Been reading Rays paper on LofF #15 "the myth of free-will exposed"
It is very good and been enjoying and believing everything said but I'm not so familiar with Calvins teaching other than reading that he believed "once saved always saved" or that he did not believe in free-will. Does anyone know what Ray was refering to about Calvin and the boys reading this verse in Jeremiah?
Still trying to understand cause and effect(Our Fathers way or no way)with no effort on our part.
The following is taken from Rays paper:
If man possesses a free will, then it IS POSSIBLE for him to choose good over evil. Do we have any arguments here? If a man possesses a free will, and he is presented with a choice between doing evil or doing good, then "free will" advocates (will all agree) that he has the ability to choose good. No he doesn’t. He absolutely has no such power or ability. And how can I say such a thing? Oh, not me. I did not come up with this. This verse is one of those "Thus saith the LORD…" verses. In Jer. 13:23 we find God speaking in the first person:
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."
Too bad that Calvin and the boys never took a longer look at this little verse of Scripture. It would have saved many thousands of hours of unprofitable debate. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? No. Can the leopard shed his spots? No. Then can we or anyone else in the world who grew up with a carnal mind, on his own, by his own fancied free will, choose and do good? God Himself says, "No." If the Ethiopian can change his skin and the leopard his spots, then you CAN do good. But if the Ethiopian cannot change his skin and the leopard his spots, then you CANNOT do good. But, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
We saw from the Scriptures that Adam and Eve did not have free will, nor did Peter, or any of the disciples before their conversion. But what about after their conversion and receiving the Holy Spirit? This is what a number of large denominations believe and teach. They teach that it certainly is true that the unregenerate, carnal-minded man cannot have a free will to choose and do good, but that at conversion and receiving of God’s Spirit, they can have free will to choose to do good. Is this true?
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
Free from what? Free to make "free choices" as opposed to CAUSED choices? This verse has absolutely nothing to do with a so-called "freedom of the will."
[To Be Continued]
I know of someone else who says the word does not teach "free-will" and also says they are not a calvinist(meaning they don't believe what he taught)
Any help would be appreciated.
God be with you
Child in the making