Why do some people believe and some do not?

Yes, but it's a reasonable assumption. Lots of things happened in scripture that aren't explicitly stated. I don't understand why there would be a need to assume he didn't.

This is why they have no real assurance in their "election." If their skewed idea of election is true and it's just determined that they believe..........What about the CHAFF? These false believers, that think they have salvation and think they believe will be surprised when they figure out that they were elected for the lake of fire.

If it's all determined and God can fool the CHAFF into thinking that they are really elected.....How many are CHAFF here? They have no security. And we can't identify anyone.

The calvies system is an infinite rabbit hole. Needs to be scrapped. I have a bet......I bet that none of the elect here think they are the CHAFF.........Their FREEWILL will not allow it.

Oh good I don't have to put up with your nonsense anymore

I don't see that you're saying anything differently than I am. The transformation is the indwelling spirit which makes us a new creation able to hear, understand and follow God

The Calvinites will positively MARINATE in this kind of absurd "paradox".
This thread is gonna get busy very soon.

ive heard that and it makes sense until you realize, people are getting saved cause they are smarter, humbler, more spiritually inclined.

if God has grace on everyone, then everyone is saved.

why dont we see these road to emmaus experiences?

They will because Calvinism is about intellect. It's about being the smartest guy in the room. It's about the image. And they have to keep trying to hide the dark side of Calvinism.......It's a marketing scheme. They have to make it palatable, because it will be rejected if they are not sneaky about it.

Nope people trust the message and the messenger and His good faith offer, that is why we have His written word right?

Same tactics on repeat.
A marketing scheme ... wow good point.

Great point

Well the Word says that men love their sin and refuse to turn from it. I would say that is the answer to the question. We have free will to choose to love God and follow Him or to walk away. It's a pity so many choose their sinful lifestyle.

Well I hope I wouldn't be arguing this point with you. I wasn't really trying to "correct" you on something you have wrong about the gospel. I was just agreeing with Magenta saying that the verse is more than than "just allegory". I was saying that it is speaking of an actual spiritual event that takes place in a believers life when they are born again. One that ONLY one who has been born again can comprehend in truth. We can't know the things of the spirit before we even have a live spirit.

So please don't think I was head hunting or trying to point out something you have "all wrong", I just disagreed that it was all allegory. We are on the same page as far as everything else. Was more a point of view difference than anything else. We are all good I hope.

But that didn't occur until well after he laid out the pieces as evidenced by the fact that he spent time driving off carrion from the carcasses. So he had plenty of time to walk between the pieces and then wait for God to do so to finish the ceremony.

Probably so, and maybe Abe walked through the pieces while doing so lol. I don't know what the big deal is. Do you think God walked through the pieces at Sinai? It's not mentioned that he did, but he almost certainly had to.

Faith is a gift because it comes from the word. No word, no faith.

But people think simply because we believe something, that somehow constitutes biblical faith. Faith is the word joined to our positive volition, working in the believer. In other words, if what you believe is not true? You do not have faith, no matter how much you believe it.

God made us with volition, He expects us to use it. Grace makes it's proper use viable because it is more than just God being a "nice guy", grace is real power at work.

Why? Do you believe in irresistible grace?

What has the Emmaus road got to do with what I was talking about?

I'm afraid you've completely lost me.

It's not your job to identify who and who is not saved based on what one believes. Our job is to speak the truth in love. God takes care of the saving.

That's not entirely true. While we can't comprehend the meaning of spiritual things in a relatable way, we can understand right and wrong, we can understand judgment, we can understand there is an eternal power behind the creation and we can understand that power is benevolent. So there are things we can understand about God and it is these things that God uses to draw us to Him.

Romans 1:19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (speaking of creation)

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

John 16:8
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: