:think: Let's see:
Yep, Total Depravity/inability.
Yep, monergism.
Also monergism "...and this not of yourselves..." Ephesians 2:8,9
Even you and Pate believe in a limitation here, else it becomes universalism and no need for the gospel: "Good news for all!"
Whatever way you eschew universalism, both of you, you are in good company with every Calvinist by the explanation. :e4e:
Uh Oh, Both you and Pate just crossed the :nono: You both suddenly have something to do with your own salvations
I really hope you'll contemplate this rather than a knee-jerk. I'm brief here, but you both need to offer a substantial response and CLEARLY explain how this is not you saving yourself. Pate literally said "the ball is in your court." That literally means, you save yourself by response. Ephesians 2:8,9 "...this NOT of yourselves..." John 15:16,19
John 13:18 Frankly, to both of you, your faith is 'less' Jesus than mine. The ball was never in 'my' court. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't leave me alone and give me the ball and leave the court. :nono: I realize it is a bold accusation, but by your language and embrace here, you both are emphasizing what is flat out and plainly wrong and shocking, especially by you Clete, who says he embraces a 'relational' God per Open Theism. Starkly, He looks 'less' relational by your angst against Calvinism where our salvation is known and catered to by God. He will save all that can be saved, else both of you are arbitrary and illogical in your theology understanding and inconsistent. If God 'can' save all, it would be done. Salvation is a specific thing and it does a specific work: It saves some, clearly given in the scriptures.
* Please don't see an overt 'challenge' between me and either of you. We need to wrestle ourselves with scriptures and our need is to wrestle with our God, not one another. I will take your scriptural considerations the same way. We each stand or fall before our Maker, I simply want us to be responsible for our Theology with and before Him and so, it is my endeavor to be of service, not come between you and Him. In Him -Lon
Jesus claims to be the savior of the whole, John 12:47 also 1 John 2:2. You and your other Calvinist brothers deny this and in doing so pervert and subvert the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will not escape the judgment of God for doing that.
Salvation has been provided for everyone, Hebrews 2:9. To deny this is to make God an unjust, unmerciful heartless tyrant. To say that Jesus only atoned for some sins and not all sins is proof that you do not have saving faith. Do you think that Jesus and God made a deal with the devil? You believe that God is some sort of a heartless tyrant and that his Son is a failure. I don't think that you are going to do very well in the judgment. You are more anti-God and anti-Christ than many unbelievers.