tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post3491446055579483332..comments2024-03-29T08:29:34.005-05:00Comments on The Watchman's Bagpipes: What is the “Gift of God”?Glenn E. Chatfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04117405535707961903noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-53688619255865008312021-05-05T15:02:10.861-05:002021-05-05T15:02:10.861-05:00"Mike"
I don't post comments with u..."Mike"<br /><br />I don't post comments with unbiblical, false teaching, which is what your Calvinist ideology is full of. God didn't make us as puppets, rather He GAVE US the ability to choose to seek Him or not. Get over it.Glenn E. Chatfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04117405535707961903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-813299224410961412018-09-03T16:17:13.961-05:002018-09-03T16:17:13.961-05:00Cowardly anonymous,
You read with Calvinist bias,...Cowardly anonymous,<br /><br />You read with Calvinist bias, apparently, because nowhere does Romans say that God chooses anyone for salvation. Throughout 9-11 it talks about God choosing for SERVICE, not salvation. Big difference.<br /><br />Context, context, context.Glenn E. Chatfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04117405535707961903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-63871987901177405782018-09-02T19:52:48.244-05:002018-09-02T19:52:48.244-05:00I sat down and slowly read through the entire book...I sat down and slowly read through the entire book of Romans in one sitting and thought about each verse. It took about 6 hours but at the end it's so obvious that God is the one who choose us, it's undeniable.<br /><br />Following the Bible only.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-14239015340980995122017-04-03T06:06:51.224-05:002017-04-03T06:06:51.224-05:00I embraced reformed theology under the influence o...I embraced reformed theology under the influence of a good friend and in reaction to Willow Creek, who imo put man in control of the salvation process. I was not, however, a card-carrying Calvinist, I always felt uneasy at some aspects of it. A lot of truth in it, but something not quite right. A bit too cerebral?<br /><br />I've backtracked from it in the meantime. I don't see the new birth preceding faith - rather the convicting and converting ministry of the Spirit brings an unconverted man dead in trespasses and sins to the point where he can repent and believe, but without compulsion. <br /><br />I very much agree with your post here. Everything to do with salvation is in a sense a gift of God, but we have to repent and we have to believe. I don't see how God placing requirements or conditions on receiving salvation in any way diminishes his sovereignty in it.<br /><br />My good friend, I discovered not long ago, has travelled the same route and now considers himself more at home with evangelical Arminianism. He often said much modern Calvinism is derived from Beza rather than Calvin himself.<br /><br />I've also re-read Rom 9 - 11 recently, and seen how Paul is talking more about whom God chooses to serve him and how, rather than choosing who will be saved and who not. <br /><br />KenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-25975181843763948672017-03-29T08:22:37.081-05:002017-03-29T08:22:37.081-05:00Martha,
Yes, Lutherans do indeed teach that infan...Martha,<br /><br />Yes, Lutherans do indeed teach that infants who die without baptism go to hell. One Lutheran pastor we had said aborted babies go to hell. That has bothered me forever. Thinking about such nonsense drove me to write THIS article a few years back:<br />http://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-about-babies-and-salvation.html<br /><br />Baptismal regeneration was an invention of the Catholic church, and those denominations coming out of the reformation never totally left Rome, rather they just dropped some of the things they didn't like. But you have the Anglican/Episcopal church, especially the "high" church, still with the whole Marian adoration, you have all of them with infant baptism, Lent, works salvation, TULIPs (which came from Augustine and Rome), etc.<br /><br />I think both Luther and Calvin had SOME good teachings, Luther moreso than Calvin in my book, but I can't recommend either one of the overall.Glenn E. Chatfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04117405535707961903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-53418614131127481102017-03-29T06:43:21.855-05:002017-03-29T06:43:21.855-05:00Thank-you for this post Glen. Now I understand the...Thank-you for this post Glen. Now I understand the tenants of Calvinism more clearly. In examining the life of Calvin, I do not understand why religion regards him so highly, to the point of idolatry, I believe. <br /><br />Now I understand why Lutherans desire to 'baptize their infants' as soon as possible, for they equate salvation with 'works.' <br /><br />A close family member of mine states, "You must baptize your babies as soon as possible so they go to heaven in the event something should happen." My response, "So all of those poor souls who were never baptized as an infant are going to hell? My Scriptures state that the repentant thief on that tree at Calvary is currently with Jesus, my Savior, in Paradise. And that thief wasn't baptized."<br /><br />I have attended a variety of Lutheran denominations in which all promote 'baby baptism.' After studying the life of Martin Luther, I honestly couldn't promote him any more than I could promote Calvin. The only One that I can honestly point people to is Jesus Christ, via our Scriptures. <br /><br />As it should be. <br /><br />Blessings Glen.Marthanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6043971967398769903.post-16874513036117044702017-03-25T16:02:17.451-05:002017-03-25T16:02:17.451-05:00"Here is the correct rule that Greek grammar ..."Here is the correct rule that Greek grammar demands to be followed: PRONOUNS AGREE WITH THEIR ANTECEDENT IN GENDER AND NUMBER. THEIR CASE IS DETERMINED BY THEIR USE IN THEIR OWN CLAUSE."<br /><br />Yes. That's why in Eph 2:8-9, the gift is salvation, just as you state here. Faith and grace are both feminine nouns. Only salvation fits the neutral gender required by the grammar of the text.<br /><br />-CarolynAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com