Calvinism: Only Some Men Ever Have the Ability to Believe

Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
Today one of the chief spokesmen for the Reformed view is Dr. R.C. Sproul and his following statement asserts that the LORD chose only some men for salvation:

"From all eternity God decided to save some members of the human race and to let the rest of the human race perish. God made a choice--he chose some individuals to be saved unto everlasting blessedness in heaven, and he chose others to pass over, allowing them to suffer the consequences of their sins, eternal punishment in hell" [emphasis added] (R.C. Sproul, What is Reformed Theology?n[Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005], 141).​

According to the ideas of Calvinism only some men can be saved so only those who are chosen from all eternity are given the ability to believe the gospel. However, according to the following words of Paul, even those who are lost had the ability to believe:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor.4:3-4).​

Here we read that the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. And the purpose as to why he blinds them is "so that they cannot see the light of the gospel." That means that those who are perishing did indeed at one time have the ability to see the light of the gospel.

After all, it is impossible to blind the minds of anyone to the truth of the gospel unless they have the ability in the first place to see the light of the gospel. The verb form of the word "blind" means to "make blind." It is impossible to "make blind" someone who is already blind.

The Calvinists must believe that the god of this age blinds those who are already blind! That idea is ridiculous.
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
Today one of the chief spokesmen for the Reformed view is Dr. R.C. Sproul and his following statement asserts that the LORD chose only some men for salvation:

"From all eternity God decided to save some members of the human race and to let the rest of the human race perish. God made a choice--he chose some individuals to be saved unto everlasting blessedness in heaven, and he chose others to pass over, allowing them to suffer the consequences of their sins, eternal punishment in hell" [emphasis added] (R.C. Sproul, What is Reformed Theology?n[Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005], 141).​

According to the ideas of Calvinism only some men can be saved so only those who are chosen from all eternity are given the ability to believe the gospel. However, according to the following words of Paul, even those who are lost had the ability to believe:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor.4:3-4).​

Here we read that the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. And the purpose as to why he blinds them is "so that they cannot see the light of the gospel." That means that those who are perishing did indeed at one time have the ability to see the light of the gospel.

After all, it is impossible to blind the minds of anyone to the truth of the gospel unless they have the ability in the first place to see the light of the gospel. The verb form of the word "blind" means to "make blind." It is impossible to "make blind" someone who is already blind.

The Calvinists must believe that the god of this age blinds those who are already blind! That idea is ridiculous.
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He's blinded the mind of the lost.A person can't believe the Gospel until they are saved.
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
beloved57 said:
He's blinded the mind of the lost.
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Calvinism teaches that a man emerges from the womb completely disabled and that happens by "ordinary generation":

"They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions" [emphasis added] (The Westminster Confession of Faith; III-VI/4).​

The Calvinists teach that this so-called "universal corruption," which includes being "disabled," is conveyed to all men by "ordinary generation."

According to Calvinism a man being "disabled" is not a result of anyone blinding them to the light of the gospel.
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
Calvinism teaches that a man emerges from the womb completely disabled and that happens by "ordinary generation":

"They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions" [emphasis added] (The Westminster Confession of Faith; III-VI/4).​

The Calvinists teach that this so-called "universal corruption," which includes being "disabled," is conveyed to all men by "ordinary generation."

According to Calvinism a man being "disabled" is not a result of anyone blinding them to the light of the gospel.
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Man is born blinded by satan, and as long as he's in a lost state by nature the Gospel is hidden from him. 2 Cor 4:3
 
R

Robert Pate

Well-known member
Banned
beloved57 said:
Man is born blinded by satan, and as long as he's in a lost state by nature the Gospel is hidden from him. 2 Cor 4:3
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That is why he needs to hear the Gospel and be born again, 1 Peter 1:23.

Why, why, why, would God send his only begotten Son into the world to die for the sins of the world and then hide it from some? Your doctrine does not make sense.
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Robert Pate said:
That is why he needs to hear the Gospel and be born again, 1 Peter 1:23.

Why, why, why, would God send his only begotten Son into the world to die for the sins of the world and then hide it from some? Your doctrine does not make sense.
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He doesn't need to hear the gospel of freewill you preach!

Sent from my 5054N using Tapatalk
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
beloved57 said:
Man is born blinded by satan, and as long as he's in a lost state by nature the Gospel is hidden from him. 2 Cor 4:3
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Since you are constantly perverting the word of God you are staying in practice by perverting what the Calvinists teach.

beloved57 said:
Man is born blinded by satan, and as long as he's in a lost state by nature the Gospel is hidden from him. 2 Cor 4:3
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That contradicts what the Calvinists teach because they teach that the blindness happens by ordinary generation.
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
beloved57 said:
A person can't believe the Gospel until they are saved.
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Are you serious? According to what Paul said here it is believing the gospel which results in salvation:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Ro.1:16).​

According to this no one is saved until they believe the gospel.

But you say that people must be saved in order to be able to believe the gospel.

You are a perfect example that demonstrates that Calvinism warps people's minds.
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
Since you are constantly perverting the word of God you are staying in practice by perverting what the Calvinists teach.



That contradicts what the Calvinists teach because they teach that the blindness happens by ordinary generation.
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I don't know what you talking about. Men are naturally born blinded by satan, and can't believe the Gospel. Those in the flesh can't please God Rom 8:8 and men are naturally born in the flesh!
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
Are you serious? According to what Paul said here it is believing the gospel which results in salvation:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Ro.1:16).​

According to this no one is saved until they believe the gospel.

But you say that people must be saved in order to be able to believe the gospel.

You are a perfect example that demonstrates that Calvinism warps people's minds.
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Yes a lost person, the Gospel is hidden from them 2 Cor 4:3. Also a lost person is in the flesh and can't believe because they can't please God.
 
Mocking You

Mocking You

New member
beloved57 said:
A person can't believe the Gospel until they are saved.
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WRONG.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13

but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Mocking You said:
WRONG.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13

but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31
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Right. The Gospel is hidden to them that are lost 2 Cor 4:3
 
Mocking You

Mocking You

New member
beloved57 said:
Right. The Gospel is hidden to them that are lost 2 Cor 4:3
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To SOME that are lost. God can illuminate the hearts and minds others to believe the gospel

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Cor 4:6


For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Mocking You said:
To SOME that are lost. God can illuminate the hearts and minds others to believe the gospel

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Cor 4:6


For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16
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The Gospel is hid to them that are lost. So as long as one is Lost the Gospel is hidden from them !
 
beloved57

beloved57

Well-known member
Robert Pate said:
The lost are those that have rejected God's great free gift of salvation that has been provided for everyone by Jesus Christ, Hebrews 2:9.
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False teaching.Those Christ died for are saved /reconciled to God while they are enemies rejecting God and hating Him Rom 5:10!
 
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