Why Provisionism Is Biblical

[Armchair Apologist]

Just checking (because as it stands, the above quote is confusing me, and I wouldn't want to misunderstand you), didn't you really mean: "God doesn't cause bad things (evil) but he certainly allows bad things to happen!"?

Yes, that is what I meant! I must've been in a hurry and was not able to properly proof-read my post!

I guess I only have a short window in which to edit a post so I am unable to go back and make a correction!

 

[Van]

God's provision of innate Soul Competency is required both make sense of witnessing, as otherwise the effort would be akin to casting pearls before swine, and to allow us to see the justness in holding those responsible for going against what they see are right. incompetent people are not held responsible for their inability.

But the fields are white for harvest, requiring acceptance that many of the lost are able to hear and respond to the gospel.

 

[Silverhair]

Just checking (because as it stands, the above quote is confusing me, and I wouldn't want to misunderstand you), didn't you really mean: "God doesn't cause bad things (evil) but he certainly allows bad things to happen!"?

Why would you question @Armchair Apologist comment when it is just what we see in both Calvin's and the WCF/LBCF.

Calvin in his Institutes, Book 3, chapter 23, paragraph 6, says that, God foresees events because He had to make them determined.

WCF/LBCF 3/1 "God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity... all things, whatsoever comes to pass;".

The belief that God has decreed whatsoever comes to pass is termed, “exhaustive divine determinism."

So it would seem that the Calvinist view is that "God does cause bad things (evil)".

 

[Van]

"God choosing to credit a lost person's faith as righteousness is a gracious gift, turning a sows ear into a silk purse. Obvious the faith of a lost person is worthless, and without merit, as it is a filthy rag before they receive God's gracious gift - God's provision - "credited faith!" That gracious provision is all in God's hands, not ours. This is consistent with Romans 9:16, which teaches salvation depends not on the lost, but upon God. Biblically the "gift of faith" refers to the gift of crediting our faith, rather than the compulsion of irresistible grace."

 

[Van]

Why would you question @Armchair Apologist comment when it is just what we see in both Calvin's and the WCF/LBCF.

Calvin in his Institutes, Book 3, chapter 23, paragraph 6, says that, God foresees events because He had to make them determined.

WCF/LBCF 3/1 "God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity... all things, whatsoever comes to pass;".

The belief that God has decreed whatsoever comes to pass is termed, “exhaustive divine determinism."

So it would seem that the Calvinist view is that "God does cause bad things (evil)".

Yes, some Calvinist admit to exhaustive determinism, God first causes people to sin, then punishes them for the sin He caused. But other Calvinist do not come right out and express their view, sticking with disparaging any other view.