John 6:37
This is one of many verses in scripture that must qualify as a tongue twister. Why? Because I know lots of people who stumble all over this and are unable to utter it. I once heard a pastor preaching through the Gospel of John and he just skipped over all those hard, verses as though they didn’t even exist. It’s kinda like the word “shibboleth" as used in Judges 12:1-4.
Try it yourself. If you can read it out loud, you are a Calvinist; if not you are probably an Arminian.
6 comments:
Try this one. "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48, King James Version).
I read an article that explained away Acts 13:48 as follows:
Acts 13:48 NASB – "When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."
“The Calvinist takes this verse to mean that those who had been predestined to eternal life believed because they were enabled to believe by Irresistible Grace and Gifted Faith. Notice that this verse doesn't say that they were preordained. It just says 'ordained.' The correct understanding of this verse is that those who believed were then ordained to eternal life. The ordaining to eternal life occurred when they believed!”
In other words, the Scriptures don't mean what they actually SAY... they mean what I want them to mean based on my personal doctrinal preferences.
Ron,
Can you say, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers?"
Yeah... I can say that, except for when I can't, other than, of course, for when I can. But on the other hand, I can't say that, except for when I can, other than, of course, for when I can't.
Sounds like some of the doctrinal double-talk you are talking about (except for when it doesn't).
I can't wait for Theology 101 in the New Jerusalem. One of the straws that nuanced me away from a Calvinist church I was attending was just what you talk about only the other way. The preacher gave this great eternal security, irresistible grace sermon and conveniently did not read the next verse which negated his main point.
I guess we can agree on Ephesians 2:8 however we understand the reason for grace being extended.
In the Sunday School class I was teaching last week a young lady through out the line, "but of course they were never saved in the first place." I guess I feel more secure knowing I am saved and am free to go apostate than to not know until judgement day if I am really one of the elect or just a wannabe.
Grace and peace.
"They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19, NASB).
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