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What follows is an example of the typical anti-Calvinist's view of predestination.
The typical anti-Calvinist will argue:
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...-Your-Savior&p=4849389&viewfull=1#post4849389
These folks may deny predestination as we Reformed understand it to be, but in his denial, he crafts the typical version of predestination of the anti-Reformed.
In their view, predestination implies that God chose certain qualities or properties of persons—faith, repentance, holiness, and perseverance—with a purpose of admitting to heaven all those, whoever they might be, that should possess or exhibit these qualities or properties, and to consign to punishment all those who, after being favored with suitable opportunities, who fail to exhibit these personal qualities.
Note carefully here what the anti-Calvinist believes. That it is man who is responsible for his own salvation, which is why they sometimes are foolishly bold enough to make the abominable claim:
In other words, the person who chooses wisely, is granted admittance to the Kingdom. The person who does not, is consigned to eternal punishment. No matter how much Robert's rhetorical bravado denies predestination as a Scriptural concept, he cannot escape the plain fact that he has actually crafted a version of predestination that has no warrant from Scripture. In effect, the ant-Calvinist claims that God declares those that exhibit personal qualities such as faith and repentance will be saved. Those that do not choose wisely will be damned. That's predestination folks, albeit their personal version of predestination.
It would be better that the ant-Calvinist would plainly state what he or she believes, that predestination means the above, rather than claiming there is no such thing as predestination, despite the teachings of Scripture.
What God does for us:
- draws people to Himself (John 6:44,65);
- creates a clean heart (Psalm 51:10);
- appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48);
- works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29);
- chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4);
- chooses us for salvation (2 Thes. 2:13-14);
- grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29);
- grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26);
- calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9);
- causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3);
- predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30);
- predestines us to adoption (Eph. 1:5);
- predestines us according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11); and
- makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13).
Beloved, sadly the anti-Calvinist will have none of the above, for they see themselves as the captain of their own destinies, conducting themselves in communion with their Maker as follows:
That anyone reading the above cannot see how such a strange fire lifted up to God is but a putrid odor to God's nostrils escapes me. The rabid anti-Calvinist holding to the above needs to be plucked from the fire (Zechariah 3:2), and all that would agree with the above should not let their terrible views go unchallenged each and every time they proffer them.
AMR
The typical anti-Calvinist will argue:
Anti-Calvinist's such as the above have their very own version of predestination:
http://theologyonline.com/showthrea...-Your-Savior&p=4849389&viewfull=1#post4849389
These folks may deny predestination as we Reformed understand it to be, but in his denial, he crafts the typical version of predestination of the anti-Reformed.
In their view, predestination implies that God chose certain qualities or properties of persons—faith, repentance, holiness, and perseverance—with a purpose of admitting to heaven all those, whoever they might be, that should possess or exhibit these qualities or properties, and to consign to punishment all those who, after being favored with suitable opportunities, who fail to exhibit these personal qualities.
Note carefully here what the anti-Calvinist believes. That it is man who is responsible for his own salvation, which is why they sometimes are foolishly bold enough to make the abominable claim:
In other words, the person who chooses wisely, is granted admittance to the Kingdom. The person who does not, is consigned to eternal punishment. No matter how much Robert's rhetorical bravado denies predestination as a Scriptural concept, he cannot escape the plain fact that he has actually crafted a version of predestination that has no warrant from Scripture. In effect, the ant-Calvinist claims that God declares those that exhibit personal qualities such as faith and repentance will be saved. Those that do not choose wisely will be damned. That's predestination folks, albeit their personal version of predestination.
It would be better that the ant-Calvinist would plainly state what he or she believes, that predestination means the above, rather than claiming there is no such thing as predestination, despite the teachings of Scripture.
What God does for us:
- draws people to Himself (John 6:44,65);
- creates a clean heart (Psalm 51:10);
- appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48);
- works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29);
- chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4);
- chooses us for salvation (2 Thes. 2:13-14);
- grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29);
- grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26);
- calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9);
- causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3);
- predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30);
- predestines us to adoption (Eph. 1:5);
- predestines us according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11); and
- makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13).
Beloved, sadly the anti-Calvinist will have none of the above, for they see themselves as the captain of their own destinies, conducting themselves in communion with their Maker as follows:
“Lord, I thank thee that I am not like these poor, presumptuous Calvinists. Lord, I was born with a glorious free will; I was born with a power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace as I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know that thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves… it was not thy grace that made us differ… I made use of what was given me, and others did not—that is the difference between me and them.”
Src: Spurgeon, Sermon on John 5:40 “Free Will a Slave” The New Park Street Pulpit, 1855- 1856, Volumes I & II (Pilgrim 1975), 395-402.
That anyone reading the above cannot see how such a strange fire lifted up to God is but a putrid odor to God's nostrils escapes me. The rabid anti-Calvinist holding to the above needs to be plucked from the fire (Zechariah 3:2), and all that would agree with the above should not let their terrible views go unchallenged each and every time they proffer them.
AMR