Confessions of an Arminian

[Athanasius]

But you all are no longer discussing.

Oh I agree, in fact, we were never discussing.

It is a full out internet arguement and both sides are not learning anything so it is unproductive in the body of christ. You all are not trying to teach each other or help eachother on your walks. You all are trying to get your points across.

But... I'm not trying to teach him anything; he's too deep into his ways.

That is full of emotion and pride, which is a horrible deadly sin. I only urge this to stop because I truly love the body of chirst and I don't like to see it when we do things against eachother. I don't like division that doesn't mean much because I don't control anything. Healthy discussion is good when someone is trying to learn. But that is not the case and the bible speaks against this type of heated discussion. It is not right and it is not like Christ. Now I am done with it do what you want to but that is what I know. This is not productive to the body and it is given the devil room to enter into this christian fourm. We are better than that.

If there's one thing we learned in this thread, it's that no, we aren't.

[Duane Morse]

Your own words, By Faith...

"I chose God the other day. God himself had nothing to do with it. I chose him out of my own free will because I have a righteous nature.

God's pretty lucky to have someone like me around. Those other poor slobs who weren't as righteous as I was...

In fact, I really don't need his power at all because I can accept him or reject him on my own any time I want to.

So God is at my beck and call, not the other way around.

Some people call me self-righteous, but at least I'm righteous and they're not.

So I don't really know what this fuss about Christ's death on the cross is all about since I myself can choose to do right and wrong all by myself.
Inf act, I don't pray much because God really can't do anything for me that i can't to for myself.

It's me who leads me out of temptation and delivers me from evil. Why, I'm just about the best thing that came along in a long time.

So the only thing I pray for is that others can be as righteous as I am..."




That is pretty 'high horse' to me.

Then you counter yourself by saying.


"And I got news for you, Xel, I cannot do anything righteous on my own because I'm nothing but a rotten sinner who doesn't deserve God's grace.

So since i take zero credit for anything good that I do but instead, give it all to God, then you have zero reason to claim that I think I'm good and righteous except that you're jealous.

So why do you claim I'm on a high horse when i give myself zero credit for anything good in me if you're not jealous?"



In the first post you attribute everything to yourself, and your own will.
In the others you attribute it to God.




As far as I am concerned, this is nothing but a troll thread meant to cause confusion and division.




God is lucky to have you around?
Yes, as an example of what we are not to be.

You chose God?
The scriptures prove you wrong.
It is God that chooses.

God is at your beck and call?
Got news for you, but God is in control - not you.


God can't do for you what you can't do for yourself?

Try raising yourself from your own death.




And, you will die.



I feel sorry for you. In a most profound way!

[crawfish]

I chose God the other day. God himself had everything to do with it. I chose him out of my own free will because I have seen and accepted His wondrous offer of grace forgiveness .

I'm pretty lucky that God has offered grace to someone unworthy, like me. I am a sinner - unrighteous and unworthy of salvation. But God has offered His eternal reward to those who choose to name Him their savior. I hope that others will also find God, and I'm motivated to share the Gospel with those around me - because God doesn't have some set number of people he's decided to save (and damn the rest of us), but ALL are offered God's gift of grace.

So God will reward me by His offer of grace, despite my unworthiness. I need Him utterly; I can no more save myself than I can jump to the moon. I will spend my life at God's beck and call, doing His will because I want my friends, acquaintances, and even my enemies to change their hearts and receive God's grace. Because NOBODY is beyond the reach of God. No matter what evil they've done.

Some people call me self-righteous, but the truth is, I'm not righteous - I'm forgiven. It's God's grace that saves me. I have no purity, goodness or righteous nature; but God makes me pure, good and righteous, and has saved me: I will see my reward in heaven. It feels good to be saved!

Thank God Christ died for my sins. It is through his sacrifice, through His death and resurrection, that I now may be forgiven and receive God's gift of salvation. Thank God for also giving us a choice - we were dead, but by choosing Him we can be alive. We were lost, but now we're found. I will bow before the cross, being obedient to Him for the rest of my life, because I am so happy to receive a gift for which I don't deserve. God's grace saves me - my works are a sign of my appreciation of that gift, and my dedication to bringing others to Christ. I am humbled before the Lord, and I can't do otherwise.

So the only thing I pray for is that others can accept God in their life, and receive God's gift of grace that is freely given. I am glad that they have the chance - that God has not already chosen who is saved and who will not be, and we are just going through the motions with no hope whatsoever. Lord, I pray that you will guide the hearts of those I have contact with, and guide me to say and do the things that will reach them, so they, too can have the offer of eternal life you have given me.

You had some parts right, but I had to make a few changes for it to reflect reality. The changes are in bold.

[9Marksfan]

Your own words, By Faith...

Er, it was Joyfilled who posted originally......

"I chose God the other day. God himself had nothing to do with it. I chose him out of my own free will because I have a righteous nature.

God's pretty lucky to have someone like me around. Those other poor slobs who weren't as righteous as I was...

In fact, I really don't need his power at all because I can accept him or reject him on my own any time I want to.

So God is at my beck and call, not the other way around.

Some people call me self-righteous, but at least I'm righteous and they're not.

So I don't really know what this fuss about Christ's death on the cross is all about since I myself can choose to do right and wrong all by myself.
Inf act, I don't pray much because God really can't do anything for me that i can't to for myself.

It's me who leads me out of temptation and delivers me from evil. Why, I'm just about the best thing that came along in a long time.

So the only thing I pray for is that others can be as righteous as I am..."

That is pretty 'high horse' to me.

It would be if he/she meant it - but it was DRIPPING with so much sarcasm that I'm quite frankly AMAZED that anyone could miss that! it was a parody on the Arminian position, folks!!!!

Then you counter yourself by saying.


"And I got news for you, Xel, I cannot do anything righteous on my own because I'm nothing but a rotten sinner who doesn't deserve God's grace.

So since i take zero credit for anything good that I do but instead, give it all to God, then you have zero reason to claim that I think I'm good and righteous except that you're jealous.

So why do you claim I'm on a high horse when i give myself zero credit for anything good in me if you're not jealous?"



In the first post you attribute everything to yourself, and your own will.

No - it was PARODY!!!!

As far as I am concerned, this is nothing but a troll thread meant to cause confusion and division.




God is lucky to have you around?

It was PARODY!

You chose God?
The scriptures prove you wrong.
It is God that chooses.

THta's what Joyfilled believes!

God is at your beck and call?
Got news for you, but God is in control - not you.

Again, that's what Joyfilled believes!

God can't do for you what you can't do for yourself?

Try raising yourself from your own death.

You guys are in complete agreement!

And, you will die.

Don't quite follow that.....

I feel sorry for you. In a most profound way!

Please reread the original post - and Joyfilled's replies and I think you'll see that thw thread is a parody on Arminianism which is just getting every Arminian's back up!

[Athanasius]

Parody, it was not. Rude, it was.

[Duane Morse]

Er, it was Joyfilled who posted originally......

Oop's, my bad.

Sorry, By Faith.

[9Marksfan]

Parody, it was not. Rude, it was.

No - I don't think the OP was rude at all - provocative, certainly - and perhaps subsequent posts were strongly worded - but - hey! - if you think they're rude, hit that Reported Post window!

[Athanasius]

No - I don't think the OP was rude at all - provocative, certainly - and perhaps subsequent posts were strongly worded - but - hey! - if you think they're rude, hit that Reported Post window!

I can't report God. Err, Joyfilled, who was directed by God to make the thread

[1of7000]

I had a friend who was an Armenian, he had a thick accent, a funny mustache and smell kinda bad cause he grew up bathing only once a week. His name was Calvin.

[ariel_jesus237]

I still can't believe (well I believe but I'm just so saddened) that people actually argue about the Arminian vs. Calvinist doctrine or any other different doctrinal beliefs within the body of Christ... I for one will not identify myself as anything but a Christian and bondservant of Christ. You all realize that the enemy is the one who plants seeds of discord between brothers and is the one responsible for the division in the Church of Christ? I have seen both sides of Arminian and Calvinist beliefs and though I lean slightly more towards the Arminian side, in no way do I disregard the Calvinist doctrine and I find it petty to actually have to pick "a side" since we're all saved by faith in Christ alone.... a lot of the other stuff is just trivial.

[coffee cup]

How can you be sure that you've been chosen? How does one know?

you know by keeping your eye on what Jesus has done for you.
THOSE bad days when you dont feel so saved . you still know your saved . Because Jesus has saved you on the cross.
YOU KNOW because a unbeliever would never be concerned about not having faith in Jesus.
www.whataboutjesus.com

[BrckBrln]

a lot of the other stuff is just trivial.

Understanding how we got saved is hardly trivial.

[Brother Mark]

Understanding how we got saved is hardly trivial.

If one can ever really understand the miracles that the Lord does, that would be amazing! But this thread isn't about that. It was about mocking, with a straw man, those that believe differently. Anyway, understanding the mechanics of salvation is far different than understanding the "how". In that, I am confident we can agree! Just thought I would throw that out there.

[IBWatching]

Then please explain where Arminians believe the decision to believe in God comes from;...

The need to repent, which Jesus said only man can do:

Luke 13:3 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were {worse} culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

No repentance, no Salvation. Both Peter and Paul concurred. It's man's choice. Without it, he remains lost.

[Joyfilled]

If one can ever really understand the miracles that the Lord does, that would be amazing! But this thread isn't about that. It was about mocking, with a straw man, those that believe differently. Anyway, understanding the mechanics of salvation is far different than understanding the "how". In that, I am confident we can agree! Just thought I would throw that out there.

Since I initiated the thread then I know what it's about. It's showing the ludicrousy of the Arminian belief that we are righteous enough to choose God and believe him. Only the Holy Spirit changes hearts and minds, gives us faith, strength and controls our lives. So the credit belongs to God, not man's own will. So I hope Arminians are convicted by my thread. If not, they should be ashamed of themselves. But one has to have humility to have shame. So I'm sure they'll continue their self-righteousness. But they will be held accountable by God on judgment day for their arrogance.