Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple
Those who are flirting with what they call "Calvinism" will usually draw back when it comes to predestination. They cant believe that GOD and not man makes the choice of who will believe.
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I think you've got something mixed up here, Bro. "They" ("so-called Calvinists")
do believe in predestination and they
do believe that GOD and not man makes the choice of who believes. This is the Doctrine of Election.
Personally, I find Calvinism to be incomplete here. Both views are correct, IMHO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TRFrance
Kind of a modified neo-Calvinism, perhaps.
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Instead of looking at the ideas as opposing viewpoints, one on one side of a line on a piece of paper and the the other on the other side of the line; how about trying to put the ideas into three dimensional space?
Instead of a black and white world with a shade of gray representing "flirting" with an idea; how about looking at all the colors of the spectrum?
The idea of predestination is argued quite strongly and emphatically by Paul. Yet even Paul sought to persuade people to
do something with the Gospel. I see both views as being correct - simultaneously. It's a fundamental paradox. We are dealing with the mind of God, here.
Will the Almighty be surprised at who makes it into heaven? You remember the old yarn?
The people who you thought were going to make it won't and those you didn't think would make it do? Will God be among the surprised? Of course not. He already knows about the victory and the overcoming stregnth that you and I have only begun to tap into.
That's one the the cool things I find in the so-called "Calvinist" view, though it's much older than Calvin and goes back to Augustine and before him, Paul. God has confidence in my victories. That means I will be victorious. Of course, to actually achieve that victory
I still have to actually do something.
But with the fear of ultimate failure gone, I feel a great deal more confident when I do those things that I ought.