Originally posted by LightSon
John,
I've had this question for some time and have posed it in various ways.
Calvinists hold that the work is 100% God's and 0% us, when it comes to faith, regeneration, justification and glorification. God does everything in the process from predestination through to our glorification.
If that is so, and if we have no part, then why the need for scripture? Why the repeated Biblical appeal to our heart and to our spirit? Why send missionaries to plead with the lost? If the process is all of God, then God could just zap the lost with His Spirit and grow Christians wherever He chooses. There would be no need to reveal His written word which certainly appears to be aimed at our ability to choose.
Over and over the scriptures appeal to our volition, which Calvinists minimize to the point of it (our volition) not needing to be there at all. I find that to be disturbing and a potential vitiation of the Calvinist paradigm.
What are your thoughts?
I am afraid that you are confusing calvinism with an obnoxious distortion called hyper-calvinism. Historic calvinism has always stressed the "responsiblity of man" as well as the "sovereignty of man". We have done so because the Bible teaches both doctrines.
Please take the time to consider the scriptural foundation upon which our docrtines are laid.
WCF Chapter 3
God’s Eternal Decree
1. God, from all eternity, did—by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will—freely and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass.
Ephesians 1:11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Romans 11:33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Hebrews 6:17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. Romans 9:15, 18. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.... Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
...Yet he ordered all things in such a way that he is not the author of sin,
James 1:13, 17. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 1 John 1:5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
nor does he force his creatures to act against their wills; neither is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.
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. Matthew 17:12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 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. John 19:11. Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Proverbs 16:33. The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
, but if God was overly beholden to processes of Earth, Wind and Fire, perhaps He wouldn't have zapped Adam into existence(as a literal Genesis interpretation indicates), but would have developed (via process) Adam into manhood over a couple a billion years. :freak: As a YEC, I hope you will appreciate how hard it was for me to pose that little gem (of foolishness).