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Old 07-06-2009, 12:19 PM
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Gord Gord is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 171
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I will answer your question within the quote in blue.
[QUOTE=George;23338]Aloha brother Gord,

This is just a short follow up to my comments in my Post #121 (in response to your Post #120). In order to know where you are coming from – would you answer a few questions? These questions are not meant to “trip you up” or to be used against you:

1. Have you ever been a Calvinist? YES? Or NO?
Not until only recently

2. Were you a Calvinist BEFORE I posted my Series on Calvinism? YES? Or NO?
No, but I thank you for lighting my inquisitive fire.

3. Are you NOW a Calvinist? YES? Or NO?
Yes

Did you notice that Dr. Keith Sherlin used about 20 verses (all from corrupt bibles) presenting his case for the doctrine of “Unconditional Election”, whereas I used approximately 85 verses of Holy Scripture in presenting my case against “Unconditional Election” in my Post #9 on Calvinism (not counting any verses that I may have quoted in the subsequent Posts {Posts #13; #16; #25; & #37} that were all related to the issue of “Unconditional Election”)?
Yes of course I noticed that, the version is not the issue, ELECT and PREDESTINE mean the same thing in plain english regardless of the version.

Granted – I could have twisted, wrested, and taken many of those verses out of their context to make them “mean” something other than what they “SAY” in order to “PROVE” MY POINT; but if I did, it would be up to you to “POINT OUT” where I “misused” (or “abused”) the Scriptures –and, “point by point”, demonstrate WHERE I WAS WRONG.

Just to say: “Brother George, as lot of the scripture references you provided especially on election, just didn't make any sense to me.” doesn’t tell me anything.
See my answer and you quote below.

....I will post a further response later as time is my enemy at the moment.

....

From your post #1,

Quote:
1. Unlike Arminianism (or as Calvinists purportedly report) - I did not “PICK” the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour! I HEARD “the Gospel of Christ” (the same one preached by the Apostle Paul – [Romans 1:16, 15:19, 15:29]; and BELIEVED (in my heart) the word[Romans 10:17] ofGod concerning Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection [1 Corinthians 15:1-4]; and RECEIVED the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour [John 1:12] and became a son of God.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

I did not “PICK” Christ as my Saviour – I BELIEVED on Him and He saved me!

2. Unlike Calvinism - I believe that The Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and shed blood are totally sufficient for the sins of the whole world, but are only efficacious for those people who BELIEVE on Him!

1 Timothy 4:10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that BELIEVE.

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

3.Unlike the way Calvinist’s explain how I supposedly believe (I just “decide”) or the way Arminianism may actually be - I just don’t DECIDE if I “want to be saved or not” – I must first BELIEVE the Gospel, before God saves me [Ephesians 1:13].

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. {“nor of the will of the flesh” - I don’t DECIDE anything! God determined before the world began that those who will BELIEVE on His son shall be saved!}

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through himmight be saved.
18 He that BELIEVETH on him is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Notice - the “operative word” in all of the above testimony is “BELIEVE” (i.e. BELIEF). I believe that before anyone can receive salvation, they must first “BELIEVE” THE Gospel of Christ and then (and only then) will God save them.

4. Unlike most Armenians - I DO NOT believe that once a person is saved (born again) that they can “lose” their salvation. And Unlike most Calvinists -I believe GOD PRESERVES His saints – NOT in “the perseverance of the saints”.

Psalms 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
Psalms 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Psalms 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
I agree, but you failed to show the reason WHY.

Quote:
1Pe*1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
and
Quote:
Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
God takes it completely out of the hands of MAN. He made that choice for us. This is neither Arminian, or Calvin I read this from the KJV of my bible. It just so happens that John Calvin agreed with Paul.