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| An Addiction to Synergy |
The Grotesque Calvinistic Synergy
This definition of the 4th of the Five Points of Calvinism can be seen as the Authoritative Definition of the Calvinists notion of the biblical doctrine of Effectual Calling. It is taken from here: http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/reformed-theology/arminianism/calvinism-vs-arminianism-comparison-chart/
The Efficacious Call of the Spirit or Irresistible Grace:
"In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By mean of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’, grace. therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended."
If you are discerning enough, spell out some of the grievous errors about this notion of the biblical doctrine of the effectual call. Thanks.
Heb 5
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
If you have strong teeth, start biting and tear the fable apart, and give us the truth!
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Charles
The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. - fails to meet the definition of "irresistible" Irresistible = cause w/o effect Moderated Calvinism is cause and effect and thus not "irresistible" - driving A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE! caps unintentional! LOL
Delli
I had to be saved, before I understood the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was only after I was born again, that God led me to the knowledge of Christ, because I know that while in the state on sin and death, I could in nowise hear or understand the things of God.
Charles
the modern Calvinist say your salvation could not be genuine if you didn't understand it. That is why they claim others are not saved if they don't agree with them.
Malco
Wow! now i understand why so many so called calvinists hold to the heretical "free offer of the gospel" doctrine. Thank you Sing for this informative article.
Charles
I was saved (regenerated) as a Wesleyan Pentecostal and I hold to my youthful trinitarian baptism as my earnest confession of Christ for remission of sins and refuse to be beguiled out of that! Whoever accepts me has to accept my early confession.
Malco
Yeah, and i was saved as a mormon. Hold on to your delusion.
Delli
The thought that there are some in the world, or have been in the world, who never had a man preach to them, the gospel, and because of this, would never come to faith has always confused me. How is it that Noah came to faith when all the world was corrupt in his day?
Malco
I don't agree with you. No one is ever saved under a false gospel, especially the heretical one preached by Arminianism
Delli
That's the whole point, Malcolm. Everyone who is saved, is saved according to the gospel.
Charles
You can be regenerated (saved) as a Mormon, Buddhist or Baptist doesn't concern God!
Malco
No one is saved accept by the faith of Christ and an imputed righteousness that is freely imputed to God's elect
Sing F Lau .
"In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation
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"In addition to the outward general call to salvation..."
- This explicitly implies that the outward general call precedes and is prior and prerequisite to the special inward call, thus without the former the latter is impossible!
- It must be outward gospel call PLUS the special inward call. The special inward call can only be ADDED to the general outward call.
- The supremacy and the indispensability of the general outward call is asserted; and thus the means who deliver the outward general call is elevated. The divine work of the special inward call is impossible without the human work of the general gospel call.
- Without the prior general outward call, the Holy Spirit is impotent and has no warrant to extend that special inward call....
This doctrine is EVIL...
- the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is denied... He is subordinated to man (preachers!) actions. They castrated the Spirit of God!!! EVIL! The Spirit's work must be build UPON the man's work!
- the works of man (preaching, believing, etc) become essential to eternal salvation... repudiated salvation by free grace. EVIL!
- this excludes all who are incapable of being outwardly called (whether because of inability to hear or no opportunity to hear). It disadvantages them; it shows partiality to those who have ability and opportunity to hear!
- It promotes a God who shows partiality... those able to hear, and those having the opportunity to hear have the advantage of being regenerated!
Charles
E-V-I-L
Sing F Lau .
Malco @ "I don't agree with you. No one is ever saved under a false gospel, especially the heretical one preached by Arminianism"
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Every one saved by God was saved when he was dead in trespasses and sins, while in whatever religious background he was born into and grew up with; yes, God saved him when he has ZILCH knowledge of the gospel of Christ, in fact when he has perverse notions of the gospel!
God saved such a man in order that he may be brought to know the gospel of his eternal salvation by God's free grace!
Charles no one is regenerated, justified nor glorified under true gospel preaching...let alone false gospel preaching!
Sing F Lau .
Malco @ "No one is saved accept by the faith of Christ and an imputed righteousness that is freely imputed to God's elect"
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Every one saved is saved on the BASIS of the fidelity/faithfulness of Christ in His work of eternal redemption.
The righteousness of Jesus Christ was LEGALLY IMPUTED to all the elect when He died on the cross!
The righteousness of Jesus Christ is APPLIED to each elect PERSONALLY at his effectual calling out of his native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation. The application is freely by grace - the MANNER salvation is applied to each elect personally.
The blessedness of that righteous justified state is EXPERIENCED by faith in Jesus Christ through the gospel call.
A little precision will aid in the cause of truth in these days of woolliness!
Sing F Lau .
"In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation "
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"In addition to the outward general call to salvation ...." in these few words we have a great fable, that outward general call has to do with the salvation (i.e eternal salvation) of those dead in trespasses and sins!
Outward general call is for the calling out of God's children, those ALREADY SAVED by the gracious and sovereign activity of God, to the gospel truth... it is for the CONVERSION of God's children to the truth of their great salvation by God's free grace.
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
The preaching of the gospel IS IS IS to those that ARE SAVED, and is perceived and received as the message of God's power in salvation!
CantoJoe
What I have been taught:
Arminianism - Christ died for all, universal salvation, everyone has a choice to be saved
Calvinism - Christ died for ALL, but only the elect will have faith to be saved (sufficient for all, efficient for the elect)
Hyper-Calvinism - Christ died only for the ELECT, and only the elect will have faith to be saved.
Am I representing the views correctly?
Charles
subcalvinism - Christ died for ALL, but only the elect will have faith to be saved (sufficient for all, efficient for the elect)
July 27 at 11:20pm · Like
CantoJo
My former pastor told us youths:
"The hyper-calvinists were called diarrhoea calvinism" while "The calvinists were called constipated calvinism"
Sing F Lau .
Grow up Canto.... do your own study and do your own thinking. Don't vomit here what you have been fed with.
If you can stick to the subject at hand, feel free to comment, else hold your peace
Sing F Lau .
Canto @ Am I representing the views correctly?
## You can answer for yourself!
"Calvinism - Christ died for ALL, but only the elect will have faith to be saved (sufficient for all, efficient for the elect)."
## That's BPeeeeing unique trademark Calvinism... that is actually classic Arminianism. The BPeeeee gave it a new clothing and own it as their own brand of Calvinism... because they are really old Arminians who love a reformed label!
"Hyper-Calvinism - Christ died only for the ELECT, and only the elect will have faith to be saved.
## Christ died only the the elect is the simple plain truth. He came to save HIS people from their sins.
## "Only the elect will have faith to be saved" - is a big lie of the devil!
## God saves the elect while they are dead in trespasses and sins, when they were in enmity against God. If any one needs faith to be saved by God, then NO ONE will ever be saved by God!
Canto, you don't even have the gospel!!! Poor thing!
CantoJo
Sing, but if PBs like you are Calvinists, why don't you regard Calvin as your patriarch?
Sing F Lau .
CantoJo, I consider you a theological RETARD asking me such a question!
The Particular Baptists were NO Calvinists!
And I'm NO calvinist! Far from it!
Crossett
Calvinism does not hold that Christ died for all, this is a false representation. Christ died for the elect alone.
CantoJo
Crossett , to quote Calvin, "faith in Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life, because the Heavenly Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish"
Calvin said that Christ died for all. Dr Jeffrey Khoo said those who are hyper-Calvinists try to outcalvin Calvin himself.
Ezekiel 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
This is one of the proof texts given in the Westminister Confession of Faith
Sing F Lau .
Hello Crossett and CantoJo.... you are dealing with the 3rd of the Five Points.
So, you two can continue that point somewhere else.
The Scriptures does plainly taught particular redemption... His people, as many as... not one more and not one less that Father gave to His Son to save!!!
The topic here is dealing with the 4th point... a gross error of Calvinism.
If you can keep to that , you comments are welcome.
CantoJo
Speaking about Irresistible Grace, the WSC answers faith as a saving grace.
So only those who are the elect will experience God's irresistible grace, to have faith to receive salvation.
That reasoning sounds sensible to me
Sing F Lau .
CantoJo, saving faith IS NOT a faith that saves.
Saving faith is a grace/fruit of salvation.
Saving faith is used in distinction from mere 'historical faith.'
Faith is a fruit of salvation. A fruit of salvation cannot possibly be a means to receive that salvation.
Crossett
Faith is a fruit, i agree, it is not a condition.
Sing F Lau .
Faith is not a condition, neither is it a means to receive salvation.
Eternal salvation is APPLIED to an elect while he was dead in trespasses and sin in the effectual calling, thus making him perfectly fit for eternal glory.
But the Calvinists condition the DIVINE effectual call on the human gospel calling, thus forming the grotesque calvinistic synergy and prostituting pure monergism!!!
Sing F Lau .
"The eternal call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion."
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There is typing error in this statement. It is the EXTERNAL call, not the ETERNAL call. But this error is very minor... almost all can detect it.
The next error in this statement is more subtle and many fail to see it.
It is true that the external call, issued through human instrumentality can be and often rejected by God's children, yes, even by God's children.
The gospel call is not a call to offer salvation to everyone. The gospel call is not offering any salvation. The gospel call is proclaiming the salvation that God has already done... purposed, accomplished, and APPLIED to the elect... calling upon those recipient of this free grace salvation to BELIEVE the truth of their salvation.
The gospel call, the call to believe the gospel is addressed specifically to God's children in the audience to believe the truth of their salvation by God's free and sovereign grace. And this call is so often rejected by God's children. Many would prefer to believe a lie - a synergistic idea of salvation. Both Arminians and Calvinists reject the gospel call to believe the gospel of grace alone.
Both the Arminians and the Calvinists believe that the gospel call is addressed at those who are still dead in trespasses and sins, those whom God has not saved yet; and such are called to believe the gospel, the good news of God having saved them in order that it will become truth of them. To them, the gospel call the hearers to believe what is not true of them in order that in believing, it may become true of them!
Scriptures declares the gospel call as the means of bringing God's children (already saved by God's grace alone) to believe the truth of their salvation... to believe what is ALREADY true... what God has already done for them and in them!!!
Sing F Lau .
"The eternal call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion."
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Another very serious error... the internal call DOES NOT ALWAYS results in conversion; it always results in REGENERATION which makes response to the external call possible; it makes conversion of God's children to the truth possible when there is the subsequent gospel call.
There is serious confusion between conversion and regeneration.
Regeneration deals with the elect STILL dead in trespasses and sins.
Conversion deals with the bringing of God's children to the truth of their salvation by God's free grace.
The internal call always result in REGENERATION. The effectual call ALWAYS brings an elect out of his NATIVE state of sin and death to that of grace and eternal salvation... God's power and act always accomplish and attain its purpose.
"This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all forseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature,(7) being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit;(8)........ he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.(9) --- 1689.10.2.
The effectual call (calling an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation) thereby enables a man to answer the gospel call. The gospel call comes separately through the human agency.
In the gospel call grace is offered to those already effectually called... gospel grace is offered to the living, the children of God. It is utterly foolishness to offer grace or anything to the dead. The superstitious Chinese love to offering roast pork, hell banknotes, etc. to their dead!
Salvation is not offered. Salvation is bestowed to the dead in trespasses and sins, and the dead in trespasses and sins are brought to eternal life! And these are called to believe the truth of their salvation by God's free grace... in believing they will experience the blessedness. This is CONVERSION.
Regeneration by divine act and conversion through man's instrumentality are separate and distinct. To join them together to is produce a synergistic monster alien to the Scriptures.
Sing F Lau .
"By mean, of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. "
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The role of the gospel call in this effectual call by God is RIGHTLY and completely denied, repudiated, and excluded by the second sentence above. "He is not limited.... for success." God is not dependent upon the outward external call issued by preachers for the efficacy of the call.
Drawn to Christ NOT in the sense of being brought to knowledge of Jesus Christ through the gospel ministry, BUT joined and united to Christ by the divine act of applying the redemption of Christ to an elect. This drawing is always effectual and irresistible.
"Those whom God hath predestined unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,(1) by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ;(2) ..." 1689.10.1
This rightly EXCLUDES the erroneous and fanciful idea that "His Word" in the 1689.10.1 above refers to anything (e.g the preached word, the written Scriptures made known, etc) but specifically to the 2nd Person of the Godhead, even the eternal life giving Word.
The THREE Persons of the Godhead are actively involved in effectually calling an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ.
Sing F Lau .
"The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ.
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In the effectual call, the sinner is as spiritually dead as could be.
The Spirit DOES NOT graciously cause the elect sinner to cooperate.
The Spirit DOES freely and sovereignly quicken the dead sinner to eternal life, with the elect sinner entirely passive.
Having been quickened and made a child of God, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within him, a child is enabled to hear, to understand the gospel, is able to respond to the call of repentance. When the gospel call do come, they respond to the call in repentance and faith.
Abraham was effectually called when he was a pagan dead in trespasses and sins in Ur. Abraham was brought to faith in the promised Messiah much later in Gen 15:1-6.
The devout Jews who came to Jerusalem to worship God during Pentecost were effectually called when in their place of residence. They were CONVERTED through Peter's preaching.
There are lots of similar example... the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius, Lydia, etc. REGENERATION is prior and independent of the gospel call.
Sing F Lau
"God’, grace. therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended."
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God's grace in the effectual call NEVER FAILS in bringing an elect from the state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation, making perfectly fit for eternal glory... WITHOUT the gospel call.
This effectual cal is separate and distinct from the gospel call, BOTH logically and chronologically.
All the elect are effectually called to grace and salvation without fail at their appointed and approved time.
NOT ALL elect will have the gospel call... they are those not capable of being outwardly called through the gospel ministry. Read WCF 10.3. This grotesque of joining the effectual call to the gospel call plainly rejected and repudiated by the Calvinistic confessions.
The gospel call is needful for the CONVERSION of God's children. It is not needful for the REGENERATION of God's elect. The Calvinists DO NOT understand, nor believe this gospel truth... ending up with a grotesque synergistic monster that is injurious to God's sovereignty, and His children.
Greenfield
amen
