is there a reason you post the way you do? Why are you repeating what I said outside of the box? that makes it confusing in itself.
In your origional post. if you were coming from a calvinist point of view. that regeneration must take place first. then my origional comment to you stands, and I am sorry if you did not understand that comment.
if you were not coming from a calvinist perspective, (that one m,ust be regenerated BEFORE they believe) then I wish you would have let me know. and we could have resolved the discussion. and that is why there may be confusion on your part.
Everlasting grace: is there a reason you post the way you do? Why are you repeating what I said outside of the box? that makes it confusing in itself.
WB: Sorry for the confusion especially so as my intention is to avoid that very thing.
Often times in forums recipients of posts will, for various reasons, choose to selectively edit out comments which are of relevance to the overall theme of the discussion and so I copy/past the comments made by members and try to address each point where relevant.
I hope that clears up that issue?
Everlasting grace: In your origional post. if you were coming from a calvinist point of view. that regeneration must take place first. then my origional comment to you stands, and I am sorry if you did not understand that comment.
WB: My intention is to present a Scriptural view as I am convinced that only God is infallible and only the Bible accurately informs readers of His thoughts.
That being the case I am convinced – and I’m speaking as a former atheist to give you some more context – that God gives to ‘some’ and indeed ‘many’ the gift of faith and that in that instant when someone e.g. WB is gifted with faith he is regenerated i.e. born again and is saved…whereas prior to that occasion WB was an unregenerate i.e. spiritually dead and unsaved man.
Is my position now made clear?
Everlasting grace: if you were not coming from a calvinist perspective, (that one m,ust be regenerated BEFORE they believe) then I wish you would have let me know. and we could have resolved the discussion. and that is why there may be confusion on your part.
WB: Is it not just possible that by trying to put my comments into a category, in this instance, that of Calvinism that you have created confusion for yourself?
As an aside, let me say this. I’ve read some of what Calvin has written and some of what Luther has written and I’ve also read some of what the Romanists have to say and whilst I find some of what those aforementioned have written to be of interest I consider their views only in the light of Scripture to see if what they present stands up to scrutiny.
In other words, I don’t put my faith in what any man has to say and the reason is that I know only too well that the default of Man is to get things wrong – even though they may very well be sincere.
So, I don’t identify as a Calvinist or a Lutheran or a Romanist ….and I identify as one who belongs to Jesus Christ who is my Lord and Saviour.