Dear Josh,<br><br>John Reisinger writes... "God and man must both do something before a man can be saved. Hyper-Calvinism denies the necessity of human action, and Arminianism denies the true nature of the Divine action. The Bible clearly sets forth both the divine and human essential in God's plan of salvation. This is not to say, as Arminianism and JoshT state, "God's part is to freely provide salvation for all men, and man's part is to become willing to accept it." This is not what we said above, nor is it what the Bible teaches.<br><br>To speak of God's part in salvation as only being one of providing forgiveness and man's part as being willing to accept it is to ignore both the Father's work of election and the Spirit's work of regeneration. This not only makes man a full partner with God in the work of salvation, it credits man with playing the decisive roll in the deal.<br><br>How dreadful, and ridiculous, to give Christ the glory for His work on the cross, and then give sinners the credit for the Father's work in eternity (election) and the Spirit's work in our hearts (regeneration). It does great dishonor to the Sovereign Spirit to say, "The Holy Spirit will perform His miraculous work of quickening you unto life as soon as you give Him your permission." That's like standing in a graveyard saying to the dead people, "I will give you life and raise you up from the grave if you will only take the first step of faith and ask me to do it." What a denial of the sinner's total spiritual inability. Amazing!<br><br>Please note a few texts of Scripture that dogmatically state some things that a lost man cannot do:<br><br>Man cannot see - until he first be born again. John 3:3.<br><br>Man cannot understand - until he first be given a new nature. I Cor. 2:14.<br><br>Man cannot come - until he first be effectually called by the Holy Spirit. John 6:44,45.<br><br>God's grace not only provides salvation, but His power also gives us the ability to both desire and receive it. He works in us both to will and to do. His working in us to will is the new birth, and, I say again, this work of regeneration is totally the work of the Holy Spirit."<br><br>Here are a couple of links for you to study further God’s Part and Man’s Part in Salvation as well as Is Calvinism Inconsistent with Free Will? I hope you'll read these studies and ponder why you choose to deny what the Scriptures teach and set up a man-centered theology that requires man to do what only God can do.<br><br>FURTHER SCRIPTURE PROOF <br><br>Prov. 16:9: A man's heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps. <br><br>Jer. 10:23: 0 Jehovah, I know that the way of man is in himself; it is not in man that walked to direct his steps. <br><br>Ex. 12:36: And Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. <br><br>Ezra 6:22: For Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God (rebuilding the temple). <br><br>Ezra 7:6: And the king (Artaxerxes) granted him (Ezra) all his request, according to the hand of Jehovah his God upon him. <br><br>Is. 44:28: (Jehovah) that saith of Cyrus (the heathen king of Persia), He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jeru- salem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. <br><br>Rev. 17:17: (Concerning the wicked it is said) God did put in their hearts to do His mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. <br><br>I Sam. 2:25: They (Eli's sons) harkened not unto the voice of their father, because Jehovah was minded to slay them. <br><br>I Kings 12:11, 15: And now whereas my father (Solomon) did lade you with a heavy yoke, I (Rehoboam) will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions ... So the king harkened not unto the people; for it was a thing brought about of Jehovah. <br><br>II Sam. 17:14: And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The Counsel of Hushai is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom . <br><br><br><br>Wes<br><br>

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts