McMahan rightly notes that being born again implies knowledge, assent, and trust, the three components of true faith.
Ok.
All mankind fell in Adam, just as if we were really there with him. Salvation is not obligatory upon God. That God saves even one person should have us all praising Him, for no one deserves His mercy.
Indeed, salvation isn't obligatory upon God - nevertheless God chose to provide for all as John 3:14-16 clearly states.
You are confusing God’s foreknowledge with causation. God's decree does not take away man's liberty, rather it is His decree that establishes said liberty. In the fall Adam freely exercised the natural inclinations of his will.
I'm not following this.
What you fail to understand is that the passage (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) is not a teleprompter text. The “us” in these and all passages similarly, are the
believing ones. Parse it out.
“Now then, we (believing ministers) are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us (believing ministers): we (believing ministers) implore you (the unreconciled, the non-believer) on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us (believing ministers), that we (believing ministers) might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
An auditor of the words, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God," is free to believe that 'us' is inclusive. Nothing in the text precludes such an understanding so it's strange that you attempt to do so.
In other words, the sum and substance of the Gospel proclaims that Our Lord’s sacrifice for all believers is available to any non-believer that wants to be reconciled to God, ofr all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved and not lost to Him.
Why fail to mention to them that if (as you believe) some of them are of the non-elect then they are without any recourse?
So when the quote agrees with your presupposition in part, but not everywhere, it is sufficient to use it as a lever to interpret subsequent Scripture? :AMR: Who or where is the affirmation you speak about in 1 Timothy?
I'm not following your meaning here. The link is in the text.
Try to imagine vividly what Nicodemus is hearing. Jesus is claiming the title of the Son of Man, the judgment title that the Ancient of Days gives him to judge and with sovereign dominion and power over all nations, tribes and people. The mere act of lifting up the Son of Man in public view does not save the world. Only those who believe are saved. Only those who have the capacity of believing can be saved. And they must, will, look to the Son of Man lifted up and believe on him to have everlasting life.
This view of yours does not correlate with the import of the analogy. The bronze snake was lifted up for all those that were bitten by a snake - and all could look and be cured. Since all without exception are in need of a cure (source pointing to the target of an analogy), then all have been provided for.
Yes, one must hear. The issue of regeneration is the giving of ears to hear.
Judas was one of those that heard and was given knowledge. It would seem that Isaiah 6:9-10 does not imply what Dordt thought it did.
Lydia was a worshipper in the sense of ritualism, as were and are all non-regenerated Jews.
You know for sure that she was unregenerate?
The article in question is not a thorough treatment of every point of doctrine. If you want such a treatment, read and study this:
https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/systematic-theology-louis-berkhof
Would prefer a specific point to respond to.
No one disputes the passage contains the substance of the Gospel. It was a summary offered up by believers to an audience of predominantly believers. So, a pastor behind the pulpit, with members present in the pews may say, speaking in the large, that Our Lord died for us. My issue has always been to say to unbeliever Bob in a conversation about that Gospel, “Bob, Jesus Christ died for you” is to speak infelicitously at best, erroneously at worst, as I do not know the secret will of God for Bob. I am happy and commanded to tell Bob that if he will call upon the name of the Lord he will be saved and never lost to the Lord.
Since unbelievers may be in the audience (which you acknowledge) then they will de facto be told that Christ died for them.
To say or imply more than that about Bob specifically is to claim to know more than we have warrant to know (Deut. 29:29).
I would say that you do in fact claim more than 'we have warrant to know' by claiming limited atonement and election/reprobation. It is not found in scripture. On the contrary, that Christ died for all is emphatic and explicit.
1 John 2:2, John 1:29, John 3:14-16, Hebrews 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:4-6, Titus 2:11
