Thank you CF and members!

[akolouthein]

It is necessary, but we can not believe unless God enables us to - going back to Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, and Irresistable Grace. It is important to remember (and as a fairly new Reformed Christian I have to remind myself) while it is good to understand the individual points of Calvinism; they can't be seperated individually and defended by themselves- they are all intertwined.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Thanks, that's what I thought was just confused for a sec.

 

[CoffeeSwirls]

Side note about the Desiring God conference, I will be "liveblogging" it with Tim Challies on the 7th through the 9th. Our blogs are as follows:
http://www.coffeeswirls.com
http://www.challies.com

You can log in on those days to hear what's going on. We are planning to put out the main themes during the speeches and then typing away between sessions. Tim is a guy I have come to respect. In fact, he's the one who was loving enough to show me the Doctrines of Grace and even go through "Desiring God" with me, answering questions as we went.

Heck, if you want some real content, I'd point you to his site over my own!

Desiring God 2005 National Conference

“Suffering & the Sovereignty of God”
October 7-9, 2005
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Speakers:
Carl Ellis
John Piper
David Powlison
Steve Saint
Joni Eareckson Tada
Mark Talbot

For more information and to register, click here.

At Desiring God, we hold the deep conviction that God is indeed sovereign over all things, including suffering, and that he is good and wise. We believe this is what the Bible teaches. We believe that it is good news for suffering people. We believe the alternative is hopelessness.

Join us in October as we joyfully pursue God through teaching, worship, prayer, and fellowship. And may the faith of God’s people be strengthened as we consider the sovereignty of God over suffering.

 

[Imblessed]

Wow! I am learning so much here I just got all excited and had to drop a line and say thank you to all the people who ask great questions and to all of you who in the spirit of learning , respond with scripturally supported positions. I was raised arminian (Free Will Baptist) and before I started searching the Semper Reformanda boards I was just dead set on not believing anything contained in T.U.L.I.P. I didn't want to even hear the scripture supported and was totally stiff necked. My position was "Well that just doesn't make good sense! Why even consider it!?" Well God has really opened my eyes. I've searched so many posts now I cannot even remember the main subject of all of them but someone made the analogy saved=elect , elect=saved and my eyes went ! There it was, staring me right in the face, the truth of it all. Now do I totally understand everything yet about the five points of calvanism? Noooooo. But I'm being open minded about it and seeing that regardless of what anyone thinks there sure is alot of scripture to support all 5 points LOL. Anyways, thank you all!

This is so awesome!

I also came to understand the Doctrines of Grace (TULIP) here at CF. And it's been wonderful to see several people come to understand and embrace this truth as well!

I'm reading Desiring God right now, and it is truly a powerful book. So many people recommended it to me, and I think I'm figuring out why. There are things in it I'm stuggling with, concepts I'm having to rethink, but I'm really really enjoying it so far.


Keep on asking those questions! We will always do our best to answer.

and before I started searching the Semper Reformanda boards I was just dead set on not believing anything contained in T.U.L.I.P. I didn't want to even hear the scripture supported and was totally stiff necked. My position was "Well that just doesn't make good sense! Why even consider it!?" Well God has really opened my eyes.

You know, if God hadn't been directly involved in your change of heart, you never would have bothered even searching the semper reformanda boards would you? If you really were "dead set against even hearing support for it", you wouldn't have came here.
Just another bit of proof that God truly is in charge! And Praise Him for that!



I think that a whole lot of people would embrace God's Sovereignity alot better if they could step back and truly "see" how it is they came to God. Even when we think we are the ones running to him--if we think closely about it, we see the point where God actually turned us around so we could run TO Him, instead of AWAY from Him.

 

[Imblessed]

Side note about the Desiring God conference, I will be "liveblogging" it with Tim Challies on the 7th through the 9th. Our blogs are as follows:
http://www.coffeeswirls.com
http://www.challies.com

You can log in on those days to hear what's going on. We are planning to put out the main themes during the speeches and then typing away between sessions. Tim is a guy I have come to respect. In fact, he's the one who was loving enough to show me the Doctrines of Grace and even go through "Desiring God" with me, answering questions as we went.

Heck, if you want some real content, I'd point you to his site over my own!

Desiring God 2005 National Conference

“Suffering & the Sovereignty of God”
October 7-9, 2005
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Speakers:
Carl Ellis
John Piper
David Powlison
Steve Saint
Joni Eareckson Tada
Mark Talbot

For more information and to register, click here.

At Desiring God, we hold the deep conviction that God is indeed sovereign over all things, including suffering, and that he is good and wise. We believe this is what the Bible teaches. We believe that it is good news for suffering people. We believe the alternative is hopelessness.

Join us in October as we joyfully pursue God through teaching, worship, prayer, and fellowship. And may the faith of God’s people be strengthened as we consider the sovereignty of God over suffering.

(repeats mantra over and over---love does not envy........)

Have fun! If I was not already babysitting for my sister in Maryland this weekend, I'd SERIOUSLY consider figuring out a way to go!

 

[Imblessed]

nah, that's sincere. I'm not always rudely sarcastic, just a lot of the time

your reputation proceeds you reformedfan! LOL

we love ya! especially your sense of humor! he he he

 

[A New Dawn]

It is necessary, but we can not believe unless God enables us to - going back to Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, and Irresistable Grace. It is important to remember (and as a fairly new Reformed Christian I have to remind myself) while it is good to understand the individual points of Calvinism; they can't be seperated individually and defended by themselves- they are all intertwined.

This is so very true! I came to the Doctrines of Grace here on CF just within the last few months, and when I try to speak to someone about it, I just cannot separate one from the other. They just flow together. One day I will get a clear, succinct answer ready to give without all the backtracking. :o

 

[akolouthein]

Side note about the Desiring God conference, I will be "liveblogging" it with Tim Challies on the 7th through the 9th. Our blogs are as follows:
http://www.coffeeswirls.com
http://www.challies.com

You can log in on those days to hear what's going on. We are planning to put out the main themes during the speeches and then typing away between sessions. Tim is a guy I have come to respect. In fact, he's the one who was loving enough to show me the Doctrines of Grace and even go through "Desiring God" with me, answering questions as we went.

Heck, if you want some real content, I'd point you to his site over my own!

Desiring God 2005 National Conference

“Suffering & the Sovereignty of God”
October 7-9, 2005
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Speakers:
Carl Ellis
John Piper
David Powlison
Steve Saint
Joni Eareckson Tada
Mark Talbot

For more information and to register, click here.

At Desiring God, we hold the deep conviction that God is indeed sovereign over all things, including suffering, and that he is good and wise. We believe this is what the Bible teaches. We believe that it is good news for suffering people. We believe the alternative is hopelessness.

Join us in October as we joyfully pursue God through teaching, worship, prayer, and fellowship. And may the faith of God’s people be strengthened as we consider the sovereignty of God over suffering.

Thanks tons!

 

[akolouthein]

This is so awesome!

I also came to understand the Doctrines of Grace (TULIP) here at CF. And it's been wonderful to see several people come to understand and embrace this truth as well!

I'm reading Desiring God right now, and it is truly a powerful book. So many people recommended it to me, and I think I'm figuring out why. There are things in it I'm stuggling with, concepts I'm having to rethink, but I'm really really enjoying it so far.


Keep on asking those questions! We will always do our best to answer.

You know, if God hadn't been directly involved in your change of heart, you never would have bothered even searching the semper reformanda boards would you? If you really were "dead set against even hearing support for it", you wouldn't have came here.
Just another bit of proof that God truly is in charge! And Praise Him for that!



I think that a whole lot of people would embrace God's Sovereignity alot better if they could step back and truly "see" how it is they came to God. Even when we think we are the ones running to him--if we think closely about it, we see the point where God actually turned us around so we could run TO Him, instead of AWAY from Him.

I am really starting to focus on the full sovereignty of God in all things, It is simply amazing!

 

[edie19]

I am really starting to focus on the full sovereignty of God in all things, It is simply amazing!

It is amazing - no argument. That's one thing that I've continued to struggle with. I recognize that God is sovereign, that nothing happens outside His will and purpose. But, in many respects, I'm still the person my parents raised to be self-reliant and independant, I want to be the one in control of my life. God has gently yet firmly brought me around over the years. As I grow in knowledge of Him and study His Word I'm much more able to let go of things and realize I don't need to come up with all the solutions.

 

[akolouthein]

It is amazing - no argument. That's one thing that I've continued to struggle with. I recognize that God is sovereign, that nothing happens outside His will and purpose. But, in many respects, I'm still the person my parents raised to be self-reliant and independant, I want to be the one in control of my life. God has gently yet firmly brought me around over the years. As I grow in knowledge of Him and study His Word I'm much more able to let go of things and realize I don't need to come up with all the solutions.

Oh how true this is for me too. Its almost overwhelming how powerful God's sovereignty is. I think it takes time for any of us to start to grasp the gravity of it. So i just keep on

 

[Erinwilcox]

Wow! I am learning so much here I just got all excited and had to drop a line and say thank you to all the people who ask great questions and to all of you who in the spirit of learning , respond with scripturally supported positions. I was raised arminian (Free Will Baptist) and before I started searching the Semper Reformanda boards I was just dead set on not believing anything contained in T.U.L.I.P. I didn't want to even hear the scripture supported and was totally stiff necked. My position was "Well that just doesn't make good sense! Why even consider it!?" Well God has really opened my eyes. I've searched so many posts now I cannot even remember the main subject of all of them but someone made the analogy saved=elect , elect=saved and my eyes went ! There it was, staring me right in the face, the truth of it all. Now do I totally understand everything yet about the five points of calvanism? Noooooo. But I'm being open minded about it and seeing that regardless of what anyone thinks there sure is alot of scripture to support all 5 points LOL. Anyways, thank you all!

Praise the Lord!!!! I also have praise for CF. I'd been feeling pretty starved for good, biblical friends and conversations. I would have church on Sundays, but then I have school and work for the rest of the week. I wanted more fellowship! Then I found CF. Now I have access to 24 hour fellowship with likeminded believers and I love it. God has really used CF and all of you Reformed people to encourage me in my faith.

 

[CoffeeSwirls]

I'm still playing catch-up right now. I hope it's not bad protocol to revive a thread that has tapered.

Awesome! thanks much. One question that I have is when you stated "Christ died for all sins but you must believe to be saved" , Do we not have to believe to be saved? We recognize that God is the one who moves us to believe but it is the belief that he produces in us that assures our election correct?

According to Ephesians 2, we were all dead in our sins, but God made us alive. This bears a similarity to the death and resurrection of Christ. One of the reasons God raised Him was to show His approval of the death at Calvary as sufficitent for the pardoning of sin.

The parallel I see is that we are dead in our sins, but God makes us alive to Christ and dead to sin to show that we are approved for every good work, i.e. elect. We are made alive and able to see our sin for what it is. At the same time, we are able to taste the glory of the goodness of grace. Once we have had our eyes opened, we make a choice and there never has been, nor will there ever be, someone who sees clearly what the options are but will still remain in their sin. Faith is granted by God as is repentence. At that point and the person is justified before God and will live a life that resembles their redeemed nature more and more as they are sanctified.

This can only happen through the hearing of the word of God, not through any other activity. This is why us mean old Calvinists are so committed to the Bible. The hearing of the word produces a belief from the heart, not just an agreement of certain facts. When one's heart is changed, they will walk according to their renewed affections, displaying the fruits of the spirit. Belief is incomplete until it is consumated with those products of the Holy Spirit which is promised to all who are in Christ.

 

[Rolf Ernst]

I'm having a little trouble defending Limited Atonement but I'm trying to hold my own . I'm sure you all have heard it , the scriptures that contain ALL and the WHOLE world when referring to salvation or God's desire to save. I need a crash course in defense against those scriptures. Its been noted that most of the scriptures stating all really refers to all types of men but I'm curious if there are any of those scriptures we can not apply the "all types" to and it simply means all.

Akolouthein--The best book I have found for the defense of trhe Reformed faith is John Gill's The Cause of God and Truth. Gill goes throughout Scripture and explains the verses which seem contradictory to reformed doctrine, and he does so in a very thorough, even-handed way. It is now available in print. Try the Solid Rock website.

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

Akolouthein--The best book I have found for the defense of trhe Reformed faith is John Gill's The Cause of God and Truth. Gill goes throughout Scripture and explains the verses which seem contradictory to reformed doctrine, and he does so in a very thorough, even-handed way. It is now available in print. Try the Solid Rock website.

For books I recommend Loraine Beottner's The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination you can get the book here and it is on the web here. I also highly recommend A.W. Pinks Sovereignty of God. It can be found here and it is on the web here.

Hope that helps.
Kenith

 

[Rolf Ernst]

Akolouthein--I think I misdirected you. I think the website where you can find Gill's The Cause of God and Truth is Rock Solid rather than the Solid Rock i mentioned earlier. Sorry.

 

[Rolf Ernst]

Akolouthein--I think I misdirected you. I think the website where you can find Gill's The Cause of God and Truth is Rock Solid rather than the Solid Rock i mentioned earlier. Sorry.

And Amazon.com has it also!!