Well, if I wanted to produce such an arbitrary, piece-meal proof that Calvinism is "damnable heresy," I couldn't have done better.
You are ignoring all of the scriptural passages that teach God's complete sovereignty over election.
First: The "world"
In assuming that "the world" or even the "whole world" or "every man" means every specific individual, you are neglecting the historical/grammatical exegesis of scripture. The emphasis of Jesus dying for the sins of the world is an attempt to correct the Israel-centeredness of the new testament's audience. Before, the gentiles were cut off from the promise. Now, they are heirs just as much as the physical descendants of Abraham. You have still yet to show how you could possibly avoid universalism. (Which is easily refuted by scripture.) If Jesus atoned fully for every individual human being's sins ever, it would be unjust for God to cast the goats into hell.
Proof texts:
Okay "Mr. Scripture" as you claim to be, I challenge you to support the following assertions you've made with scripture:
-"Not a proponent of limiting God's sovereignty by saying that he can't allow true free will and still be able to accomplish his purposes."
What do you mean by "true free will" here? Are we talking tabula rasa and therefore Pelagianism? Is man's will absolutely free from the control of God? If it is, you will have to rip out the parts of the Bible that refer to Pharaoh, Saul, Judas, and Peter's denial of Jesus (to name but a few of the most blatant examples.)
-If the world means only the elect, then Christ had no interest in even attempting to reconcile other lost sinners unto Himself.
I thought logic was forbidden in our discussion. Thankfully, your conditional statement isn't valid, so you have no need to worry about violating your own standard. Christ had an interest in attempting to reconcile sinners to himself whom he knew wouldn't repent--that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Also, it's rather bold and presumptuous to claim that you know what Christ's interests couldn't be. Produce some scripture to back that up, if you would please.
-"Provision for all cannot become effective until it is appropriated by faith. (scripture please?????) A pardon must be received to be valid. A deposit must be drawn upon to be useful. A rope must be grasped to escape. The blood of the Passover Lamb had to be applied to the door posts of the Israelites to be efficacious Exodus 12:7-13."
It is not of him that will or of him that runs, but of God who shows mercy. I recommend that you read Romans 9 a few times. Memorize it. God is the potter and we are the clay.
Also, you keep forgetting that Adamic man is dead in his transgressions. Not sick, dead. A dead man can't grab for a life line in the water. He's in Davey Jones' locker with his lungs full of water being nibbled on by bottom dwellers. He can't appropriate anything unless the Holy Spririt quickens new life. Then, once regenerate (and only after becoming regenerate) he may appropriate the promise by faith. In order to receive forgiveness through faith, he must already be reborn. He must have had his will (which was in absolute bondage to sin) changed by nothing less than a miraculous act of God before he can receive anything.
"No hearer was called to consider first whether he might be among the elect."
And the straw mand is down! He's beating the stuffing out of that straw man with all his might! I never claimed that a hearer of the gospel was required to consider first whether he is one of the elect. Calvin never claimed it either. Have you ever read any Calvin? (Like, say, a paragraph?) You might want to do so before dismissing him as anathema... A hearer of the gospel is required to repent and be saved. If he does so, it is all the Lord's doing. If he doesn't then that's the Lord's will also.
Re: what the bible says
You are ignoring all of the scriptural passages that teach God's complete sovereignty over election.
First: The "world"
In assuming that "the world" or even the "whole world" or "every man" means every specific individual, you are neglecting the historical/grammatical exegesis of scripture. The emphasis of Jesus dying for the sins of the world is an attempt to correct the Israel-centeredness of the new testament's audience. Before, the gentiles were cut off from the promise. Now, they are heirs just as much as the physical descendants of Abraham. You have still yet to show how you could possibly avoid universalism. (Which is easily refuted by scripture.) If Jesus atoned fully for every individual human being's sins ever, it would be unjust for God to cast the goats into hell.
Proof texts:
Okay "Mr. Scripture" as you claim to be, I challenge you to support the following assertions you've made with scripture:
-"Not a proponent of limiting God's sovereignty by saying that he can't allow true free will and still be able to accomplish his purposes."
What do you mean by "true free will" here? Are we talking tabula rasa and therefore Pelagianism? Is man's will absolutely free from the control of God? If it is, you will have to rip out the parts of the Bible that refer to Pharaoh, Saul, Judas, and Peter's denial of Jesus (to name but a few of the most blatant examples.)
-If the world means only the elect, then Christ had no interest in even attempting to reconcile other lost sinners unto Himself.
I thought logic was forbidden in our discussion. Thankfully, your conditional statement isn't valid, so you have no need to worry about violating your own standard. Christ had an interest in attempting to reconcile sinners to himself whom he knew wouldn't repent--that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Also, it's rather bold and presumptuous to claim that you know what Christ's interests couldn't be. Produce some scripture to back that up, if you would please.
-"Provision for all cannot become effective until it is appropriated by faith. (scripture please?????) A pardon must be received to be valid. A deposit must be drawn upon to be useful. A rope must be grasped to escape. The blood of the Passover Lamb had to be applied to the door posts of the Israelites to be efficacious Exodus 12:7-13."
It is not of him that will or of him that runs, but of God who shows mercy. I recommend that you read Romans 9 a few times. Memorize it. God is the potter and we are the clay.
Also, you keep forgetting that Adamic man is dead in his transgressions. Not sick, dead. A dead man can't grab for a life line in the water. He's in Davey Jones' locker with his lungs full of water being nibbled on by bottom dwellers. He can't appropriate anything unless the Holy Spririt quickens new life. Then, once regenerate (and only after becoming regenerate) he may appropriate the promise by faith. In order to receive forgiveness through faith, he must already be reborn. He must have had his will (which was in absolute bondage to sin) changed by nothing less than a miraculous act of God before he can receive anything.
"No hearer was called to consider first whether he might be among the elect."
And the straw mand is down! He's beating the stuffing out of that straw man with all his might! I never claimed that a hearer of the gospel was required to consider first whether he is one of the elect. Calvin never claimed it either. Have you ever read any Calvin? (Like, say, a paragraph?) You might want to do so before dismissing him as anathema... A hearer of the gospel is required to repent and be saved. If he does so, it is all the Lord's doing. If he doesn't then that's the Lord's will also.
Yours in damnable heresy,
Mike