If Calvin was correct in asserting that man is dead in his sins and unable to turn to God, why does Jesus enjoin folk to do just that; even to those he explicitly describes as not his sheep?
John 10:36b-38
Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
(Verses 25-26 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.)
If they cannot do as Jesus invites them to without Godly regeneration then Jesus is...I hesitate to say it...merely toying with them. But, it seems to me that he is earnestly imploring them to believe, even suggesting that they focus on the proof of his works.
Regeneration... Predestination... Ordaining... Free Will... Sovereignty... Permissive Will... Punishment... Correction... Obedience... Depravity... Fallen Beings...
All of these words are theological buzz words that [MENTION=7209]Ask Mr. Religion[/MENTION] has rightly stated have stigmas attaches to human perception and they can all mean 1,000,000 different things to 10 different people... (exaggeration for effect).
Simplicity can be impeded by “pre conception”... and thus... the round and round goes on.
I will attempt to specify on the matter you are stating and what I have observed...
You are bringing up reform on a fairly consistent basis... so...
There are Macro Understandings and Micro Understandings That create dynamic differences in discussion...
The first big Macro Words are Destiny, Choice and Free Will
Theology cannot strike at anything without first traveling one or more of these roads...
As you zero in on “Destiny”... you find that the “Destiny” believing Theist attributes God’s omniscience to a kind that has every last molecule ordered in time, space and all of Creation.
The Destiny Theist then must sort out how Salvation occurs from this stance... many times the Destiny Theist attributes pre conceived sorting of mankind... because of the simple nature of linear structure that was “ordained” by God...
Dichotomies occur with this camp... because some define God as “Disabling” some and “Enabling” others.
[MENTION=6696]Lon[/MENTION] and [MENTION=7209]Ask Mr. Religion[/MENTION] are staunch “Destiny Theists and staunch advocates of God’s perfect goodness... as much as the constraints of “Destiny Theism” allow... and... I will state that they go to enormous lengths to leverage their understanding to ease mankind’s burden through proclaiming the Gospel of God’s Infinitly Effectual Saccrifice.
Within Destiny Theism... the Micro Shifts occur...
The most dramatic of these is founded on humility or elitism.
Lon and AMR found their Destiny in humility... while many Destiny Theists claim elitism and “Regeneration” that makes them “better” than others.
Neither Lon nor AMR do this. You can debate with them to the ends of the universe and they will remain founded on Jesus... and the framework of Destiny that occurs from Perfect Omnicient planning...
Others... might leverage Destiny to minimize the value of others...
Note... this is all founded on perception and choice in understanding...
CHOICE... lingers between both the Destiny and Free Will camp... but it takes on significantly altered meaning... within each of the Macro Camps...
To be blunt... Free Will and Destiny Theists believe that God’s Love is irresistible... but Free Will Theists believe that God “Allows” Human choice to reject His Saccrifice And Love...
I’m not wasting my time with Any camp that denies absolute salvational assurance... so... I’m not addressing that... as God’s Intent to Save is genuinely perfect and unfailing...
Now... on that note... the Destiny Theist says that God Is Unfailing... thus He could never Save someone that will be “Lost”. The Free Will Theist believes that Human Choice, out of God’s Choice... is honored. Thus... God proposes salvation to all and pulls all, but accepts rejection as a viable response.
Sincerely... these are lenses of understanding and human points of contention...
In the end... God is Love... Is Effectual... and Unchanging at core...
Destiny believes we adapt to God... while Free Will believes God and Humanity adapt to one another and in the process... the human being is “changed” at core... for the very best and most sincere result...
These simple ponderings can generate Volumes of text and Libraries of Commentary... but one must recognize... Perception does not define...
Only Truth DEFINES...
And TRUTH has a name...
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
And in this... we can all lean back on John 5:39... because no matter the path of logic... The Believer knows It’s ultimately God that accomplishe(d/s) ALL... and it is us who Respond in gratitude and Joy...
That is a place that most can agree on and it is the place of peace... to be forth right...
All my best...
EE