egomakarios said...
Note that the scope of his message is God's fairness in bringing the gospel to the gentiles, not in electing and reprobating individuals based on a dice roll.
Furthermore, he specifies that the modus operandi, the method by which God would destroy those who would be destroyed is the rock of offense, Christ (not dice rolls).
Why will much of Israel not be saved and only a remnant saved? Because God rolled the dice on them? Nay, but because they are offended at Christ.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6789188&postID=4964314687134346321
Yep, that’s why I’ll never be a Calvinist. You see, predestination is synonymous with a game a chance, and that’s way too chancy for me.
I only bet on a sure thing. That’s why I prefer a theological tradition that’s more deterministic than Calvinism.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMark Pendray said:
ReplyDeleteIf Dumbledore gave Grindelwald a love potion that permanently altered Grindewald's will in such a way that Grindewald fell in love with Dumbledore (I'm not making allegations, merely hypothesizing), and then Grindelwald voluntarily asked to make a civil union with Dumbledore, and Grindelwald before he received the potion didn't want to have the potion, then surely Grindelwald is loving Dumbledore against his will. How is Calvinism any different?
********************************
I notice that libertarians have no conception of original sin. It never figures in their theological reflections.
Why doesn't everyone love God in the first place? Due to original sin.
The grace of regeneration isn't forcing the will, but restoring the will. The grace of regeneration is restoring the will to its natural and original state. It's a repair job.
The analogy would not be with a love potion, but with a psychotropic drug that restores a chemical imbalance in the brain. Restores a mentally ill patient to sanity.
I would really like a libertarian free-willer to answer the following questions:
ReplyDelete1. Was man more more or less free before the fall?
2. Was man's will in any way impacted by the fall? If so how?
3. Will we be more or less free in heaven?
4. If we cannot sin in heaven then why would God so cruelly strip us of our free will?
4. If we will only be able to love and adore God in heaven then how can that truly be love? Won't we just be robots?
PLEASE, PLEASE answer these questions.
Oh, just a few more questions...
ReplyDelete1. Did God hold Joseph's brothers responsible for their wickedness even though God had intended it for good?
2. Did God hold accountable those who conspired against and crucified Jesus even though the crucifixion was a part of God's pre-ordained plan?
Todd, as long as you're asking questions of libertarian free-willers, I have one to add:
ReplyDelete1. If the human authors of the Bible possessed the capacity to willfully write something other than what God intended, how can we trust that the scriptures are accurate?
I met a man who claimed to be a 3-point Calvinist, rejecting only Definite Atonement and Efficacious Grace. If he believes that anyone is saved, then this is impossible. He's got to be a 4-pointer, but doesn't know it. If he accepts Total Inability (and understands it), he must surely accept Efficacious Grace, or not a soul would repent and believe.
ReplyDeleteI think he understands Total Inability, but not Irresistible Grace because he pointed out that grace can be resisted. True enough--some offers of grace can be rejected and resisted by hard-hearted people (i.e., all of us). But what Irresistible Grace teaches is that there is an effectual calling that always results in converting the one called. That is, some grace is resistible, but there is a saving grace that isn't because God softens the heart, opens the eyes, and brings the person to spiritual life, after which they see their need for a savior and the truth and power of the gospel, and repent.
Good conundrum, Mark. Let me take a stab at it. I believe that when God calls someone he intends to save, and the Holy Spirit regenerates that person, that person is brought from bondage to freedom. To put it another way, Jesus is so very desirable, that anyone would freely bow to him and want to know him. The natural man is not free, but in slavery to sin. His view of Jesus is corrupted. God frees him, and then he invariably responds in true faith.
ReplyDeleteSo, in your example: Say Grindelwald is under a spell so that he does not love Dumbledore. Then say that Dumbledore concocts a potion that would set Grindelwald free to exercise his own choice, but Dumbledore knows that Grindelwald will certainly freely choose to love him. Dumbledore goes ahead and gives Grindelwald the potion.
That is like Calvinism.