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| The gate of the celestial ground is opened to all... Only the living are able to go through!!! |
The most generous and liberal offer is no good news to sinners in any sense at all!!!
It is an illusive lie!
Calvinists rejoice in this saying of their hero and mentor:
"No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.”- John Calvin.
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Let's generously concede that it is true that no man is excluded from calling upon God. However, let it be stated simply and plainly that the native state of which a man is in, a state of sin and death, excludes him from calling upon God.
Therefore, even though "no man is excluded from calling upon God" sounds so broad and inclusive, yet it is NO GOOD NEWS at all to any man in his native state of sin and death!!!
Only those whom God has INCLUDED in His purpose of redemption in Jesus Christ, i.e. effectually called out of their native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation, are enabled to call upon God.
The gate of salvation is indeed set wide open to all men... let's concede to such liberal generosity! However, the wide opened gate of salvation is absolutely irrelevant to every man still in his native state of condemnation and death. Such has no ability to crawl up to the gate of salvation wide open to them, much less enter it! They do not even have eyes to see such wide opened gate of salvation!!! "Except a man be born again, he CANNOT see..."
A wide opened gate of salvation is NO GOOD NEWS whatsoever to those still dead in trespasses and sins.
The good news is, and has to be: God Himself, actively and freely, applies/bestows salvation to men who are dead in trespasses and sins, under condemnation and death, notwithstanding their enmity and rebellion against God!!! O, that's grace!
That's the gospel - the good news of what God Himself has done to save wretched helpless sinners to the uttermost in Jesus Christ, PLUS NOTHING on man's part. Anything a man can do is the RESULT and CONSEQUENCE of what God has done... i.e. bestowed eternal salvation freely.
I hope you know better the next time you mumble "salvation is by grace." Amen.
Cantoro
I hope I summarize this correctly:
Calvinist: Everyone is offered the chance to call upon God, but God only gives faith to some to call upon Him.
Hypercalvinist: Only some have the chance to call upon God, and these are those who are given faith.
Sing F Lau
Cantoro, I will let others decide whether your summaries are correct or not. However, I must say that you mistake a thorough Arminian for a Calvinist!!!
Let me ask you simply:
- what good is that chance to call upon God to the man who is still dead in trespasses and sins?
- what good is the gift of faith to the man still dead in trespasses and sins?
You don't even have the gospel in your summary!
The gospel is, God, according to His good and sovereign pleasure, freely bestows eternal salvation to men who are dead in trespasses and sins, through the redemption of Jesus Christ alone.
If you are so obtuse to understand, let me illustrate this simply for you.
Supposing you see a dead man lying just outside the grand Istana gates. You observe the guard marching up to him every few minutes to remind the dead man of the open gate and his equal chance to enter the gate. You also see that each time the guard sticks into the pocket of the dead man a gift of $1000 to be used by him at the gate for entry. The guard would jovially say to the dead man, 'Giddy up man! Don't waste your equal chance, and the good gift!'
Is any of those things good news to the dead man? Please don't let me conclude that you are stupid too (i.e lacking common sense.) There are enough of them around.
Cantoro
Ok, would Calvin then be labelled an Arminian by you?
Sing F Lau
Cantoro, Calvin doesn't need me to label him an Arminian. You have already proven that he is one... he doesn't need a label from me!!!
You have shown yourself quite an accomplished Arminian too... deluding yourself a Calvinist. You are the MOST misguided, as well as the confused man I have come across on FB.
That is really what you should be concerned about! Instead, you are distracted by Calvin being labelled an Arminian! What a pity!
Cantoro
I agree with Calvin... but why do u then call me an Arminian????
Sing F Lau
I will tell you why AGAIN why you are an Arminian. I told you before, but you have no ears to hear. On second thought, I had better not waste my time. You have no ears to hear! Sorry, I changed my mind!
Sing F Lau
Cantoro, it does not matter that you agree with Calvin... you DISAGREE with the Bible!!! Do you understand? So, stop hiding under the skirt of the Genevan! Grow up and stand tall as a child of God and START studying the Scriptures!
If salvation is offered, you would still be as dead in trespasses and sins as you were!!! If you can't see this simple truth, you are still in blindness!
Salvation is bestowed/applied freely and sovereign by God upon those dead in trespasses and sins without any human aid. That is good news.
A dead man does not need genuine offers and exclusive gifts!
He needs the direct and immediate divine activity of calling him out of his state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation.
Do you understand? So, your hero Calvin is just wrong, plain wrong. And you blindly follow him, and proudly call yourself after his name!
Cantoro
Ok, all Presbys and the Westminister Confession of Faith is wrong regarding the matter of faith and repentance?
(Dr Alan Cairns said that the WCF is Calvinism at its highest)
Sing F Lau
Cantoro, let me just say that your statement is one of the most CHILDISH, STUPID and FOOLISH statement I have read. I will give you some reasons:
a. Childish: that's hardly the way to engage in discussion. If you are wrong and misguided on the specific point under discussion, have the grace and humility to admit it, and make the amendment. How does throwing up a statement like that help you in learning the truth?
- That's just a vague excuse to continue believing your lie!!!
- why don't you just stick to the subject under discussion, and speak for yourself?
b. Stupid: i.e. lacking common sense. Who gives you the right to speak on behalf of ALL Presbies, and the WCF? And on what basis do you say that "all Presbies and the Westminister Confession of Faith is wrong regarding the matter of faith and repentance?" And just how do you know what the other Presbies believe? Many prebies are thorough Arminians, do you know that?
- why don't you just stick to the subject under discussion, and speak for yourself, unless someone gives you the right and privilege to speak for them?
c. Foolish: You are a child of God. You don't need to hide under the skirt of any Dr XYZ. Doing so is very foolish! Learn to read and study the Bible for yourself... think and ask questions. Stand on your own feet.... do you hear me? Why depend on crutches like that?
- Don't avoid issues if you are genuine and sincere in wanting to know the truth.
- stop deceiving and deluding yourself.
If you are not interested in the truth, don't waste time here.
Chong WC
Sing, let it be...we can't change this world, and what the world chooses to believe...
Sing F Lau
Chong, learn to speak for yourself. I don't intend to change this world. I do intend, by the grace of God, to save God's own children from their errors. That's my calling. And I haven't given up on Cantoro yet... not yet anyway!
I have decided to let be fellows like you and your mentor Matthew Ong!!!
