Quote:
Originally Posted by saltwn
This is an old argument. People who believe predestination exclusive of other biblical factors are as those who are died in the wool Republicans or Democrats. You are not going to sway them. The best thing is to find some terms of agreement. That is sometimes difficult. For one thing many predestination folks are also faith to the exclusion of works folks. People who feel we are not predestined often emphasize works to the exclusion of faith.
The Bible says it takes both to be a Christian.  |
Yes it’s an old argument, I have heard it long before my own conversion, but I'm not really interested in what people think against what the Bible says.
I believe that many on both sides of the argument fail to understand the power of the Holy Spirit. First thing what predestination shows is that a Christian's salvation is sure. The next thing is that those who are truly converted will not turn their back on God; it is not because they cannot, no, it’s because they will not. They will not because the Holy Spirit in him or her gives them the power to remain faithful.
It's the same way a Christian knows that God will always be true to His word; God is predestined to be true to His word, not because He cannot go against His word, but because He will not, it’s not His nature to do that. So once the nature of God has been imparted to them, I'm speaking of the Holy Spirit, that person will not desire to depart from God, thus predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son.