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CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
Amr's Randomata Blog
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By Sam Storms...
1. Election is a pre-temporal decision by God, a choice he made before any of us ever existed. God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). God “saved us,” said Paul, “and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own...
Recently a fellow wondered that given that God ordains all things should we not be just considered pawns on a chessboard?
I would like to respond to that view..
Pawns on a chessboard are not moral agents.
As our Confession states:
Chapter 3
1. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise...
Some basic principles related to understanding the will of God:
1. Where God commands, we must obey.
2. Where there is no command, God gives us freedom (and responsibility) to choose.
3. Where there is no command, God gives us wisdom to choose.
4. When we have chosen what is moral and wise, we...
To be historically accurate Jochaim Westphal (1510-1574) was the first theologian to use the term "Calvinist". He was a Lutheran theologian that debated Calvin on the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. A Calvinist, initially, was one who held to Calvin's view of the supper. That would exclude the...
Rightly dividing, properly interepreted, means "to handle correctly". Literally, the phrase means literally cutting something in a straight way. Figuratively, teaching or expounding correctly. Unfortunately, Scofield's wooden literalism of the phrase led to the movement that cuts up or divides...
Not a day passes that some enthusiastic anti-Calvinist lays the charge that we Reformed are followers of the words of men, especially John Calvin.
It is quite simple for me. As do all Reformed, I hold Scripture to be the norming norm in all that I do, think, or say. Scripture is my sole rule of...
Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, (Luke 18:15-16, Acts 2:38-39, John 3:3, 5, 1 John 5:12, Rom. 8:9) who worketh when, and where, and how He pleases: (John 3:8) so also are all other elect persons who are uncapable of being outwardly called...
I was recently asked What is your individual policy on engaging in internet debate?
My response follows....
One must be a good steward of the time God grants them (Ephesians 5:15; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Mark 12:30). The time granted should be spent bringing glory to God in word, deed, or thought...
From a recent discussion:
Persons constructing straw men of the Calvinist's views by claiming we operate from the same presuppositions they do and therefore believe about our beliefs what they believe about our beliefs leaves no hope for honest discussion.
Instead of erroneously claiming the...
While not incorrect, per se, the use of "entities" often leads to confusion as it usually implies, to the modern ear, mutually independent "beings", as in the Godhead comprises three separate and mutually independent beings. This is untrue. The three personal subsistences are each comprised of...
The reasons are why predestination should be embraced is because Our Lord and the apostles frequently taught it, since it appears from in the Gospels, e.g., Matthew 11:20, 25; 13:11; 25:34; Luke 10:20; 12:32; John 8:47; 15:16 and in other places. Predestination is also is taught from the...
Capacity and ability are not the same. The capacity to seek the good comes from the original creation of man in an upright state in the image of God. In his fallen state man's capacity is wholly debilitated by the corruption of the fall, hence inability. Original man was created with the...
Indeed, I was, as are all before their re-birth (Eph. 2:1-5). I do know where you are headed here, and it would be more effective to just lay out your entire agenda than just resorting to playing twenty questions, as it were.
The elect are under the same condemnation until the application of...
When we approach holy Scripture we must make a choice—we either stand to be judged by the Word of God, or we sit in judgment upon it.
When I am confronted with conflicting versions of Scripture translations, I am compelled to make a choice, for I believe the holy scriptures are to be read with...
Some serious hermeneutical hopscotch is needed to deny the literal meaning of the six days.
1. The ordinance of the Sabbath is now doubtful if six days is not literal (Ex. 20:11).
2. If the First Adam is allegorical, then the Second Adam is as well.
3. A literal Adam is required in Romans.
4...
What follows is an example of the typical anti-Calvinist's view of predestination. The typical anti-Calvinist will argue:
Anti-Calvinist's such as the above have their very own version of predestination.
These folks may deny predestination as we Reformed understand it to be, but in their...
Despite the claims of others, there is but one Gospel. In a fast food society that likes just snippets it is wrong to assume that but the concise summary of the Gospel in 1 Cor 15 is the only time that Paul calls something "the Gospel". For example, the entire letter of Romans is repeatedly...
The term Romanist is not normally used as a pejorative, despite the claims of the Roman Catholic.
Indeed, you should not.
Romanist is but a normative term for Roman Catholics, just as Calvinist is a loose synonym for the Reformed that espouse a particular view of the doctrines of grace...
Appeals to the usual "all men" verses by the anti-Calvinist are easily met with reasoned interpretative skills.
For example,
The word “all” does not refer to all men who have existed, do exist, and will exist, but rather to all those who are under discussion in each individual text. You want...
Following a discussion of repentance following regeneration the not unexpected rejoinder was offered up:
Luke 13:3 is no more false than is Acts 11:18:
"When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, 'Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto...