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God must have done something because at the time I had no interest in religion or church. I didn't even appreciate the witnessing of the coworker who was sharing the gospel with me.
As I mentioned last night, it is very difficult to reconcile the power of God to draw sinners to himself and with the tenderloving kindness of the way he goes about it.
Giver me some time to work with John 12:32. Like I said Yamil, I am trying to work through several passages that the Lord is showing me, so all I ask for is a little patience and prayer for wisdom.
Ah well, I'll check in again tonite.
PS: Thanks Seaton. I'm always thrilled to hear of God's workmanship and the various ways He calls His own unto Himself. Blessings!
There are no smokescreens or redefining words here. I have given you several examples of where the word "draw" is used in the New Testament. Substitute your definition into each one and see if your definition fits the immediate context. So yes, I have answered your objections.
For someone whose hermeneutical approach to scripture is from a literal interpretation, I find it interesting that you switch to figurative when it doesn't support your epistemology.
Yamil, what is spiritual death? It is the absence of spiritual life. Death is destruction, life is construction. A life grows, death decomposes.
Arminians, from what I can gather, do not believe in a literal spiritual death, but still have some moral ability to do good spiritual deeds.
Someone has purloined my alias again???
Are you saying that everyone who prays a "sinner's prayer" to invite Jesus into his heart and goes on living as one who is lost, showing no interest in the things of God, no repentance from sin is born again?
"Secondly, since when does spiritual life= meriting salvation?"
That does not even make sense. The only ones meriting salvation are those who claim they can come to Christ on their own power and strength.
"Oh really. I can humbly give you more passages that you can shake a stick at. And you might want to try every dictionary in the world."
Be my guest.
What is truly important is not that we are accepted and listened to by the "Sola Calvinists" but by Jesus Christ and that by the grace of God, and especially by being filled, led, taught, empowered by the Holy Spirit that we live holy and fully pleasing to Him. May we remember to be always seeking His face, not the approval of those set in their ways.
Off to mow the grass.Pathfinder
Cont...
As I walked I grew in knowledge of self as well as Bible. I read the Bible from cover to cover and this had a profound effect on me to write extensively in an exegetical and expository way for my own personal study. I still do this today. Scripture has become a live connection with the Lord and His light. Indeed the Word communicates truth and light in a powerful and authoritative way. It’s almost a compulsion, but a great joy at the same time.Many writers both ancient and modern have left their imprint upon my studies, but the Puritans have been a special influence, eg. Thomas Watson. Praise be to God, I belong to Christ for His purposes and I am changed and I am a new person in Christ. My heart and being now are to serve God. Yet I am very aware of my wretched estate in sin and iniquity, which humbles me to repentance. This is a journey for me which began quietly but has grown to take over my life. I love and confess the Lord and this life is His thanks be to God and His glorious Son my all in all. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a constant source of joy yet struggle. I gladly wait upon the Lord. If I can borrow the words of John the Baptist "He must increase, but I must decrease."
God Bless!!
I too eagerly await the rest of Seaton's personal calling & conversion experience. I have been tempted a number of times to share my own (even as recently as the night before last) but always end up withdrawing. I will say that nearly 40 years passed from the time I asked Jesus into my heart before He called me and saved me of His own will at a time I wasn't even seeking salvation. The seven years leading up to that calling were the darkest time of my life and since then my constant desire is to study the bible alone and learn of His wonderous ways.
Correct me if I am wrong but weren't the 5 Points written after Arminius was deceased by men at Dort or some place?
If this is so then your statementQEven Arminius himself insisted that you either belived in all five points (for or against) or none of them.EOQ
is amiss.
As to being against the "Remonstrance" it is an interesting thing that these 5 points the "Arminians" gave at their trial (at least in the account I have read) speak more, far more of Jesus Christ than one will ever squeeze out of TULIP (that is of course the TULIP I have repeatedly heard from people espousing Calvinism) and in the common version He is certainly not even mentioned.
I wonder why that is?
The Bible became my way of life and everyone thought I was crazy, even my wife. I began more on the Arminian side of things and after much study, I am now totally convinved of all of the points the brothers advanced against the Remonstrance.
Two incredible books that all Christians should read are "Bondage of the Will", by Martin Luther (his reply to the papish free will views of Erasmus), and "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ", by John Owens (still to be refuted).
When these books were written, men were trained in logic and rhetoric. Even Arminius himself insisted that you either belived in all five points (for or against) or none of them.
Isaiah 55:8-9
After about 30 odd years of no real interest in religion or church, although “sent” to church and SS as a child, I was brought to Christ. The word “planted” in my youth and the Holy Spirit completed my call in His good time. As a young man I can recall my seeking but not knowing what I was searching for. The Lord prepared the time and the event and I can now recognise His hand in the events which led up to my call. I began avidly prayerfully studying and meditating the Bible. It was if I couldn’t get enough of it’s teaching and precepts. Some curious events also occurred in my journey which I prefer not to relate here in case they are misconstrued. There was no lightening bolts or crashing symbols as they say, it simply began and I found myself on a very unique journey in my life. At the time I began going to church and my wife and family thought I’d gone crazy, but they accepted it all. As time moved on I observed a yearning and a need not just to be a pew filler, but to learn and grow and study deeper the Word and the Faith I now claimed as my own. My experience was that the Lord was taking me upon a journey which included theological college and some lay preaching.
Cont.. when space av!
C.H. Spurgeon
"Now unless he be born of God, he cannot see it. Suppose the kingdom of God be what it will, he cannot see it before he be begotten of God; suppose it be the Gospel, he cannot see it before he be brought into a state of regeneration; believing is the consequence of the new birth, "not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John Bunyan
"I am now fifty-five years of age and I am more than ever convinced that the truth of the new birth is a revelation from God Himself, and that without it you can never be saved."
George Whitefield
Absolutely freely? Must be a different absolute than absolute. Made willing? Sorry, a very contradiction. The statement does sound spiritual, though, doesn't it?
John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
