The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Is man required to "choose" in order to be saved?

It is you who is ignoring the Westminster Confession. The chapter on "Free Will" specifically DENIES free will. Furthermore, Luther says that even prior to the fall Adam did not have libertarian free will between two equal choices. Although man became a slave to sin after the fall, he did not have free will even before the fall. That's because whatsoever comes to pass is ordained of God. Adam, being a moral agent, chose to become a sinner and he did so of his own choice. Adam is the author of his own sin. However, that does not imply libertarian free will. The only Being who has "free" will is God. That is because God alone is unaffected by anything outside of the Tri-Personality of the divine nature. God is immutable and completely independent of His creation.

Furthermore, the idea that God loves the reprobate is clearly unscriptural. "Many" are called but "few" are chosen. Those who do not believe are "condemned already." And it should be pointed out that not one of the elect will be lost. If the reprobate are condemned already--because they were decreed to reprobation (Romans 9:13) and because they refuse to believe (John 3:18), it follows that the outcome is predetermined. (1 Peter 2:8). So if Christ died for those already in hell, how do you call that love? Common grace teaches that Christ "in some sense" died for all mankind. (See Charles Hodge's Systematic Theology). That would mean that Christ died for some other reason other than simply propitiating God's wrath against His elect.

If whatsoever comes to pass IS God's will, THEN it follows that God hates the reprobate and that is the reason they will be in hell forever. God does whatsoever He pleases and what God does is always right--even when He predetermines the reprobate to hell before the foundation of the world:

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8 KJV)
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11 KJV)

I might add that I am not the one who began this discussion. The word "tirade" as used by you is not a logical argument but rather it is nothing more than the method of propaganda meant to distract from your lack of a logical and rational response.

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels1 are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death.2

See also: WLC 13


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1 1 Tim. 5:21; Matt. 25:41.

2 Rom. 9:22,23; Eph. 1:5,6; Prov. 16:4.

4. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.1

See also: WLC 13