Ok pay close attention please.
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,”
Romans 8:6-7 NASB1995
Paul says that the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God.
And that is all mankind before the new birth and indwelling Holy Spirit (
Romans 3:9-10,
Romans 5:18).
Iranaeus said that God has gave to man the mental power to both good and evil. These do not contradict one another. The person who sets his mind on the flesh cannot please God.
“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”Romans 8:5 NASB1995
And the former are the regenerate, while the latter are the unregenerate, the not born again, those without the indwelling Holy Spirit enabling them to do otherwise.
Those who set their mind on the flesh are of the flesh. Iranaeus is saying that God has given man the ability to set his mind on the Spirit. He’s not saying that man can set his mind on the Spirit by his own doing.
Are you
able to do something that you yourself can
not do?
The statement that man is given the
ability means man is
able by his own power.
You are either misunderstanding Irenaeus, or he is using wrong terminology.
According to your understanding of Irenaeus, correct terminology would be that man has the
capacity,
competence for setting his mind on the Spirit, but that does not mean he has the
power to do so.
My vacuum cleaner has the
capacity,
competence to move dust and dirt, but it doesn't have the
power to do so apart from an electrical source.
With this terminology in mind, is Irenaneous saying what you say he is saying, that man has the capacity, but not the power?
If so, then I think that puts him in agreement with Calvin, right? . . .as well as the NT.
No wonder we cannot come to agreement, if wrong terminology is involved.