Criley wrote: <i>And of course here you will try and hide in the false doctrine of "irresistable grace." As if God forces a GIFT upon men. That is CALVINISM, not B-I-B-L-E. The Bible makes clear "AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to them GAVE" - men are offered and men must RECEIVE. It isn't forced. Love CAN'T be forced. Calvinism knows nothing of love.</i><br><br>Dear Criley, I don't think I can speak for Calvinism but let's let the Scriptures speak for themselves:<br><br>Matt.19:25 When his disciples heard [it], they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved ? 26 But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.<br><br>"Many are called but few are choosen" does not say nor even imply that "Many are called but few choose." If one is chosen one will receive Him.<br><br>And since Jesus said that "No man can come to the Son unless the Father draw him" how are we to understand "as many as received Him"? This surely is not speaking of a sort of free-will reception or rejection. Rather, should one "receive Him" it is due to several factors which are due to God and not due to something residing originally in man to receive Him.<br><br>God must open the heart as He did Lydia in Acts.<br>If the heart is not opened by God then no one will receive Christ.<br><br>The person must be drawn to Christ by God otherwise the person will not draw himself. As a matter of fact the person, if God does not intervene, will actually run from God and Christ for Romans says that "There is none that seeketh after God. All avoid him" or "all are gone out of the way." God must seek and intervene in the life of one who receives Him.<br><br>I'm sure some of you can say this better than me.<br><br>Sorry if I have not brought this out as good as it could have been.<br><br>Zoe
