Calvinism is a Cult

[Mjh29]

A man cannot will himself to be saved, is what this is saying.

Exactly! Which means man's will is not free. It cannot will itself saved. See, we are learning!

However, if Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, He will not come in unless you willingly open the door...It is "whosoever will" according to Revelation 22:17.

Again, look up a few verses and you will see he is talking to a church that is going astray, saying either accept Christ into the churches doors, or don't call yourselves a church. Has nothing to do with the nonregenerate, which topples the entire rest of the argument. God is not a gentleman, He is a God. He sits in the heavens and does whatever He pleases. While it might feel good to say this, nowhere in the Scriptures does it say that God is a gentleman, which means this is yet MORE feelings theology.

 

[justbyfaith]

Again, they are not saved by an act of the will when they receive Christ. They are saved by the fact that the Holy Spirit takes residence in their heart. They are born of God as the result of receiving Christ. If Christ were not knocking on the door of their heart, their opening the door would accomplish nothing; He is not outside waiting to come in. Therefore they are not saved by their own will but they can only be born of God.

 

[Mjh29]

Again, they are not saved by an act of the will when they receive Christ. They are saved by the fact that the Holy Spirit takes residence in their heart. They are born of God as the result of receiving Christ. If Christ were not knocking on the door of their heart, their opening the door would accomplish nothing; He is not outside waiting to come in. Therefore they are not saved by their own will but they can only be born of God.

Yep. And this means that salvation comes from God's grace in giving man faith to believe; by changing man's sinful will to one that wants to love and obey Him. Only if the Holy Spirit operates can man come to faith, because as you said man himself cannot will this

 

[justbyfaith]

While it might feel good to say this, nowhere in the Scriptures does it say that God is a gentleman, which means this is yet MORE feelings theology.

If He were not a gentleman, he would knock the door down instead of just knocking on it.

He loves you enough to invade your heart and save you against your will; but He will not do this because He is a gentleman.

He loves you and has given you a free choice in the matter. Where His Spirit is, there is liberty (freedom) and therefore if His Spirit is drawing you, He is not forcing you to receive Him.

 

[justbyfaith]

Yep. And this means that salvation comes from God's grace in giving man faith to believe; by changing man's sinful will to one that wants to love and obey Him. Only if the Holy Spirit operates can man come to faith, because as you said man himself cannot will this

I agree with you there; however I draw the line at saying that this work of the Holy Spirit is regeneration. It is not.

 

[Mjh29]

If He were not a gentleman, he would knock the door down instead of just knocking on it.

He loves you enough to invade your heart and save you against your will; but He will not do this because He is a gentleman.

He loves you and has given you a free choice in the matter. Where His Spirit is, there is liberty (freedom) and therefore if His Spirit is drawing you, He is not forcing you to receive Him.

Again, the Scripture you are trying to pull all of this from isn't even speaking about what you claim it is! So all the rest of this "Free will" and "Gentleman" stuff is nothing more than fluffy feelings. Neither one of those terms appear in Scripture; they are merely feeling-driven theology.

 

[Mjh29]

I agree with you there; however I draw the line at saying that this work of the Holy Spirit is regeneration. It is not.

Titus 3:5-6
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Yep. It is.

 

[justbyfaith]

Yep. And this means that salvation comes from God's grace in giving man faith to believe;

This faith to believe is like a key that opens the door that gives access to the room we call grace.

Receiving the key in itself is an act of grace from the One who gave it; but it is nothing compared to the grace one can receive if they actually use the key to obtain the grace that is in the room.

If they don't use the key to gain access to the room through opening the door, the only treasure they have is a useless key. but if they use the key, they will find that the door opens into a room filled with countless treasures.

 

[justbyfaith]

Again, the Scripture you are trying to pull all of this from isn't even speaking about what you claim it is! So all the rest of this "Free will" and "Gentleman" stuff is nothing more than fluffy feelings. Neither one of those terms appear in Scripture; they are merely feeling-driven theology.

It is spoken of in the scriptures, but you say that those scriptures are taken out of context.

However, I am of the opinion that every scripture verse stands on its own as a bastion of spiritual truth.

 

[Mjh29]

Titus 3:5-6
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Yep. It is.

And just to make sure you know my theology regarding this is not based on just 1 verse:

Ezekiel 37:14
"I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD.'"

It is spoken of in the scriptures, but you say that those scriptures are taken out of context.

However, I am of the opinion that every scripture verse stands on its own as a bastion of spiritual truth.

Ok.

"Judas hanged himself..... now go and do likewise."

And every verse you quoted, I showed you from Scripture that it was indeed taken out of context. I am not the one saying it; Scripture is.

 

[justbyfaith]

Titus 3:5-6
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Yep. It is.

As I have said, the Father drawing a man to Jesus, and the Father giving a man to Jesus, are two different things.

When the Father draws a man to Jesus, he is given the opportunity and the ability to make an unhindered decision for or against Christ.

If he makes the decision for Christ, then the Father gives him to Jesus.

"Judas hanged himself..... now go and do likewise."

Don't be ridiculous.

That is an exhortation to not play Bible roulette. Of course when we read the scriptures we are supposed to read whatever book we are reading from beginning to end, and to take the verses in context. And the Holy Ghost also teaches by comparing scripture with scripture. However, when you are flipping pages, that is not the Holy Ghost teaching. The Holy Ghost uses your mind and the unction that He gives in order to teach you what verses are supposed to go together.

If I read the verse on Judas hanging himself, by itself, and was not seeking some kind of direction from God in blindly putting my finger on it, I would see that that verse says something in particular that is faithful and true. It stands on its own as a bastion of spiritual truth.

 

[Mjh29]

As I have said, the Father drawing a man to Jesus, and the Father giving a man to Jesus, are two different things.

Verses. Not Feelings please.

Don't be ridiculous.

That is an exhortation to not play Bible roulette. Of course when we read the scriptures we are supposed to read whatever book we are reading from beginning to end, and to take the verses in context. And the Holy Ghost teaches by comparing scripture with scripture. However, when you are flipping pages, that is not the Holy Ghost teaching. The Holy Ghost uses your mind and the unction that He gives in order to teach you what verses are supposed to go together.

If I read the verse on Judas hanging himself, by itself, and was not seeking some kind of direction from God in putting my finger on it, I would see that that verse says something in particular that is faithful and true. It stand on its own as a bastion of spiritual truth.

Ok, then. Luke 14:26. By itself.

 

[justbyfaith]

Ok, then. Luke 14:26. By itself.

Here you need the Holy Spirit to help you a little, but it still stands on its own. The word hate here means to love less. Our love for our parents, etc. is to look like hatred in comparison to our love for the Lord, is what this is saying.

 

[justbyfaith]

Verses. Not Feelings please.

John 6:37 and John 6:44, plus the Holy Spirit's interpretation. See also 2 Peter 1:20.

 

[Mjh29]

Here you need the Holy Spirit to help you a little, but it still stands on its own. The word hate here means to love less. Our love for our parents, etc. is to look like hatred in comparison to our love for the Lord, is what this is saying.

No, the word hate means hate. Here you need the context of Scripture, otherwise you will get a twisted and warped theology based on a misinterpretation. This is why Scripture must be taken as a whole. Nowhere in the passage does it infer what you just did. However, elsewhere it does, which is why we need the whole scope of the Scriptures to understand even 1 verse. Otherwise, we are reading into it what WE think and feel

 

[justbyfaith]

No, the word hate means hate. Here you need the context of Scripture, otherwise you will get a twisted and warped theology based on a misinterpretation. This is why Scripture must be taken as a whole. Nowhere in the passage does it infer what you just did. However, elsewhere it does, which is why we need the whole scope of the Scriptures to understand even 1 verse. Otherwise, we are reading into it what WE think and feel

Yes, and I hate my father in comparison to my love for God.

Iow, because I love the Lord so much, my love for my father looks like hatred in comparison. And this is a factual reality.

 

[Mjh29]

John 6:37 and John 6:44

Keep reading. Down in 6:60 he begins explaining that this is not of the flesh but of God. And before that He says the same thing, that the Father must draw them to Himself.

See also 2 Peter 1:20.

Guess what?

CONTEXT! He is talking about prophecy! He specifically says that! And while your at it, read about making our election sure.

Yet more theology based on verses taken out of context, that if you would read the rest of the passage, you would see it contradits what you are trying to read into it.

 

[justbyfaith]

And I am also not saying that we cannot learn more about what a verse means by finding its immediate and topical contexts.

 

[Mjh29]

Yes, and I hate my father in comparison to my love for God.

Iow, because I love the Lord so much, my love for my father looks like hatred in comparison. And this is a factual reality.

But it says hate him. Not hate "in comparison to ect." It simply says hate them. Hate them all. Nowhere does it add the "in comparison" thing you did. That's what YOU said, not Scripture.

 

[Mjh29]

And I am also not saying that we cannot learn more about what a verse means by finding its immediate and topical contexts.

You said that verses can stand alone. Here I proved they cannot stand alone as you have them do to support your feelings theology.