For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Victor Lafleur
Thanks for this posting. This is one of the most coherent and simple descriptions of a very important and seemingly difficult topic to discuss.. Unconditional election changes everything! From why and how we get saved to how we live our life afterwards....GRACE!
God is sovereign and chooses whom He will to be adopted into His family, not the other way around. God is Sovereign in every dealing with us.
JD Abshire
Amen Victor, very well stated! It is all by His GRACE and to his GLORY.
Below is a parodic prayer written by Charles H. Spurgeon as to how an individual who adheres to free will doctrine would sound if they prayed the same as they profess. I did not post this to insult anyone but for prayerful consideration.
“Lord I thank Thee I am not like those poor, presumptuous Calvinists. Lord I was born with a glorious free will; I was born with power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace that I have, they might all have been saved. Thou givest grace to everybody; some do not improve it, but I do. There are many who will go to hell as much bought with the blood of Christ as I was; they had as much of the Holy Ghost given to them; they had as good a chance, and were as much blessed as I am. It was not thy grace that made us to differ; I know it did a great deal, still I turned the point; I made use of what was given me, still others did not, this is the difference of me and them.”
C.H. Spurgeon
Volume one, New Park Street Pulpit
Sermon 52
Nick Jensen
JD, thank you for the quote from Spurgeon. The quote really clarifies the end result of Arminian theology.
Randy Funderburke
I always wonder how this fits into the equation:
2 Peter 3:8-9
8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
JD Abshire
Randy,
We know Peter is writing to believers. v. 1 "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you". The Bible never calls the unsaved beloved.
In v. 5 he refers to "they" which are the scoffers mentioned in v. 3-4. So we have two different groups of people, the BELOVED and the SCOFFERS. Pay attention to personal pronouns.
In v. 8 he again identifies his audience, speaking to the "beloved".
1 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Look at verse nine more carefully, again paying careful attention to the personal pronoun which is "us-ward" (I.us, we, our etc.) distinguishing these from "they" in v. 5, the scoffers.
In other words, The Lord is not willing that any of the beloved perish i.e. NOT willing or permitting (to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded,of willing as an affection, to desire).
Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Romans 9:19 "Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?"
Most of the Armenian persuasion only quote the last half of the verse. If you consider the context and look at the antecedents it is very clear he is speaking about the elect. (See Ephesians 1 and 2).