tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post6675063631683321672..comments2023-10-02T05:33:15.293-05:00Comments on The Contemporary Calvinist: This Week in Calvinism - January 16, 2009Lee Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11254842261338255019noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-42340727707442767132009-01-25T14:18:00.000-06:002009-01-25T14:18:00.000-06:00I agree. God foreordains. But how He foreordains w...I agree. God foreordains. But how He foreordains we will certainly not agree. <BR/><BR/>Nonetheless, Eph. 1:4 does not say that God chose us "to be" in Him. The concept of "to be" belongs to "to be holy and blameless before Him." Thus Eph. 1:4 says that He chose us (who are) in Him (the phrase is locative), before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him. <BR/><BR/>BillyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-18979076229450661952009-01-23T17:25:00.000-06:002009-01-23T17:25:00.000-06:00My point was that if God decrees that an individua...My point was that if God decrees that an individual is to be saved, that individual cannot say "No" and thereby thwart God's plan. It can't happen.<BR/><BR/>God did ordain that sin exist, otherwise it wouldn't. The fact that we were chosen in Christ "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4) proves that the greatest sin in history, the crucifixion of God's Son, was a pre-ordained part of God's plan.Lee Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11254842261338255019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-8922569131757328292009-01-22T07:24:00.000-06:002009-01-22T07:24:00.000-06:00I couldn't help but notice your lack of Scripture ...I couldn't help but notice your lack of Scripture for the philosophy you were just spouting. Could you quote some Scripture to back up what your suggesting?<BR/><BR/>"To argue otherwise is to say that our will is more powerful than God's."<BR/><BR/>Tell me: does God "will" that you sin? And if He does not want you to sin (e.g. 1 John), then is your will "more powerful than God's"?<BR/><BR/>Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>William BirchAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-51726687149987732432009-01-22T06:29:00.000-06:002009-01-22T06:29:00.000-06:00here is one you will have to add for next week:Rya...here is one you will have to add for next week:<BR/><BR/>Ryan says, in a reply that faith is a gift from God, calls the God we worship <I><B>"puppet master God"</B></I>. The entire quote is:<BR/><BR/>"My neighbor doesn't believe because; A: He has never heard the good news. B: He has rejected the good news. Its not because puppet master God didn't give him the gumption to but he gave me the gumption."<BR/><BR/>taken from: http://ryankellymurphy.blogspot.com/2009/01/reformed-conversation-continued.html?showComment=1232555700000#c4116159423237025923Jason and Vanessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12406412654100300608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-69259319605390436942009-01-21T07:54:00.000-06:002009-01-21T07:54:00.000-06:00You're welcome, Stephen, and thanks for presenting...You're welcome, Stephen, and thanks for presenting only distorted caricatures of Calvinists and for implying that we worship a different god.Lee Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11254842261338255019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-24075813536316772172009-01-21T07:51:00.000-06:002009-01-21T07:51:00.000-06:00Johnny, name one person who has ever tried to resi...Johnny, name one person who has ever tried to resist reprobation.Lee Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11254842261338255019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-62110781228056706512009-01-21T07:50:00.000-06:002009-01-21T07:50:00.000-06:00Billy, original sin puts us at enmity with God. We...Billy, original sin puts us at enmity with God. We are dead in trespasses and sin. But God's amazing, sovereign grace cannot be resisted ultimately because whatever he decrees WILL come to pass. Period. To argue otherwise is to say that our will is more powerful than God's. No one would come to him if not for his grace.Lee Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11254842261338255019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-66260888110174599592009-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:002009-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:00I had heard of Driscoll, but I'll admit that I don...I had heard of Driscoll, but I'll admit that I don't pay too much attention to American Evangelicalism's novelty acts.<BR/><BR/>FWIW, I do have a Master of Divinity degree and several years of both teaching and parish ministry, though my education and experience is Wesleyan in nature rather than Calvinist.<BR/><BR/>That is to say, focused on God's love and involvement with human beings rather than mere descriptions of an inaccessible, inscrutable, unknowable and ultimately unloveable <I>god</I>.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the link, though!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-37208392238899431892009-01-20T00:32:00.000-06:002009-01-20T00:32:00.000-06:00I liked the article on Driscoll, I thought it was ...I liked the article on Driscoll, I thought it was very generous toward him.Bealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17962219947906391266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-42092457028461633902009-01-18T07:44:00.000-06:002009-01-18T07:44:00.000-06:00Thank you for adding a link to my post on some of ...Thank you for adding a link to my post on some of the differences between Luther and Calvin. <BR/><BR/>I intend to cover further issues relating to Calvin's massive influence - but will particularly enjoy showing how he was far more 'missional' than other reformers at the time, who were, quite rightly, busy contending for their own nations. <BR/><BR/>Calvin, having been banished from France was instantly engaged in multi-national missions and church planting. The upcoming posts will hopefully provide much needed correction to the idea that Calvinists are essentially unevangelistic or inclined to be fatalistic about mission. <BR/><BR/>But thanks for the link.<BR/><BR/>God bless,<BR/>LexAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-53919735354437695332009-01-17T06:33:00.000-06:002009-01-17T06:33:00.000-06:00A grace that can be resisted is more amazing than ...A grace that can be resisted is more amazing than a reprobation that cannot be.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641370124346172648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11738269.post-46667336052449349122009-01-17T00:34:00.000-06:002009-01-17T00:34:00.000-06:00"A question for William Birch: What is so amazing ..."A question for William Birch: What is so amazing about a grace that can be resisted?"<BR/><BR/>Well, for starters, for God to even love any creature after he or she has offended a righteous and holy God is utterly amazing, whether one views His grace as a "regenerating grace" (i.e. Calvinism) or a "prevenient grace" which may be resisted.<BR/><BR/>So, your question is rather moot, no? That is, assuming that you actually read the short article.<BR/><BR/>"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8 ESV). Amazing grace.<BR/><BR/>"Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain" (2 Cor. 6:1 ESV). Amazing grace which can be received in vain. Amazing grace nonetheless.<BR/><BR/>"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God" (Heb. 12:15 ESV). Amazing grace which may not be obtained. Amazing grace nonetheless.<BR/><BR/>God bless,<BR/><BR/>Billy Birch<BR/>http://classicalarminianism.blogspot.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com