> "First, any condition man must fill upon his own dooms him. How does a sinful man overcome his very nature to hate God?"
He cannot overcome his sinful nature. That is why God first seeks us and sheds his grace upon us. Arminians do not deny this. We just believe that God truly loves the whole world.
> "Arminians believe Jesus died for ALL but not salvifically. Christs death only brings about an offer and leaves the rest up to mans ability."
[John Murray:]
Let it not be thought that the Arminian by his doctrine escapes limited atonement. The truth is that he professes a despicable doctrine of limited atonement. He professes an atonement that is tragically limited in its efficacy and power, an atonement that does not secure the salvation of any..."
Like most Calvinists, Murray confuses the accomplishment of the atonement with the application. Ironically, he missed this in "Redemption: Accomplished and Applied":) Christ atoned for the sins of the world (1 Jn. 2:2), he died for all (2 Cor. 5:14), but redemption is always applied through faith (Rom. 3:25).
The atonement is hardly limited in efficacy and power if we believe in General Redemption. Even key early Church Fathers, Reformed Protestants and Calvinists believed that Christ died for all:
Eusebius: "It was needful that the Lamb of God should be offered as a sacrifice for the other lambs whose nature He assumed, even for the whole human race." (Quoted by Norman Douty, "The Death of Christ", p. 95ff) Ambrose: "Christ suffered for all, rose again for all. But if anyone does not believe in Christ, he deprives himself of that general benefit..." (Ibid) Martin Luther: "Christ hath taken away the sins not of certain men only, but also of thee, yea, of the whole world". (Ibid) John Calvin: "For though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God's benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive Him." (Quoted by Samuel Fisk, "Election & Predestination", p. 171) Henry Bullinger: "The Lord died for all: but all are not partakers of this redemption, through their own fault." (Douty) Jerome Zanchius: "It is not false that Christ died for all men as it regards His conditional will..." (Ibid)
In what way does a belief in General Redemption limit the power of the atonement? - I know the Calvinian answer, I'm just testing you:)
