KingJ -- it's like a coin has two sides -- both sides of that coin are True -- there's another post I wrote that somehow -- either I didn't actually Post it or it got lost in the shuffle.
The Sovereignty of God. He has a plan for this world and everyone in it -- He knows exactly what's going to happen and when. Which Also means that He alone knows when and where I , myself, will accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I only have this present life-time To do that. No purgatory or anything like that. My last breath -- for every born-again believer Will put him in the presence of the Lord. That is eternal security -- once saved Always saved.
In My particular case -- I grew up in a conservative Baptist church , so I heard God's Word taught all the time. I had a Great 'head knowledge' of salvation. But it wasn't in my Heart until I was in jr. high. I had free will to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior in Spite of having experienced a lot of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. We went to a Big church. I was very shy and fought the urge to 'go forward' in order to have the pastor lead me to Christ. I wasn't a 'bad' kid at all. Nothing I'd Have to give up. There was no 'fake' free will being given to me -- it was God extending me His grace. After all -- until I Did accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior -- I was a sinner on my way to hell. God , alone, knew I was Not going to end up in hell.
and the moment I prayed , while in church, I told God that I didn't know for sure that I was a Christian -- and that I wanted to Make sure of that. And the instant I Did do that -- I felt a warmth in my heart -- it was Wonderful -- I knew that God Had indeed heard my prayer to Him and that the Holy Spirit really Had come to indwell me. Never any doubt since then. And I've Also felt the convicting of the Holy Spirit Many times when I've been a bit messed up. And there are some things I 'fight' off and on. Satan knows me and my weaknesses very well.
God does Not just give 'us' one chance to accept His way of salvation and then He's done with us. I'm proof of that. And That is the free will part. He exercises the free will by giving us those times of resisting Him Before we understand all that we , as an individual Needs to understand for our personal Salvation to take place.
so -- what You 'see' as contradiction is perfectly Clear to me.
What I was looking for in various threads of discussion was when you were talking about Calvinism being a heresy. You'd been very concerned about my Calvinistic ways of interpreting Scripture. I'd been sharing that Calvinism was brought into existence by Mr. John Calvin many years ago. His own interpretation of lots of Scripture. and Lots of people really took to it. But then Mr. Arminius responded Back to that with what has turned into being Arminianism. And That has lots of followers Also.
Apparently you are very familiar with 5-point Calvinism because you 'recognize' some of my comments as being very Calvinistic. And I've Also shared that I'm neither of these 'labels'.
there Are some people who Are very Calvinistic and proud of it. They Like that 'label'.
In Calvinism there is the TULIP. And a lot of that Is true.
You've commented that Calvinism is a dangerous heresy -- I'm commented Back that heresy is denying that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And that the cross is Not sufficient for our personal salvation. And that good works are necessary on our part to complete our salvation. THAT is Wrong. That Would be heresy.
Calvinism does Not deny any of that. But he Does make comments like the blood of Christ is only sufficient for His elect. And John 3:16 says otherwise. 'Who so ever believeth on Him will be saved'.
So -- with the coin -- on One side -- God Does know every single person who will accept His gift of salvation. Election and predestination are tricky subjects to understand.
the Other side of the coin is that 'we' don't know who God's 'elect' are. We are told to share the Gospel unto salvation with Everyone - we don't force that on anyone. We Are to share though and it's up to the Holy Spirit what they do with that information being shared with them. A former son-in-law is a strong Calvinist -- he said that he Will share the Gospel but he Won't actually lead anyone to the Lord. that's the job of the Holy Spirit. And there is Another guy I'd known years ago. it's like if you're in the water and having problems swimming / in danger of drowning There's a boat close by with a life preserver in it. Someone throws a life preserver to you, but it doesn't quite get to you then you aren't really being 'saved'. If you'd have to reach for that life preserver then you're doing a 'work'. That the life preserver has to actually land around you and then you can be pulled to safety / salvation.
So -- please -- don't automatically label me as being a Calvinist just because I apply Scripture in some of the same ways. A label I Can work with is being a pre-tribulation rapture person.
I'm neither a Calvinist Or an Arminian -- I'm a Bible person who's a born-again believer and believe that OSAS. Eternal security of the believer.