tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post1912190826637020164..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: Communicating better: you don't choose?Phil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-2846470482749353472009-09-13T21:46:30.046-07:002009-09-13T21:46:30.046-07:00Fantasitic! Just what the doctor ordered!
Here&#...Fantasitic! Just what the doctor ordered!<br /><br />Here's my thoughts:<br /><br />http://www.uniuslibri.com/UniusLibriIndex.asp?action=uniuslibri&articleid=109<br /><br />Do me a favour, please? I do not solicit comments, but I'd really like to know if I'm off-base here. Please leave me a comment and let me know if you agree or disagree. I'm wide open and all ears!<br /><br />And please... more articles like this! This one goes well with that "Daily Dose" articla about being a nuisance to the world!Kirby L. Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825673333919420557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-73321368428004486122009-09-11T00:12:49.464-07:002009-09-11T00:12:49.464-07:00From Anthony Hoekema, who is so Calvinist, he'...From Anthony Hoekema, who is so Calvinist, he's Reformed: "Since human beings are by nature dead in sin, God must make them alive; regeneration in the narrower sense must be exclusively the work of God. But in the aspects of the process of salvation which are distinct from regeneration both God and believers are involved--we could speak of salvation in this sense as being both God's work and our task." (Saved by Grace, 5)Russhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560500181129571198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-51588043259529795532009-09-10T04:56:15.194-07:002009-09-10T04:56:15.194-07:00Many great replies!
I think any Calvinist who dis...Many great replies!<br /><br />I think any Calvinist who displays a smug haughty sense in their understanding of theology should be considered to be operating "in the flesh".bassicallymikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00559349653723448348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-31697651260702700132009-09-09T20:58:20.403-07:002009-09-09T20:58:20.403-07:00The result to instruct a hearer to choose or make ...The result to instruct a hearer to choose or make a decision results from the lack of substance that is leaped from with this instruction. Remedy? Convey to the hearer that God must do a work in you, and he revealed that he would do it if you believe that what he promised to do (Ezekiel 36), he will cause you to be born again. Like Abraham, you are dead and you need life from God, Christ consummated this from the work on the Cross and was the firstborn raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ not only is able to save you from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin. Believe is the proper substance so that the source of action is clearly fixed on God doing something in you. Choose is used 3 times in a negative sense in the NT. Most notably, you did not choose me. Let’s not employ this in our closes and mentor our brethren that we must call men like Abraham to fix their hope and faith in God doing in them what only he can do, apart from which you will perish.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04737909484050699559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-72606405826257398402009-09-09T14:24:05.456-07:002009-09-09T14:24:05.456-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-20689076325868684022009-09-09T13:16:58.307-07:002009-09-09T13:16:58.307-07:00Eat, drink the whole nine.Eat, drink the whole nine.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-31452648599489981032009-09-09T13:16:04.260-07:002009-09-09T13:16:04.260-07:00I have no choice if I'm to be honorable...
An...I have no choice if I'm to be honorable...<br /><br />And if you did?Strong Towerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13834108238546908018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-49122978351007826792009-09-09T12:57:08.723-07:002009-09-09T12:57:08.723-07:00F Whittenburg, you're killing me. It's a q...F Whittenburg, you're killing me. It's a question of whether I'm going to keep my word or not. I said I'd strictly enforce the rules, 446 is a much-larger number than 200, so I have no choice if I'm to be honorable.<br /><br />Email me, I can send you your comments back; you can keep them, and then when I write my next post you can probably put them there.<br /><br />Sorry! Nothing personal, truly!DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-55911758694280125042009-09-09T12:53:14.560-07:002009-09-09T12:53:14.560-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.F Whittenburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604292281555282318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-22781568869220868802009-09-09T12:01:05.630-07:002009-09-09T12:01:05.630-07:00Dan,
Once again, I am encouraged and enlightened ...Dan,<br /><br />Once again, I am encouraged and enlightened by the the timeliness of another post.<br /><br />Great comments. Great discussion. Iron duly sharpened. I am watching for another opportunity to call someone to "choose" Christ in the hope that the Holy Spirit is granting them mercy in giving the faith and repentance to do so.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09301648487774699607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-20064032707781891332009-09-09T10:40:07.530-07:002009-09-09T10:40:07.530-07:00butterfli75 says:
Communicating 101 Dialogue:
&q...butterfli75 says:<br /><br /><i>Communicating 101 Dialogue:<br /><br />"Are you one of God's chosen? A child of God? A follower of Christ?"<br />I guess so.I'm not sure.<br /><br /><br />"You may be one of God's elect but have not listened for God's soft gentle call to come to Him."<br /><br />How do I know if He is calling me?<br /><br />"Open you mind, open your heart, believe in the Saviour Jesus Christ, and truly obey Him as Lord through repentance and regeneration."<br /><br />"and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice" (John 10:4)</i><br /><br />Once again, I am amazed at how people can completely miss the point of Dan's post.<br /><br />Butterfli, do you see your approach even HINTED at anywhere in the New Testament?greglonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514850772020363684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-34127748737700483152009-09-09T09:59:26.329-07:002009-09-09T09:59:26.329-07:00Bruce: Difficult to think it would be profitable t...Bruce: Difficult to think it would be profitable to explain Scripture to someone who won't respect simple blog-rules <i>even</i> when their author explains them to him.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-87484070109356109322009-09-09T09:40:45.729-07:002009-09-09T09:40:45.729-07:00Many are called, few are chosen. Matt. 22:14Many are called, few are chosen. Matt. 22:14Mike Westfallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944727980772754938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-7633164653754734212009-09-09T09:38:00.945-07:002009-09-09T09:38:00.945-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-66726123855120970662009-09-09T06:56:26.392-07:002009-09-09T06:56:26.392-07:00I deemed yours as responses to a rule-breaker. I l...I deemed yours as responses to a rule-breaker. I left his name, but deleted yours to save embarrassment. When I delete a deviation, I delete responses as well, as a rule.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-7953363313909552852009-09-09T06:54:05.311-07:002009-09-09T06:54:05.311-07:00"It concerns me when folks don't want to ..."It concerns me when folks don't want to abide by such a short and simple directive, but want to launch a discussion of deep and pan-Biblical matters."<br /><br /> Dan, I never broke either rule. Both deleted posts were under 200 words. And both addressed Cavinistic doctrine.<br /><br />First deleated post was just addressing the "enslaved will" response to my first post. I just used simple scripture from a KJV Bible, nothing "deep." I just used scripture that you haven't seen before or you just forgot about.<br /><br /> The post about Jonah was an simple explanation of your picture of a child standing before two trails. Which is what I thought you wanted. I guess you thought the picture was "deep", I did not. Once again I answered simply and to the point. Nothing "deep"<br /><br />I never stepped outside the scriptures.F Whittenburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604292281555282318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-28519547842522867022009-09-09T06:47:54.572-07:002009-09-09T06:47:54.572-07:00Conclusion:
Let the Arminians do evangelism, and ...Conclusion:<br /><br />Let the Arminians do evangelism, and the Calvinists can handle discipleship.<br /><br />I'm kidding. There are many different words and phrases that aren't airtight theologically, but communicate accurately our experience. For instance...there's a guy named Doc who "led me to Christ" 20 years ago. Now, did Doc lead me or did the Holy Spirit? Well, both...kind of. Outwardly Doc did, but inwardly the Holy Spirit did, and perhaps inwardly the Holy Spirit was leading him to lead me. <br /><br />We could play this game with all sorts of terms.JRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12092156388367076715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-9570430150444042542009-09-09T05:52:47.319-07:002009-09-09T05:52:47.319-07:00Communicating 101 Dialogue:
"Are you one of ...Communicating 101 Dialogue:<br /><br />"Are you one of God's chosen? A child of God? A follower of Christ?"<br /> I guess so.I'm not sure.<br /><br /><br />"You may be one of God's elect but have not listened for God's soft gentle call to come to Him."<br /><br />How do I know if He is calling me?<br /><br />"Open you mind, open your heart, believe in the Saviour Jesus Christ, and truly obey Him as Lord through repentance and regeneration."<br /><br />"and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice" (John 10:4)butterfli75https://www.blogger.com/profile/17622928446089691344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-86246752126833358412009-09-09T04:40:14.095-07:002009-09-09T04:40:14.095-07:00I’m not so bothered by the use of the word choice ...I’m not so bothered by the use of the word choice or making a decision as I am the importance that is applied to such terms. When it becomes the focus for your salvation and sanctification things tend to get a little man centered. I’ve never seen a church that focused too much on God’s sovereignty, but I’ve been to lots of churches that focus heavily on man’s responsibility. Pragmatism.<br /><br />I’ve been a little disturbed by a recent trend where there is this call to have a “balanced’ view. Well, when most people think of balanced they think of scales where one side is equal to the other. Is that the Biblical balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility?JackWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16384160992033491748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-58155451629288671582009-09-09T04:20:44.859-07:002009-09-09T04:20:44.859-07:00I thought I chose. I grew up. Now I know He chose ...I thought I chose. I grew up. Now I know He chose me.Scottjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16376531868844723586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-2549338991742639822009-09-09T04:19:12.331-07:002009-09-09T04:19:12.331-07:00REMINDER: I really, really mean, and am obliged to...<b>REMINDER</b>: I really, really mean, and am obliged to enforce, the part of the post that begins with the words: <b>"Only two special rules...."</b><br /><br />It concerns me when folks don't want to abide by such a short and simple directive, but want to launch a discussion of deep and pan-Biblical matters.<br /><br />Visit the blog daily. It comes up all the time. There will be appropriate venues. Not every meta is about every subject.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-53842248446279285952009-09-08T22:03:40.999-07:002009-09-08T22:03:40.999-07:00One Busy Mom,
Most of us have started off as Armi...One Busy Mom,<br /><br />Most of us have started off as Arminians. The thing about justification is this: God only justifies the ungodly. Therefore, we start in the Christian life with really bad theology and really bad morality.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-7340954852889113702009-09-08T22:01:50.290-07:002009-09-08T22:01:50.290-07:00Joshua, I'd agree, as long as you don't me...<b> Joshua, I'd agree, as long as you don't mean it in a dualistic or absurdist sense. By which I mean, as long as you aren't saying, "God's will is supreme and uncaused, and man's will is supreme and uncaused, and yet they don't cancel each other out." Man wills (and decides) freely in the sense that he chooses as he pleases, normally without external constraint; and he is morally answerable for all his choices. Yet his will is under the invincible exhaustive will of God.<br /><br />(I'm neither accusing nor inferring; just wanting to be clear.)</b><br /><br />No need to qualify your remark. We are in full agreement! <br /><br />I was trying to keep my post succinct and short. (As in real life, I talk too much as it is!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-8510314569421514672009-09-08T21:57:48.437-07:002009-09-08T21:57:48.437-07:00Dan,
You said:
"If some bubbly new professo...Dan,<br />You said:<br /><br /> "If some bubbly new professor shares the great news with us that he'd decided to trust Christ, is our most brotherly, Biblical, God-honoring response to mock him and dress him right down as a Pelagian heretic?"<br /><br />Funny you should say that. <br /><br />Years ago as a very new beleiver my hubby and I were out with our pastor and his wife. I was asked to give my testimony. As with many new believers, it was clumsy and heavy on the "I decided" parts. After carefully explaining how "I" finally "chose" to follow Christ, I saw out of the corner of my eye, my Pastor- a firm Calvinist - roll his eyes and heard him mutter "HE must have been SO relieved!". :-)<br /><br />I really, really don't recommend that approach....but he certainly did get his point across!one busy momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18087795055010641099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-78214813478208820352009-09-08T21:51:18.552-07:002009-09-08T21:51:18.552-07:00The Bible is anti-choice for the natural man. (Ro...The Bible is anti-choice for the natural man. (Romans 8:5-8). The natural man cannot <i>choose</i> to love the Lord and hate Him at the same time.<br /><br />Once the Lord regenerates us whereby the Spirit changes our disposition to the Lord <b>from</b> being hostile and not interested in the things of the Lord <b>to</b> now being disposed to the Lord then by the power of the Holy Spirit we choose to exercise faith and repentance. <br /><br />So prior to being born-again, you chose nothing. It was impossible for you to choose someone you hated. After regeneration you couldn't do anything but choose to exercise faith (knowledge, trust and commitment to Christ) and repentance. Faith and repentance are things we do chose to do (by the power of the Spirit) after God had changed our disposition in regeneration. In regeneration, we do absolutely nothing. Faith and repentance is something we do by the aide of the Holy Spirit.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.com