John UK wrote:
Gun carriers (for protection) are fundamentally Arminists, while Frenchies tend to believe in the words of Jesus, "You could have no power over me except it be given you from heaven," and other such sovereign God remedies.

Remember if you ever want to try to bear fruit, - Jesus (The Son of God) teaches :
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, except it abide in the vine; NO MORE CAN YE, except ye abide in me."

John UK wrote:
There are vast numbers, falling into hellfire every week, muttering to themselves.....deceived.....deceived....

And =
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John UK wrote:
concerning the ACTS of FAITH

Check the first part of the section #1 of the WCF at this point; - "is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts"

Canons of Dordt:
"Faith is therefore to be considered as the gift of God, not on account of its being offered by God to man, to be accepted or rejected at his pleasure; but because it is in reality conferred, breathed, and infused into him; or even because God bestows the power or ability to believe, and then expects that man should by the exercise of his own free will, consent to the terms of that salvation, and actually believe in Christ; but because he who works in man both to will and to do, and indeed all things in all, produces both the will to believe, and the act of believing also." (H.3/4 art 14)

Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you BOTH to WILL and TO DO of his good pleasure."

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who WORKETH ALL THINGS after the counsel of his own will"

John UK wrote:
What must the sinner do?
1. Accept Christ
2. Receive Christ
3. Rest upon Christ alone

WCF states:
"But the principal ACTS OF SAVING FAITH are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.e"

Roman Arminian states:
Quote:-
"What must the sinner do"

When sin is either removed or compromised or reduced - then we allow and proceed to a conviction where we can save ourself.

The Arminian philosophy by its rejection of Total Depravity compromises with sin and seeks to make the person better than they really are. This differs from Scripture which reveals man to be so sinful that God had to send His beloved Son to die upon a cross to save anybody.

This deception and false witness of Graham and his fellow Arminians comes from sin itself which seeks to masquerade as "not so bad a malady after all."

The Arminian motto appears to be - "Weaken sin and become god." - Thus does it believe that 'salvation by works' - works.

John UK wrote:
I could very easily sit down with Brother Saint Michael and have some sweet fellowship with him, even with the differences between us

Mike wrote:
"Enter ye at the strait gate.." sounds like wisdom speaking, followed by the reasons to listen and respond. What it does not sound like is that he is speaking to those who cannot respond.

Pre-indwelling sinners are enemies of God and hate Him thus they would not even begin to think of responding.

"Responding" also comes from God and is by faith. The elect of God are the people who are enabled by the Holy Spirit to respond in a positive and Christian way.

John UK wrote:
Of all those who are born again by God's Spirit, I reckon 99% are living out of their flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. It may even be 100%. I believe the fundamental blueprint for God's people has been abandoned

Obviously you have recorded in your post what your personal observation is of the work and purpose of God on earth today is.

God sent His Son Jesus to earth to die upon a cross. Now from your perspective that act of God must seem wrong and wicked. Why would a Father do that to His child?

This is what is reflected in your post - The question of why God is failing to be nice and save everybody.

Or why is man not jumping over the "Strait Gate" using his all too human but arbitrary saving faculties.

Mike wrote:
Therefore it is not fitting to apply the term "reprobate" to Katy Perry or any else

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

2Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

2Cor 13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

2Tim 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Michael Hranek wrote:
You have my permission to go play with yourself and your friends in the snow

btw: The verses I quoted are not from the Canons of Dordrecht (Dordt). They come from a book called the Bible which was written by God.

Jesus commands us:
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

PS:
Dictionary: Definition:
"Forte" =
"a person's strong suit, or most highly developed characteristic, talent, or skill; something that one excels in:

Synonyms: talent, skill, excellence, strength, strong point, specialty, proficiency; knack, bent."

God Bless Michael.

__________

Mike New York.

Michael Hranek wrote:
worse may fail to exercise the free will God has given you to choose to receive His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

Remember Michael that there is no such animal as free will in the sinners.
Nope as Katy Perry demonstrates in her life she does not have free will she is dominated by sin like all reprobates. The human will is DOMINATED by sin. Get it?

As for the sinner "choosing" Christ/Saviour - he can't.
The sinner in his natural estate is at enmity with God and cannot even discern never mind think spiritually.
He cannot see the need for a Saviour = BECAUSE OF SIN.

1Cor 2:14 "But the natural man RECEIVETH NOT the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: NEITHER can he KNOW THEM, because they are spiritually discerned."

Rom 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is ENMITY against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

Michael Hranek wrote:
Your premise is seriously flawed

Michael Hranek wrote:
know the things of the Spirit of God, therefore know/identify "religious apostates" because they do NOT love one another but only "their religion"

The True Christian By Grace, By Faith is providentially given knowing access to the truth of Scripture. The Holy Spirit works in the heart and mind of the True Christian to reveal the ways and mind of God and His Son.

Thus the non-Christian who may even attend church cannot read Scripture and comprehend the truth and doctrine of the Word of God.

An example of this are the Doctrines of Grace. Coming, as they do, from "Grace" is a revealing truth in itself, AND a litmus test of Christian doctrine.

For example are you aware that God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Paul and the apostles are all Five Point Calvinist in their doctrines?

Frank wrote:
Christ is a 5 pointer and since all true Christians are 5 pointers

Mike wrote:
Do you think Calvin was a heretic because he wasn't a 5-pointer?

Now Mike the five points are also called the Doctrines of Grace. They are not called the doctrines of grace for nothing - It is because they come from God thus come from the Bible.

So Christ wrote the Bible along with the Prophets and the Apostles. Thus they wrote the Doctrines of Grace. Thus Christ and the Apostles were Five Pointers too.

Jesus is the author of our faith and the author of our salvation so HE is the author of the Doctrines of Grace.

So a true Christian like Calvin was obviously a five pointer. As were the Reformed Christians who wrote the Canons of Dordt where the five points come from.

Calvin's institutes especially Book 2/Chap 16 and Book 3/Chap 21 reflect Calvin's commitment to Limited Atonement. Which clearly is the true Christian and Biblical doctrine on the Atonement.

MS wrote:
Didactics,
Could you name the speaker of the sermons you suggest, some are on the SA app. and cannot pull them up by the sermon ID..
Thanks.

(2) Pastor Steven Dilday ...
There Can Be No Compromise Between Calvinism & Arminianism, Refuting Arminian Heresy
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=5713132409

Michael Hranek wrote:
(A) While I am not a fan of BG
While I believe he has some serious errors that need correction

(B) When Calvinism goes bad. Part 1 and Part 4 are helpful to me in understanding what seems to be a hyper out of control

(B) There Can Be No Compromise Between Calvinism & Arminianism, Refuting Arminian Heresy
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=5713132409

Mike wrote:
Surely your finger must be growing weary from the wagging by now.

Unprofitable Servant wrote:
the Word of God

Q12: What are the decrees of God?
A12: God’s decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will,[1] whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained: Whatsoever comes to pass in time,[2] especially concerning angels and men.

1. Eph. 1:11; Rom. 9:14-15, 18; 11:33
2. Eph. 1:4, 11; Rom. 9:22-23; Psa. 33:11

Q13: What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
A13: God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory;[1] and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof:[2] and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleases), hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.[3]

John UK wrote:
(1) Another thing I would like to say, is that even the elect need persuasion when it comes to the gospel.

(2) Indeed, faith is a persuasion.

(3) I'm glad that men like Spurgeon will tell sinners that if they have not faith, ask God for it

(2) Wrong again John. Faith is the gift of God which God provides to His elect and once born again and filled with the Holy Spirit (indwelling) the sinner does not require persuasion but truth which only the elect can receive. Only the elect can read the Scriptures with understanding.

(3) How can a sinner ask for faith when he cannot discern and is in enmity with God? 1Cor 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Rom 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."