Calvinism, It's just not lining up with Scripture.

[Dave...]

I once considered myself a Calvinist. I'm not so sure any more. 

I still maintain that God is sovereign over man, and have no problem with that. My understanding in Scripture is not motivated by humanism.

I no longer support the idea of total depravity. Every proof verse used by Calvinism shows people who can still believe, or could believe unless they were otherwise judicially hardened. In my opinion, the whole system of Tulip falls with that.

But that's just the icing on the cake. So many of the proof texts used by Calvinism to claim God chose people for salvation from His eternal decree, in fact, those passages are speaking of true OT believers. Lydia, Cornelius, etc., all OT true believers. So "appointed to eternal life" etc. was not motivated by God's choice in eternity, but rather mans in time. "All that the Father gives me...."---OT believers, "Sheep..."---OT believers, "For whom He foreknew, He Predestined to be conformed to Christlikeness..."---OT believers.

OT believers were not indwelt, and thus could not yet be born again born, yet they believed (John 7:39). There's no getting around it. I tried. They were due the Promise of the Father, and those who already believed the Gospel received Him at Pentecost. Some still needed to hear the Gospel, then they received Him. While many others where already physically dead, having died not receiving the promises.

The missing element is the distinction in relationship between man and the Holy Spirit from OT to NT. Calvinism assumes it's the same. That's a big mistake and one of the main reasons that it's interpretation of many of these passages is in error. 

I'm finding that Calvinism's interpretation of many of it's proof texts are without context. They are mostly relying on the TULIP system for context, and not the Bible. It's assumed that TULIP is Biblical. It appears to me to be one assumption built on another. A house of cards, if you will.

Anyways, I just thought I would go on record.

Dave 

[Rella]

I once considered myself a Calvinist. I'm not so sure any more. 

I still maintain that God is sovereign over man, and have no problem with that. My understanding in Scripture is not motivated by humanism.

I no longer support the idea of total depravity. Every proof verse used by Calvinism shows people who can still believe, or could believe unless they were otherwise judicially hardened. In my opinion, the whole system of Tulip falls with that.

But that's just the icing on the cake. So many of the proof texts used by Calvinism to claim God chose people for salvation from His eternal decree, in fact, those passages are speaking of true OT believers. Lydia, Cornelius, etc., all OT true believers. So "appointed to eternal life" etc. was not motivated by God's choice in eternity, but rather mans in time. "All that the Father gives me...."---OT believers, "Sheep..."---OT believers, "For whom He foreknew, He Predestined to be conformed to Christlikeness..."---OT believers.

OT believers were not indwelt, and thus could not yet be born again born, yet they believed (John 7:39). There's no getting around it. I tried. They were due the Promise of the Father, and those who already believed the Gospel received Him at Pentecost. Some still needed to hear the Gospel, then they received Him. While many others where already physically dead, having died not receiving the promises.

The missing element is the distinction in relationship between man and the Holy Spirit from OT to NT. Calvinism assumes it's the same. That's a big mistake and one of the main reasons that it's interpretation of many of these passages is in error. 

I'm finding that Calvinism's interpretation of many of it's proof texts are without context. They are mostly relying on the TULIP system for context, and not the Bible. It's assumed that TULIP is Biblical. It appears to me to be one assumption built on another. A house of cards, if you will.

Anyways, I just thought I would go on record.

Dave

 

[garee]

[garee]

The letter of the law (as it is written or what the eyes see ) thou shall not = death.

New creation not rebuilt or reconditioned

Born again believers living in bodies of death are carrying out the letter therefore we have the power of the gospel of Christ  working in us but would never assume its power is of us dead mankind . 

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Total depravity. .  totality dead in ones trespass and sin without Christ in the present world

Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

OT believers like Abel the second born the prophet, apostle martyr was indwelt.

Abel the second born was used to represent Christ the spiritual seed that effectively works in believers.

Cain firstborn, The first murder of the father of lies(john 8:44)  was changed from first born to second born . Christ our Holy Father  replaced Abel with another second born Enos passed down again and again until the birth of Jesus the son of man .The first born of many sons of God .

It was then that born again mankind could be heard on high .Must be born again.   
Not a new testament principle

 
Genesis 4: 25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.