This comentary on my comments is so long, or it would be way to involved (not to mention useless and unnecessary) to try to clarify myself, but I am positive that I understand correctly what Calvinisim teaches and you obviously do not. Nothing wrong with that, just stating a fact.
I DID explain WHY your comments were conflictual so I won't linger on the above comment by you.
If you're not clear,,,how does a conversation take place?
And why would ANY explanation of Christianity be toooo involved?
If something cannot be explained in 25 words or less, there's some problem present.
Since I explained myself properly,,,and I explained what calvinism teaches,,,you cannot then tell me that I do NOT understand it.
If you think I don't understand it and you claim to be a Calvinist,,,you should correct me.
That's what I would do with anyone not understanding basic Christianity.
But, unlike God,,,I cannot force you.
We won't be changing each other's minds.
And thanks for explaining...ignore the above comments.
I post as I go.
Let's see what I've misunderstood about the reformed doctrine.
Huh?
Libertarian free will means we have NO EXTERNAL pressures but make our decision based on our own desires....especially moral free will.
You may be describing free will which is accepted philosophically above...but I'm not interested in that....this is theology.
I agree that Adam's sin has affected all of humanity. I agree that we are born sinners as both Jesus and Paul explain. Our sinful nature TENDS toward evil....but even unsaved persons can do good deeds. We are not so depraved as to be unable to see God around us.
God has revealed Himself from the beginning of time. Romans 1:19-20
It is up to us to serve either God or satan.
Romans 6:16
16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
We
present OURSELVES to the one we wish to serve.
Regeneration before faith.
This is not taught in scripture.
The ordo salutis is:
1. belief
2. regeneration
We are JUSTIFIED by FAITH then we have peace with God.
1. FAITH
2. JUSTIFICATION
3. PEACE
Romans 5:1
1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
I've stated many times that Calvinism teaches that we are chosen UNCONDITIONALLY.
No need to explain UNCONDITIONAL....we all know what it means.
It means GOD CHOOSES US BASED ON NOTHING,,,except HIS desire and will and sends the rest to hell with no opportunity for salvation.
The N.T. teaches that God saves CONDITIONALLY.
And, unlike what you state above about not being able to actually KNOW how God chooses,,,the God of the bible WANTS man to know how to be saved and has thus given us both the written word and the Living Word (Jesus) so that we may know.
God want ALL MEN to be saved:
1 Timothy 2:4
3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
WHY does God want ALL MEN to be saved?
Because He is a loving God.
1 John 4:8b
8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
And so, an all-good God that is Love itself, let's man know His CONDITION for salvation:
John 3:16
16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Yes, the above verse is AN INSTRUCTION....
NOT A statement, as you believe.
NO. I would call that drawing...
as in John 6:44 and John 12:32.
Please don't get your analogies mixed up with what you posted before that...
they do not agree.
Have you ever purchased 3 puppies
and you treated one really well and fed it and loved it and gave it a warm place to sleep....
And instead you mistreated the other two, made them go h ungry, did not love them, and made them sleep outside in the cold? And FOR NOT REASON,,,poor little things.
THIS is the god YOU serve.
[/QUOTE]
Well analogies are never perfect, that is why they call them analogies.
And no, I have never been a part of your analogy which was grotesque by the way, and a horrible accusation of how I view God. I'm assuming that we worship the same God, and in that case you are saying some pretty terrible things about Him. Not me. HIM. I will address the other parts of your post later. Battery nearly dead, lap top and me.
Blessings and love.