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JOeK said,
Why is it my flesh boils when I am told I fall short, or study more, or I am some sort of Freshman. I wish I could curtail these emotions.
No disrestect Joe. I can read till the cows come home. The cumbersome edwards et all and still result with the same conclusion.
JoeK, we all fall short (Rom. 3:23). We all need to study more (John 5:39; 2 Tim. 2:15). Calvin, nor Luther knew it all. We never will know enough in this life. I am so dumb that I had to go to school to learn this stuff. We are all stronger in some areas than in others. We are all growing (2 Cor. 3:18). Moreover, we are far greater sinners than we ever thought we were, but far more forgiven than what we ever thought! Be happy, don’t worry, and don’t boil over. Relax, be more open, learn. Always be Reforming.

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JoeK said,

You appear to be equating the word force with malicious intent on my part. Ill tell you what, it is more than a wooing as so many reformers describe it. Words have meanings. Your last paragraph is too hard for me. The Gospel is much eaier than that. And I dont feel that if I say God forces the will of the unregenerate to love Him, that I wrest the writ to my own destruction. Especially when I find the word draw means exactly that. WHen I find His will oversoming mans will all the time in the writ, and yet still blames man for sin. That I dont have an answer for. But I can rest comfortably with the words of the inspired Paul in Romans 9.

19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
I do not recall using the phrase malicious intent!!! Neither am I calling God (or you) malicious at all. Actually, it would be malicious though for God to violate one’s will. Romans 9:19-20 speaks of God’s sovereignty in election and reprobation and not of God violating someone’s will. Look at verse 21: “Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?” Unless your point is that God violates us in election (before we even are created and have a will, so this is not a possibility <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/drop.gif" alt="" />) this verse in no way supports your thesis.

Reformed and Always Reforming,