"I Don't Want Free Will" by Martin Luther

[moostraks]

So what are the problems with this? (Beorn- I hope you read this response, because what I replied to you is what I will demonstrate now)

1. Logical fallacies
2. A misunderstanding of the law/gospel distinction, which leads to works-salvationism




1. Logical fallacy: When you quote the commands to repent, and then argue that therefore man can repent, your argument is illogical. Why? Because ought does not imply can.

If there is anything so clear in the Bible, it is that man cannot follow the law.


Man cannot follow or submit to the law of God. "Repent and believe" is a command of the law. Therefore, man CANNOT repent and believe.

Men are dead in sin and cannot submit to God's commands to repent. This is why repentance must be GRANTED by God in order for it to ever happen:


God ONLY commands men to do things that they CANNOT do.

I will say that again, so it will sink in: God ONLY commands men to do what they CANNOT do.




2. Misunderstanding of the law/gospel distinction:

Christianity contains two covenants. The covenant of works and the covenant of grace. The difference between these two covenants are discussed by Paul:


The covenant of works is a covenant where God says that if you do not do EVERYTHING that is written in My law, you are cursed.

The covenant of grace is not like the covenant of works. The covenant of grace says "Christ has become a curse FOR ME, in my place".

This is what leads Paul to say "Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”"




The gospel is not a new set of commands. The gospel is not a new set of laws. The gospel is not a set of new moral requirements. That is the law.

The gospel is that Christ fulfilled the commands of the law perfectly for His people. The gospel is the good news of an event that already happened. The gospel is not a work or something you must do.

If you say that the gospel requires any action from man (like repentance) then you are saying man is justified by law, so therefore, you put yourself under the curse of the law. The law requires perfect and absolute obedience, and since you cannot perform the works of the law because of your sin, you will condemn yourself.

Faith is contrary to law, as Paul says. Faith is not work.


This is why you are not a Christian and are not preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

No, you take verses and overlay a pretentious meaning contrary to the established intentions upheld by the early church. You insist upon taking them out of context, denying relevance to the books they are contained within. Just because you claim a matter to be so does not make it such. You are just regurgitating the same nonsense you have been smacking people around with for at least 6 months, that I know of, and we have all heard your position. You are elect, we are not.

So your position is that the fruits of the spirit are just a lie? That a true Christian will not have any evidence of a growing faith? That the Scriptures are not for teaching and reproof? The great commission is a lie? The greatest commandment and its partner do not pertain to Christians? I have heard some tortured logic but this takes the cake. You have basically turned the Bible into a paperweight, and used a sharpie to mark out passages that would highlight any inappropriate offense you may commit. So is this why 2 Timothy does not pertain to you?

You are misrepresenting any measure of free will to be equal with justification by works. That is the fallacy put forth to obfuscate the naive.

Maybe you have never experienced the Spirit wherein the law is not complied with in a pharisaical fashion? Maybe that is why you were led to Calvinism to shed your baggage but instead you have made a law of your doctrines and suffer the same bitter intolerance? It is the intention of the heart that is being disputed. When one is a new Christian they are inexperienced in humbling their will. They can fall back into old habits easily and lead others astray. This is why church leadership goes to those who are time tested and teachers should never be hot headed and disrespectful.

Revelation 3:19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches


We are born with a spark. We either extinguish the spark or we can give the Holy Spirit room to light a brushfire. You are using your intellect to suffocate others fire as well as your own. You do not have the authority to define whether or not I am a Christian. I do not belong to you. You are not my master.

As for gospel

gos·pel
   [gos-puhl] Show IPA

noun
1.
the teachings of Jesus and the apostles; the Christian revelation.

2.
the story of Christ's life and teachings, especially as contained in the first four books of the new testament, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

3.
( usually initial capital letter ) any of these four books.

4.
something regarded as true and implicitly believed: to take his report for gospel.

5.
a doctrine regarded as of prime importance: political gospel.

Which version of the definition are you parsing?

 

[moostraks]

Will even give you the definition for revelation


rev·e·la·tion
   [rev-uh-ley-shuhn] Show IPA

noun
1.
the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.

2.
something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.

3.
Theology .
a.
God's disclosure of Himself and His will to His creatures.

b.
an instance of such communication or disclosure.

c.
something thus communicated or disclosed.

d.
something that contains such disclosure, as the Bible

Again...I am having a problem trying to puzzle out where you are going with this as I believe you are taking the position of seperating the disclosure of who God is from what His Will is.

*Eta I think that problem may be in that you take one defining act and are misrepresenting other belief systems which you only view with contempt. The gospel as being John 3:16, then okay. You start making your doctrines the gospel, not so okay.