Calvinists are Evil

**Churchwork** · 11-23-2009, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by briancook007

No, worshiping God in vain is exactly that, worshiping HIM in vain, NOT worshiping a false god. That assertion on your part is eisegesis; you're groping. In both Mat. 15:9 and Mk. 7:7 Christ is quoting Isa. 29:13; what saith the Scriptures?

Isa. 29:13: ""Wherefore THE LORD said, Forasmuch as this people draw near ME with their mouth, and with their lips do honour ME, but have removed their heart far from ME, and their fear toward ME is taught by the precept of men."

Mat. 15:9: "But IN VAIN they do worship (σέβω) ME, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Mk. 7:7: "Howbeit IN VAIN do they worship (σέβω) ME, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Acts 16:14: " And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped (σέβω) GOD, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."

Worshiping God in vain is not the same thing as worshiping God. To worship falsely is to effectively worship God like some false god.

You shouldn't accuse Lydia of worshiping in vain, for she "worshiped God, heard us."

Worship can be true and false, not just false.

Again, you're evading. Your argument is predicated on Lydia's having been saved before Acts 16:14, that because she worshiped (σέβω) God, that that proves she was a believer. What saith the Scriptures?

Mt. 15:9: "But IN VAIN they do worship (σέβω) me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Mk. 7:7: "Howbeit IN VAIN do they worship (σέβω) me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Jn. 8:43, 47: "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot HEAR (ἀκούω) my word. He that is of God HEARETH (ἀκούω) God's words: ye therefore HEAR (ἀκούω) them not, because ye are not of God."

Jn. 1:13: "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, but of God."

II Cor. 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new CREATURE (κτίσις, "CREATION"): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles HEARD THIS (ἀκούω), they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED to eternal life BELIEVED."

Mk. 4:9: "And he said unto them, He that hath ears TO HEAR (ἀκούω), LET HIM HEAR (ἀκούω)."

Jn. 6:44-45: "No man CAN (δύναμαι) come to me, except the Father which hath sent me DRAW (ἕλκω) him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore THAT HATH HEARD (ἀκούω), and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me."

Acts 16:14: "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped (σέβω) God, HEARD (ἀκούω) us: whose heart THE LORD opened (διανοίγω, "to open thoroughly"), THAT SHE ATTENDED (προσέχω) unto the things which were spoken of Paul."

Lydia "worshiped God, heard us"; so this is not in vain. Even if she wasn't a believer in God before receiving Christ, that still would not demand irresistible regeneration so your argument fails.

Your position is that Lydia was saved before Acts 16:14, that because she worshiped (σέβω) God, that that worship proves she was a believer; the Word of God says that is NOT SO. And no, Paul didn't say anything there at all; Luke wrote the Book of Acts.

God opened (διανοίγω) her heart, He regenerated her, thus producing the effectual response (προσέχω) to the Gospel, faith and repentance; such was the case in Acts 13:48. Lydia was baptized immediately, showing that this was her salvation experience, just as the Philippian jailor was baptized immediately upon his salvation experience (Acts 16:30-33). You wrote, "God has His part of opening. She has her part in accepting." That comment shows Arminianism to be the man-centered theology, the HERESY, that it is.

"She attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul" (Acts 16.14), but you said "Paul didn't say anything there at all"?

Just like people in the OT were saved who believed in God and the Messiah had not yet come, Lydia also worshiped the One True God which is why she accepted Christ so readily. What she received in Christ was regeneration of her spirit for the Holy Spirit to indwell. This is regeneration: born-again, the new birth. You're missing the fact that regeneration for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (now that the veil is rent) does mean those in the OT were going to Hell because Jesus had not arrived yet. Otherwise you become like Satan the great accuser who accuses the brethren day and night (Rev. 12.10). I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.

That God enjoys our participation in His will is not man centered. "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1.15) "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3.19). Man-centered is assuming one is regenerated in Calvinism without having had to repent and believe in Christ to be regenerated. Baptism does follow being born-again, but does not mean Lydia was not a believer in God like David or Jeremiah or Isaiah or Abel were. Man-centered ideas say things like, women can't be Apostles or Baptism must follow immediately after the new birth even though the person may not yet be ready to be baptized, imposing constricting and invasive rules by men on people to control them unethically. That will never do.

You still deny total inability? Again, the Greek word δύναμαι, "to be able", is found in Jn. 3:27, Jn. 6:44, and Jn. 6:65. What saith the Scriptures?

Jn. 3:27 (George Ricker Berry Interlinear Greek-English New Testament translation): "A man IS ABLE to receive NOTHING unless it be given to him from the heaven."

Jn. 3:27 (Young's Literal Translation): "A man IS NOT ABLE to receive ANYTHING, if it may not have been given him from the heaven."

Jn. 3:27 (Philip W. Comfort New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament): "A man IS NOT ABLE to receive ANYTHING unless it has been given to him from Heaven."

Jn. 6:44 (George Ricker Berry Interlinear Greek-English New Testament translation): "NO one IS ABLE to come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise up him at the last day."

Jn. 6:44 (Young's Literal Translation): "NO one IS ABLE to come unto me, if the Father who sent me may not draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day."

Jn. 6:44 (Philip W. Comfort New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament): "NO one IS ABLE to come to me unless the Father having sent me should draw him, and I will raise up him in the last day."

Jn. 6:65 (George Ricker Berry Interlinear Greek-English New Testament translation): "NO one IS ABLE to come to me unless it be given to him from my Father."

Jn. 6:65 (Young's Literal Translation): "NO one IS ABLE to come unto me, if it may not have been given him from my Father."

Jn. 6:65: (Philip W. Comfort New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament): "NO one IS ABLE to come to me unless it has been given to him from the Father."

These verses show God is the Great Enabler not that man is Totally depraved. Since you can't find anything in these verses that teaches Total depravity, but you must read into the text, realize this idol you have created for yourself is what you use to keep yourself from truly repenting and believing in Christ to be regenerated.

God's grace is sufficient for all. Your god's grace is not. He provides sufficient enabling grace to all whether by common or special grace of the gospel.

You still say there are no verses for total depravity or irresistible grace? What saith the Scriptures?

Jer. 13:23: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? THEN MAY YE ALSO DO GOOD, that are accustomed to do evil."

Jer. 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately WICKED: who can know it?"

Psa. 9:17: "The wicked shall be turned into HELL...."

Psa. 10:4: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in ALL HIS THOUGHTS."

"Psa. 58:3: "The wicked are estranged FROM THE WOMB: they go astray AS SOON AS THEY BE BORN, speaking lies."

Eph. 2:1-3: "And you hath he quickened, who were DEAD in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were BY NATURE the children of wrath, even as others."

Job 15:16: "How much more ABOMINABLE and FILTHY is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?"

Isa. 1:5-6: "The WHOLE head is sick, and the WHOLE heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is NO soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment."

Isa. 64:6: "But we are ALL as an UNCLEAN THING, and ALL our RIGHTEOUSNESSES are as FILTHY RAGS."

Rom. 3:10-11: "As it is written, There is none RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE: There is NONE that understandeth (συνίημι), there is NONE THAT SEEKETH AFTER GOD."

Mat. 16:16-17: "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER which is in heaven."

Jn. 6:44: "NO man CAN come to me, EXCEPT the Father which hath sent me DRAW (ἕλκω) him."

Jn. 18:10: "Then Simon Peter having a sword DREW (ἕλκω) it...."

Jn. 21:6: "They cast therefore, and now they were not able TO DRAW (ἕλκω) it for the multitude of fishes."

Acts 21:30: "And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and DREW (ἕλκω) him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut."

Eze. 36:26-27: "A NEW HEART also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the STONY HEART out of your flesh, and I will give you an HEART OF FLESH. And I will put my spirit within you, and CAUSE you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

Acts 16:14: "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart THE LORD opened, THAT SHE ATTENDED(προσέχω)unto the things which were spoken of Paul."

Jn. 3:27: "A man can receive NOTHING, except it be GIVEN (δίδωμι) him from heaven."

Jn. 6:65: "NO MAN can come unto me, except it were GIVEN (δίδωμι) unto him of my Father."

Acts 11:18: "Then HATH GOD...GRANTED (δίδωμι) REPENTANCE unto life."

Acts 13:48: "And AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED to eternal life believed."

II Tim. 2:25: "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if GOD...WILL GIVE (δίδωμι)...REPENTANCE to the acknowledging of the truth."

Being wicked, unrepentant and disobedient in these verses do not imply Total inability but willfulness and propensity. God provides the grace to enable us to receive Him, does not suggest irresistible regeneration for some and preterition for others. What you would need for your faith to be true is a verse that says God sends people to Hell from birth without recourse and saves people irresistibly without any right to accept it. And you would have to explain so much pleading by God, commading us to believe on Him by faith, and how God can contradict Himself with a secret will that conflicts with a revealed will. That's just for starters. What an evil tyrant your god is, very much like Hitler who sends the Jews to the gas chambers from birth without recourse. What love is this?

"What love is this?", you ask? What saith the Scriptures?

Rom. 9:16-22: "So then IT IS NOT OF HIM THAT WILLETH, NOR OF HIM THAT RUNNETH, BUT OF GOD THAT SHEWETH MERCY. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore HATH HE MERCY ON WHOM HE WILL HAVE MERCY, and WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENETH. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O MAN, WHO ART THOU THAT REPLIEST AGAINST GOD? SHALL THE THING FORMED SAY TO HIM THAT FORMED IT, WHY HAST THOU MADE ME THUS? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, WILLING TO SHEW HIS WRATH, AND TO MAKE HIS POWER KNOWN, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath FITTED TO DESTRUCTION."

I didn't ask, What love is this in Romans 9? I asked, What love is this that God sends people to Hell from birth without any opportunity for salvation and must irresistibly regeneration someone like a robot? What an impotent and pathetic god the god of Calvinism is! Such a god is not worthy of anyone's worship.

Again, Dr. A.T. Robertson, the greatest Koine Greek scholar of modern times, says that "fitted to destruction" is in the PASSIVE VOICE, which means that the subject is being ACTED UPON, and has NOTHING to do with the action, other than being on the receiving end of it.

When God renders someone fitted for destruction, that's His call, which doesn't imply or necessitate the person had no choice in the matter to receive God's saving grace.

Again, John Piper is NOT the authority; the Scriptures are. NEVER ONCE in the Exodus narrative is it said that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened apart from GOD'S hardening it. As the Hebrew shows, He hardened it by LEAVING IT IN ITS NATURAL STATE, that of a wicked, evil, totally depraved sinner, for what saith the Scriptures?

Dan. 4:35: "And ALL the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as NOTHING: and HE DOETH ACCORDING TO HIS WILL in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and NONE CAN STAY HIS HAND, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

Ex. 3:19: "And I AM SURE that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand."

Ex. 4:21: "And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART, that he shall not let the people go."

Ex. 9:17: "And in very deed FOR THIS CAUSE have I raised thee up, for TO SHEW IN THEE MY POWER; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth."

Rom. 9:22: "What if God, WILLING TO SHEW HIS WRATH, AND TO MAKE HIS POWER KNOWN, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath FITTED TO DESTRUCTION."

Ex. 7:14: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is HARDENED (Heb. "kabed") he refuseth to let the people go."

Ex. 17:12: "But Moses' hands were HEAVY (Heb. "kabed")."

Ex. 18:18: "Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too HEAVY (Heb. "kabed") for thee."

Num. 11:14: "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too HEAVY (Heb. "kabed") for me."

I Kgs. 12:4: "Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his HEAVY (Heb. "kabed") yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee."

Psa. 38:4: "For mine INIQUITIES are gone over mine head: as an HEAVY (Heb. "kabed") burden they are too heavy for me."

Isa. 1:4: "Ah sinful nation, a people LADEN (Heb. "kabed") WITH INIQUITY..."

There is nothing that any of us can do without God's permission just as the Pharaoh hardening his own heart first is within God's provision and providential hand. It doesn't mean God irresistibly made him to harden his heart first, for then God would be the author of evil like the god of Calvinism. Your own Calvinist brethren, though contradicting himself, was right, the first active hardening was the Pharaoh hardening his own heart first. Subsequent hardening were done by God. There are two kinds of verses of hardening for the Pharaoh. There are verses that say he hardened his own heart and there are verses that say God hardened his heart. The first active instance is the Pharaoh hardening his own heart first. Thus, destroying the heart of Calvinism.

You dare to question God's holiness and justice in His sovereign foreordination of sin? What saith the Scriptures?

I Jn. 1:5: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

Jos. 11:20: "For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses."

I Sam. 16:23: " And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."

II Sam. 16:8-11: "The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him."

I Kgs. 22:23: "Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee."

II Kgs. 24:2-3: "And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did."

II Chr. 33:11: "Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon."

II Chr. 36:16-17: "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand."

Isa. 5:25-29: "Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it."

Isa. 10:5-7, 15: "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood."

Isa. 29:16: "Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?"

Jer. 25:9-12: "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations."

Lam. 1:17: "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them."

Amos 9:9: "For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."

Isa. 53:4: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

Lk. 22:22: "And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!"

Acts 2:23: "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."

Acts 3:18: "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."

Acts 4:27-28: "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."

Acts 19:9: "But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus."

I Pet. 2:8: "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed."

Rev. 17:17: "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

I don't question God's handling of sin. I reject your god for being the cause of sin since he sends people to Hell without recourse and is limited in having to irresistibly impose salvation without giving the person the choice to receive the gift of faith if she or he comes to Him with an honest heart. Something you are quite unfamiliar with! Where in any of these verses can you find your god to be true as the author of sin and evil? Since you don't deal with any verse specifically, but can only reference verses vaguely, therein lies the problem. They say the Devil is in the details to prevent you from looking specifically at a verse unassumingly.

Again, unregenerate people can do charitable things, but what saith the Scriptures?

Isa. 64:6: "But we are ALL as an UNCLEAN THING, and ALL our RIGHTEOUSNESSES are as FILTHY RAGS."

Tit. 1:15-16: "Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE."

We are all fallen, born into sin, full of willfulness, but where in these verses do we read Total inability and the insufficiency of God's grace to us all to give us all the opportunity to be saved?

Again, the "filthy rags" in Isa. 64:6 are MENSTRUAL RAGS, what we would call today a SOILED TAMPON. That's the BEST man can do apart from God's grace!

Where's the Total inability in Isaiah 64.6? We are still made in God's image with free will. That will never change.

No, Jesus died for the elect only, securing our salvation at Calvary. Again, "all" in II Cor. 5:14-17 refers to God's elect, for what saith the Scriptures?

II Cor. 5:14-17: "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one DIED FOR ALL, then were ALL dead: And that he DIED FOR ALL, that THEY WHICH LIVE should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which DIED FOR THEM, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know WE no man after the flesh: yea, though WE have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know WE him no more. Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Jn. 10:11, 15: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for THE SHEEP. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for THE SHEEP."

Eph. 5:25-28: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved THE CHURCH, and gave himself for IT; That HE MIGHT SANCTIFY (ἁγιάζω) and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Heb. 2:9-17: ""But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for EVERY MAN. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many SONS unto glory, to make the captain of THEIR salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and THEY WHO ARE SANCTIFIED(ἁγιάζω) are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them BRETHREN, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my BRETHREN, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the CHILDREN which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the CHILDREN are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his BRETHREN, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Heb. 10:14: "For by one offering HE HATH PERFECTED (τελειόω) for ever THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED (ἁγιάζω)."

I Pet. 1:2: "ELECT according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through SANCTIFICATION (ἁγιασμός) of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

Jesus died for the sins the whole world in 2 Cor. 5.14: "if one DIED FOR ALL, then were ALL dead [sums up all in death]: And that he DIED FOR ALL [for the whole world]" then out of which, those who repent and believe in Christ are "THEY WHICH LIVE." Your god doesn't have the love, power or ability to die for the sins of the whole world so anyone may be saved whosoever is willing, but he is the author of evil, Satan no less, who provides insufficient grace for all to have the opportunity to be saved. What love is this?

In Rom. 5:15 Paul changes the object of his discussion to BELIEVERS, for what saith the Scriptures (Rom. 5:15-19)?

"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto MANY. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more THEY WHICH RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be MADE RIGHTEOUS."

Through Adam all have sinned. Through Christ the free "gift came upon all men unto justification of life": God's grace was sufficient for all. Many are made righteous because many receiving God's saving grace.

How do the Scriptures, a JEWISH Book, define the term "all men" in Rom. 5:18 and I Tim. 2:4? How do they define "all" in I Tim. 2:6? What saith the Scriptures?

Acts 9:15: "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before THE GENTILES, and KINGS, and THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL."

Acts 22:15: "For thou shalt be his witness unto ALL MEN of what thou hast seen and heard."

Rom. 2:9-11: "Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of THE GENTILE; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to THE GENTILE: For there is NO RESPECT OF PERSONS with God."

Rom. 10:12: "For there is no difference between the Jew and the GREEK: for the same Lord over ALL is rich unto all that call upon him."

I Tim. 2:1-7: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL MEN; For KINGS, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, TO BE TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME. WHEREUNTO I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not a teacher of THE GENTILES in faith and verity."

Choosing Israel doesn't not mean they are irresistibly saved, for they still must individually believe in God to be saved. God chose the nation of Israel because she had a heart to listen among the nations for she was enslaved for 430 years.

Who repents and believes? What saith the Scriptures?

Mat. 16:16-17: "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER which is in heaven."

Jn. 3:27: "A man can receive NOTHING, except it be GIVEN (δίδωμι) him from heaven."

Jn. 6:65: "NO MAN can come unto me, except it were GIVEN (δίδωμι) unto him of my Father."

Acts 11:18: "Then HATH GOD...GRANTED (δίδωμι) REPENTANCE unto life."

II Tim. 2:25: "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if GOD...WILL GIVE (δίδωμι)...REPENTANCE to the acknowledging of the truth."

Acts 13:48: "And AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED to eternal life BELIEVED."

God provides the gift of repentance, but in no way implies that it is irresistibly imposed. Why read into the text that which is not there?

Dr. A.T. Robertson, the greatest Koine Greek scholar of modern times, says that Acts 13:48b is in the PASSIVE VOICE, which means that the subject is being ACTED UPON, and has NOTHING to do with the action, other than being on the receiving end of it.

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13.48). This verse does not say how they were ordained whether by God foreknowing their free choice or by evilly being irresistibly imposed upon, but the context of the whole chapter clearly tells us that it was by God foreknowing our free choice. There is nothing passive about "believed". It is a free choice. Context is what matters.

You continue to try to understand God completely, to deny reprobation because it makes no sense to the carnal mind, your mind. What saith the Scripture (Isa. 55:9)? "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

I believe in reprobation. The carnal mind can't understand how God is so loving and powerful that He can provide sufficient grace to us all to give us all the opportunity to be saved, without which is a false reprobation and a false salvation.

You wrote, "I am glad I don't have to spend eternity in the New City with any Calvinists. That would be Hell." Again, be careful what you wish for, Arminian; God may give it to you.

You won't be able to drag me to Hell with you. He told me by the Holy Spirit and His word, I won't have to spend one second with any Calvinists in the New City because there are no Calvinists there. Thank you God. But I would go to Hell for you to save you, because where you are going I wish upon no man.

The Greek word in Heb. 10:39 is ὑποστολή, a different word than is used in John chapter 6. You wrote, "All that are given in verse 37 do come, but it doesn't say all that are drawn come." You are WRONG, your logic is faulty; ALL those who COME are DRAWN by God irresistibly, and they are ELECT, SAVED, for what saith the Scriptures?

Jn. 6:37: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and HIM THAT COMETH (ἔρχομαι) to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT."

Jn. 6:44: "No man can COME (ἔρχομαι) to me, except the Father which hath sent me DRAW (ἕλκω) him: and I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY."

All those who come (ἔρχομαι) are drawn (ἕλκω), and they all are raised up at the last day, SAVED, ELECT.

Different words are good. God likes variety. Sometimes the same word is used in two different contexts like with Lydia who believed in God and worshiped Him, willingly heard us, while others worship in vain.

Certainly all that come to God are drawn for nobody can come to God without being drawn, but sadly many "draw back unto perdition" (Heb. 10.39) especially Calvinists such as yourself. All that the Father gives come and must be drawn but are never drawn irresistibly for that would be evil. Don't assume irresistibly drawing, for God does His part and man must respond to His drawing for a relationship to develop and flourish. Otherwise, it is just a world of robots. God is not a god of robots! How dull that would be despite the many Calvinists who want to be that way, like Hitler's Aryan race irresistibly selected.

I am not a King James Only advocate, I merely pointed out that both ᾅδης and γέεννα are translated as "hell" in the King James Bible. They are both places of TORMENT (Lk. 16:23, Mk. 9:43) for the reprobate, and one day ᾅδης will be thrown into γέεννα (Rev. 20:14).

Hades is never translated as Hell, that was a mistake of the late text the KJV was built on, which is why none of the later versions agree with the KJV. This error was fixed. There is only one Hell, not two Hells. Get use to this fact! Hades is thrown into Hell. Be "not doubletongued" (1 Tim. 3.8). You can't throw a dishwasher into a dishwasher. Dishes go in a dishwasher. You should repent of your false teaching.

No, sir, that IS the issue. The Greek has shown your Arminian FALSE DOCTRINE to be the HERESY that it is; THAT is why you downplay it. You never responded to the Berry, Young, and Comfort translations of Jn. 3:27, Jn. 6:44, and Jn. 6:65, because they prove total inability.

Since you can't show these verses point to any Total inability, nor by various writers you cite, then why assume into the text? What in heavens makes you think I downplay Arminian for it is 100% true? Jacob Arminius got it right in response to the evil of Calvinism he was faced with. God predestinates by foreknowing our free-choice: a conditional election, unlimited atonement, resistible grace, for preservation of the saints. Amen.

Since God only saves one way, as agreed to by OSAS Arminian, and you refuse to repent and believe in Christ to be regenerated, you are not born-again. God will not receive you selfishly by assuming regeneration without having had to repent and believe in Him by grace through faith. How sad for you. You know not what you do.

No, sir, you are NOT an apostle; for you to claim that sacred office is proud, arrogant, and UNSCRIPTURAL. Paul was a legitimate apostle, He was God's replacement for Judas, "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom. 11:13), chosen by God Himself (Acts 9:1-15). And no, no woman ever was an apostle, for it is written (I Cor. 14:34), "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law," and it is written again (I Tim. 2:11-12), "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." The Apostle Paul said He had seen Christ (I Cor. 9:1). Have you seen Him? If you say you have, you're a liar, for it is written (I Pet. 1:8), "Whom having not seen, ye love." Yes, Rev. 2:2 indeed does say, "Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars." John must have had YOU in mind.

You said "Paul...was God's replacement for Judas." Matthias was the replacement of Judas in Acts 1, not Paul. You need to get you facts straight. Just as Paul was an Apostle and Matthias was an Apostle, so were Junias and "all the Apostles" not just the "12 Apostles" for the Apostles are for today (Eph. 4.11).

Since you are not born-again, naturally you attack the Apostles. I can understand your hostility in your cult of Calvinism. It is perfectly reasonable given the heresies you cling to. Your abusiveness towards women takes 1 Tim. 2.11-12 out of context. Since there is a woman Apostle, you must reconcile this verse by realizing that women can be emotional and need to humble themselves. Don't try to legalize this verse out of context and miss the spirit of the message. You don't need to see Jesus in Person to be an Apostle, for many Apostles have never seen Jesus, even Apostles in the first century. John had all Apostles in mind throughout all the centuries, myself included.

You are not a child of God, but a child of perdition, a false Christian. That's why Jesus says you are "condemned already" (John 3.18). Sure you may say to Jesus, Lord, Lord, didn't you work in His name? to which Jesus replies with much conviction, He never knew you. How sad for you.