tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post7931297179541154433..comments2023-11-05T01:28:27.551-07:00Comments on Theology of Andrew: GRACE ALONE => THE ONLY WAYUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-17777553695045841262008-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:002008-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:00Andrew, I think you may have confused mystery with...Andrew, I think you may have confused mystery with contradiction. They are a bit different. <BR/><BR/>Mystery is the unknown; contradiction is the irrational, holding two <I>known</I> opposing propositions to be true at the same time and in the same sense.<BR/><BR/>Appealing to mystery is only helpful if one is willing to be silent on the issue about which mystery is appealed. In other words, with respect to the free will debate, one can only truly appeal to mystery if he is willing either to deny any understanding of divine sovereignty, which includes exhaustive foreknowledge, or to deny any understanding of a self-determined human will. <BR/><BR/>To assert a self-determination (e.g. "their will is enabled by God so that they have the choice to accept or reject him) while also asserting divine foreknowledge (e.g. "the results were already pre-known by God)is a contradiction not a mystery. <BR/><BR/><I>kind of like why Presbyterians trust the canon of scripture established by the WCF's Anti-Christ.</I><BR/><BR/>I think we figure "Even the demons . . ." (James 2:19) :-)<BR/><BR/>But seriously, I'm sure you understand our doctrine of the canon is non-falsifiable, as is Rome's. Such is the nature of things such as this.M. Jay Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14196144533530725736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-31833687596975254132008-10-28T12:47:00.000-07:002008-10-28T12:47:00.000-07:00No I haven't read that book by Kreeft, I should pi...No I haven't read that book by Kreeft, I should pick it up. Thanks Jared.<BR/><BR/>It's a mystery Jay, kind of like why Presbyterians trust the canon of scripture established by the WCF's Anti-Christ. <BR/><BR/>I guess I'd say that their will is enabled by God so that they have the choice to accept or reject him, while at the same time they are affected by their sinful nature, and the calling of the Holy Spirit in a nightmarish wrestling match of the will where the results were already pre-known by God, and in which my role as a believer is to exhort them to choose life.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752373297874435269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-75328852394658686592008-10-27T21:20:00.000-07:002008-10-27T21:20:00.000-07:00I would agree with Kreeft that many Roman Catholic...I would agree with Kreeft that many Roman Catholics are less grace-centric than Catholic doctrine is, at least on paper. Kreeft has to be one of my favorite Catholics. Have you ever read Kreeft's "The God who Loves You?"Jared Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18445783451815077626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-80864051400173953032008-10-27T20:30:00.000-07:002008-10-27T20:30:00.000-07:00So you don't believe the human will is self-determ...So you don't believe the human will is self-determined?<BR/><BR/>If not, what do you mean when you say, "Jesus made it possible for all men to come to faith"?M. Jay Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14196144533530725736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-56766686612292917982008-10-27T17:12:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:12:00.000-07:00I don't know jay. I guess I would define it as ch...I don't know jay. I guess I would define it as choosing by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and in accordance with the Election of God? <BR/><BR/>But nothing I say will be good enough for you anyway until I bow at the statue of Calvin, and as you know I only worship Mary and the Pope. (sarcasm)Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752373297874435269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-63192794541382236872008-10-27T17:10:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:10:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752373297874435269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970772341265505777.post-47957131850604047382008-10-26T21:05:00.000-07:002008-10-26T21:05:00.000-07:00Andrew,How would you define the choice which acqui...Andrew,<BR/><BR/>How would you define the choice which acquires salvation, particularly as it relates to intentions or sincerity?M. Jay Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14196144533530725736noreply@blogger.com