Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon Free-Will -A Slave

[FreeGrace]

2 hours ago, BornAgain490 said:

The problem is in your heart: you fail to see God as completely and absolutely sovereign and able to have mercy and compassion on only those whom HE has chosen. 

Your opinion is noted as well as its total error.  Of course God is absolutely sovereign, but Calvinists just don't understand it.  

Basically, the Calvinist view is that 'absolute sovereignty' ALLOWS God to be the puppet master.  He could be, if He wanted.  But He obviously gave humans freedom to choose all by themselves.  

I can't imagine why that fact can't be accepted.

[FreeGrace]

2 hours ago, BornAgain490 said:

FreeGrace said:

one cannot refuse what one cannot choose.

The unregenerate cannot choose God. God chooses the unregenerate. 

I gave a provable fact.  You give an opinion.  There are no verses that say what you claim here.  In fact, the Bible teaches that men refuse to believe and refuse to repent.

To refuse IS a choice.  And the alternate choice is to believe.  And Romans 10:10 tells us clearly that man believes from his heart.

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

 Belief  in the faith of Jesus comes only  by way of the Holy Spirit's specific call to those God has foreknown and predestined to  be saved out from under the holy consequence of His just wrath.  

Actually, the wisdom to believe the gospel comes from the very promise itself.

2 Tim 3:15 - and that from a youth thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Many years ago I was accused by Calvinists of having a view that I believed because I was smarter than those who don't believe, and I always tried to argue against what I viewed as a pejorative attack to demonize my view.

But 2 Tim 3:15 shows us that Scripture itself is where the wisdom comes from.  So this verse proves that salvation is a trust issue.  Not the "spiritual issue" that many think it is.

Since it is all about trust is why many men refuse to believe while some men believe.

Freedom of choice.

[BornAgain490]

1 hour ago, Fran C said:

1 Tim 2:11-12  

11A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 

Maybe you mean that you're not WILLING to learn from a woman?  

 No. What I mean is, since you think you have to work your way to staying saved, you should start by obeying scripture says, and what Paul said. 

[BornAgain490]

1 hour ago, FreeGrace said:

Eph 2:5 and 8 which equates salvation and regeneration in v.5 and in v.8 the words "through faith" prove that faith precedes both.

No. Rather, the part of v.8 that follows "through faith" coupled with v.9  proves that faith is not of yourself, and not of works, but is a gift of God. 

[BornAgain490]

2 hours ago, Michael37 said:

As per the Worthy SoF, Christianity teaches that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not earned by human efforts but granted by God's grace.

Saving faith?   Where does saving faith come from?

[Michael37]

7 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

No. Rather, the part of v.8 that follows "through faith" coupled with v.9  proves that faith is not of yourself, and not of works, but is a gift of God. 

Eph 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  (9)  not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The gift of God is salvation by grace through faith. As a well-known preacher says, it is simple enough for a child to understand.
 

[BornAgain490]

2 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Eph 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  (9)  not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The gift of God is salvation by grace through faith. As a well-known preacher says, it is simple enough for a child to understand.
 

Which is first in the order of salvation?  Kindly explain it to me so my inner child can understand. 

[FreeGrace]

4 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

FreeGrace said:

Eph 2:5 and 8 which equates salvation and regeneration in v.5 and in v.8 the words "through faith" prove that faith precedes both.

No. Rather

Rather, yes.  You're going to have to specifically explain how v.8 coupled with v.9  proves anything about faith.

4 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

the part of v.8 that follows "through faith" coupled with v.9  proves that faith is not of yourself, and not of works, but is a gift of God. 

This is another misread of the verse.

v.8 - For it is by grace (feminine) you have been saved (masculine), through faith (feminine) —and this (neuter) is not from yourselves, it is (masculine) the gift of God—

v.9 - not by works, so that no one can boast.

OK, first to v.8.  In the Greek, the genders of words are connected.  So 'grace' and 'faith' are connected, while 'salvation' and 'it is the gift of God' are connected.

So v.8 PROVES that the gift is salvation, and NOT faith.  You can check biblehub.com to see for yourself.  

v.9 refers back to the subject of v.8, which is salvation by grace, so the verse begins with "not by works", meaning salvation is "not by works".  It is not referring back to faith at all.

[Michael37]

2 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

Saving faith?   Where does saving faith come from?

The simple truth is that salvation is by grace through faith. The analogy of a conduit being required for water to flow through has been used. Without faith as a conduit grace cannot be dispensed.