inclination" or bent. The English dictionary is really no help in trying to determine the meaning of Hebrew words, Greek words, or Aramaic words.

The Archangel

I know, all of the translators got it wrong

At any rate, it's a matter of semantics due to the fact intention has the same basic meaning of inclination or bent.

in·ten·tion (n-tnshn)
n.
1. A course of action that one intends to follow.
2.
a. An aim that guides action; an objective.
b. intentions Purpose with respect to marriage: honorable intentions.
3. Medicine The process by which or the manner in which a wound heals.
4. Archaic Import; meaning.

 

[The Archangel]

I know, all of the translators got it wrong

At any rate, it's a matter of semantics due to the fact intention has the same basic meaning of inclination or bent.

in·ten·tion (n-tnshn)
n.
1. A course of action that one intends to follow.
2.
a. An aim that guides action; an objective.
b. intentions Purpose with respect to marriage: honorable intentions.
3. Medicine The process by which or the manner in which a wound heals.
4. Archaic Import; meaning.

Intention and inclination or bent are not the same thing. This is clear in the Hebrew. The root ִיצר is descriptive of the plans and purposes formed in the mind (see TWOT, 396). The implication is that the mind (or heart) forms evil plans from the earliest stages of cognition. When you look at what Jesus says here

"18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:18-20 ESV)
​

It is quite clear that Jesus would agree with Moses (Moses having written Genesis 8:21) and Moses would agree with Jesus--the heart is desperately and radically depraved. Couple this with the same word יצר being used in Genesis 6:5 "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" and you see a crystal-clear description of human depravity being all-pervasive, original sin being hopelessly destructive, and mankind being completely stuck in sin. There is no freedom to choose in this scenario, unless, of course, God acts first to replace one's heart.

To say that it is the same as "bent" or "inclination" is to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the Hebrew itself.

As someone else said, you are running into problems here because you are using an English dictionary to define Hebrew terms. Since no translation is perfect, to find out the meaning of the word(s), one must go to the original, something you haven't done here.

Blessings,

The Archangel

 

[webdog]

Intention and inclination or bent are not the same thing. This is clear in the Hebrew. The root ִיצר is descriptive of the plans and purposes formed in the mind (see TWOT, 396). The implication is that the mind (or heart) forms evil plans from the earliest stages of cognition. When you look at what Jesus says here

"18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:18-20 ESV)
​

It is quite clear that Jesus would agree with Moses (Moses having written Genesis 8:21) and Moses would agree with Jesus--the heart is desperately and radically depraved. Couple this with the same word יצר being used in Genesis 6:5 "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" and you see a crystal-clear description of human depravity being all-pervasive, original sin being hopelessly destructive, and mankind being completely stuck in sin. There is no freedom to choose in this scenario, unless, of course, God acts first to replace one's heart.

To say that it is the same as "bent" or "inclination" is to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the Hebrew itself.

As someone else said, you are running into problems here because you are using an English dictionary to define Hebrew terms. Since no translation is perfect, to find out the meaning of the word(s), one must go to the original, something you haven't done here.

Blessings,

The Archangel

Nothing you have said here goes against what I have said. If one is inclined to do something, it is not a done deal. This just happened in Europe where a man came into a store to hold it up. He asked her to give him the money at gunpoint. The woman was a believer and talked him out of it. He left apologizing. Was it his intention to rob the store? Yes. Did he? No, he appealed to his conscious. Was his heart bent or inclined in committing the act? Of course! Like I said, it simply a matter of semantics...and since I don't speak Hebrew or Greek, I rely on the Bible I have in English. English words have meanings as well. Nothing about the Hebrew you have given is contrary to the English understanding.