Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
No, you’re incorrect. Both Calvinism and Arminianism assert the freedom of God’s moral creatures.
Calvinists assert Total depravity so therefore, no free will. That which is irresistibly imposed or denied is not free. The first point of Arminian is called "human ability". The first point of Calvinism is called "total depravity". Human ability is free will. Total depravity makes one unable to have the free choice. Since the Bible teaches free will Calvinists are not Christians. They are thus, going to Hell as they pride themselves on a pedestal they are irresistibly selected. Pompous!

No, I assure you, my God provides freedom to all people, we just disagree on what kind of freedom that is. You assume too much.
Christians, i.e. Arminians, don't consider what you teach as freedom because you claim it must be irresistibly imposed. Calvinism is a heresy.

It’s not a matter of what I would want God to do, but the fact that God chose not to intervene in the Garden when he could have, and still preserved Adam and Eve’s freewill.
God did intervene in the Garden, imploring not to eat of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. Calvinists say men was Totally depraved. Christians say not.

Prevenient grace is likewise irresistible. Its different than the Calvinist irresistible grace, but both are grace that God “imposes” on sinners who did not ask for it.
Prevenient grace given to everyone to have the free choice is irresistibly given free choice since we are all made in God's image (that too is irresistibly given), but not irresistibly in the sense that it is imposed to make you believe or not believe as is taught in Calvinism under their view of irresistible grace and preterition. Two alleged graces that contradict each other cannot both be grace. What is Satanic grace that which you believe in being Calvinist robots.

The mind set on the flesh is the unconverted sinner’s mind. Not until he receives grace does he receive a mind that is not hostile to God and can thus please him.
The mind set on the flesh (free choice) is unconverted not the unconverted is irresistibly set on the flesh. You got the cart before the horse. The Bible says repent ye this day and be converted, not if you are converted repent yet this day. Everyone has received sufficient grace to receive a mind that is not hostile to God. To suggest otherwise is the lie in your heart. God does not preterition people for Hell. That would be evil. My prayer is one day you give your life to Christ and be converted.

Hmmm, I haven’t said I’m not a lot of things. Come to think of it, you haven’t said you’re not a Calvinist. Heretic!
My profile says I am not a Calvinist. Your profile says you are not a Calvinist yet you defend Calvinism. The Bible says "be not doubletongued" (1 Tim. 3.8). Satan is the author of confusion. It's difficult for you to repent of this because you are so proud, always rationalize self.

I’m not defending Calvinism, I’m clarifying their view, even if I don’t hold it, a view which I don’t think you rightly understand. Both Calvinists and Arminians teach that sinners receive Jesus by a free choice.
You are not clarifying Calvinism, but misrepresenting it while other times agreeing with it. You're confused. Calvinists don't teach sinners receive Jesus by a free choice, for they are rather, allegedly irresistibly made to believe they claim. Whereas Christians, Arminians, teach that God has given us all sufficient grace to have the free choice. Your god is unable to do that so your god sucks. I do love that my God trumps your god.

Which is accurate. Most claiming the mantle of Arminius teach believers can lose their salvation. If this were not so, you would not have to constantly modify the word “Arminianism” by sticking the “OSAS” in front of it.
Whether you think most who claim to be Arminians believe in non-OSAS is up for debate even though there are some for sure, but no actual Arminians believe in non-OSAS. The reason why OSAS is placed in front of Arminian to ensure no such confusion exists as I know there is some. So don't fight it. Accept it, for it is true.

Arminians do teach believers can lose their salvation. Only the “OSAS-Arminians” deny that, which is apparently the handful of people who contribute to this forum.
You said "Arminians do teach believers can lose their salvation." No Arminians teach a person can lose salvation, for Jacob Arminius said never once did he ever teach a person could lose salvation, so you are just sinning bearing false witness. Since you continue to do this evilly, it is time for you to go. All Arminians are OSAS. There are no non-OSAS Arminians. You would be welcome to stay if you did not continue to sin this sin. I can't have this particular deception on your part persist here.

Ah, so you’re one of those hyper-Arminians who believe only they are saved. You draw the circle too small.
All Christians are saved. All Arminians are Christians and all Christians are Arminians, for Christians are those who have repented to the cross as helpless sinners to receive regeneration. This is the gospel. None other! If you consider the gospel to be hyper that's your problem not mine. The "little flock" (Luke 12.32) is too small a circle for you. I agree, so you are going to Hell.

It “leads” to that only thru your fertile imagination. The “little flock” of Luke 12:32 was Jesus’ twelve disciples (v.22). You rip that phrase out of its biblical context and apply it to the church universal.
The size of the New City is a certain size for a reason. The reason has been given which you reject, but you have no reason for doing so other than wanting to be part of a large flock. Luke 12.32 to His disciples is representative of the entire class of believers that is a little flock. Never has the Church ever been a large flock inclusive of so many. We find this in experience today too, for it is hard to find true believers. We have no reason to believe the savings ratio will improve in later generations but remains very low until full select chosen ones are attained to fill the New City as pillars. Your great mistaken assumption about the body of Christ being a large flock is your immoral downfall to include so many then that helps you think you could be included as well. I am glad the present and future will not bear this out to include so many sinners as you are apt to do.

The New City does not measure 1379 x 1379 miles, it measures 12,000 x 12,000 stadia. 12 being the number of God’s people (12 tribes, 12 apostles), and 1,000 the number of fullness. This is the word of God which should be important to you.
12,000 x 12,000 stadia is 1379 x 1379 miles. 12 is the number of eternal perfection. Hence, the 12 gates too. 1000 refers to the millennial kingdom. The millennial kingdom is temporary between the Church age and eternity future in the New City. 1000 years to us is also like a day to God to express His timelessness. Your alteration of the meaning creates problems for you. The Bible says not one tittle of the law shall pass till the 1000 years is completed. It hasn't started yet. It will when Jesus returns to reign on earth for 1000 years. I can't agree with you in your view.

Wow, now I know you don’t know how to read Scripture in context. You say the mustard seed which grew into a great big tree is the great harlot, the RCC, filled with demons. You directly contradict Jesus. Jesus said the mustard seed is a metaphor, not for the false church of Rome, but for the kingdom of heaven:
31 He told them another parable: “The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matt. 13:31-32)
What Christ calls sacred, you call Satanic. You have lost all credibility in interpreting Scripture. Put down Watchman Nee, repent, and submit yourself to the inerrant Word of God.
The parable of the mustard seed is parallel with the parable of the leaven, except that the mustard seed speaks of the external while the leaven speaks of the internal. That being the case it can be said the kingdom of heaven has 3 aspects: outward appearance (includes false Christians such as yourself and the RCC), outward conduct (Matt. 5-7), and reigning in the millennial kingdom-to-come. Because you don't understand what the kingdom of heaven is, naturally you are confused. If you would like a deeper study on the mustard seed search the term "mustard" here:

http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/Matthew_13.htm

That’s because the “little flock” consisted of 12 men.
All the disciples were the little flock in Jesus' day. Many who were following Jesus in name only left: they are the false disciples who found his teachings too hard.

Afford you some liberty? Is that a joke? Like the “liberty” you’ve afforded me thus far? You take a great deal of “liberty” with the Word of God. So much so that you contradict the Lord Jesus Christ.
What liberty are you feeling you have not received? I have continued to let you post. You continue to defend Calvinism while in your profile claim you are Arminian. If you can't come to the table honestly then why should you think anyone should have any dealings with you? Disagreement is permitted, but not unethical doublespeak. As for liberty to the number of saved, don't hold me to the exact number other than what would minimally and comfortably fit 1379 x 1379 miles for the New City. I have taken no liberty with the word of God. All flows as the previous writers of the NT each added new books to the Bible based on previous revelation and new revelation that agrees.

Repent of your hyper-Arminianism. Repent of your hyper-dispensationalism.
Believing in the gospel that you need to repent and believe in Christ to be regenerated is not hyper but the simple gospel given in John chapter 3 and 1 Cor. 15. Why be offended by the simplicity of that? We are in the dispensation of grace, the mystery age of the Church in Rev. 2 & 3, so what's hyper about that? You are like Satan the great false accuser. The veil is now rent and the grace of the Holy Spirit to indwell believers is happening.

Repent of your false claim to be apostles. True apostles had to have been witness to the resurrected Christ (1 Cor 9:1).
Because you reject the Apostles are for today, you reject the Apostles even myself. But I know God has commissioned me as such and the Apostles are workers for the Church now. Hence this site to do this work. 1 Cor. 9.1 doesn't say you have to see Jesus resurrected to be an Apostle, but Paul certainly did see Jesus resurrected. Some have seen Jesus resurrected and still reject Him. This is called blaspheming the Holy Spirit for which there is no recovery, for when Jesus is on earth and a person still reject Him in person, they become irredeemable. If you would like to understand this, read here,

http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/unpardonablesin.htm

Junia was an Apostle, a female, and a notable Apostle at that among the Apostles. Paul said there were the "other Apostles" not counted among the 12: "then of all the apostles" (1 Cor. 15.7). It's these little facts that make me know you are on the wrong course.

There were second generation Apostles. Don't confuse the Apostolic generation, the first Apostles who were eyewitnesses, with the subsequent generations of Apostles. Here are some more points about the Apostles for Today,

http://biblocality.com/forums/faq.ph...faq_question18

Some other Apostles not among the Twelve: (a) Barnabas (Acts 14:14) — "the apostles Barnabas and Paul"; (b) Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1 with 2:6); (c) Ephesians 4:8,11 are relevant — 4:8 "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.... [vs. 11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Various unnamed apostles (and the other three workers as gifts for the Church) were given after Jesus' ascension back to heaven; (d) "The Didache" contained instructions on how to distinguish between false and true apostles; (e) "Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles" (Rev. 2.2). This verse wouldn't make much sense if there were no longer any Apostles setting up the churches.

"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ" (Eph. 4.11-13)

Repent of your schismatic desire to start your own denomination because you think there are too many denominations already. How’s that working out for you anyway? How many “biblical localities” have you started since 2004? According to your Meeting Place Finder, the answer is zero.
I don't want my own denomination. I simply recognize and test anyone who says she or he is an Apostle with these questions as the Bible says to do (37 questions in all). I recognize the Apostles for the region of churches I live in as well as the Elder of my church locality. This is proper authority and submission. Watchman Nee got it right. You got it wrong. This is my work and testimony to defend this fact in God's word. Every city on the planet is a biblical locality. Each has or should have an Elder(s) of that locality as well as Apostles for the region of churches to which it belongs. Let us stand on this ground, but this is ground you can't stand on because you are not even a child of God since you are a Calvinist. That makes me sad for you.

Perhaps one day a helpful program like a Meeting Place Finder can be built or established to aid in this process. At least appreciate there is no Archdiocese of United States or Africa as the Roman Church would have you believe in the kingdom of heaven, let alone a Pope of the planet. Why do so many denominations have their own Pope? Sure this is not God's will. God prevents this to maintain humility in the Church that there be no overarching leader. Christ is the Head. Why kick against the goads what is so obvious?

Watchman Nee was a big defender of Arminian so I am going to have side with him and not with you. He found Calvinism revolting.

http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/neeosasarminian.htm

I’m done with this forum. Its dead anyway. Don't bother banning me, I'm dusting off my feet of this heretical, schismatic, Christ-contradicting place.
You should not be surprised by a forum that is a little flock for the body of Christ. Still it's on page 4 in Google searches for "Christian forums". So lots of people are reading if not participating actively. And that's ok. Mission accomplished to get that word out!

You are a heretic, schismatic and Christ contradicting in your heart. I have documented that fact here precisely about you and your hostility. I was going to ban you anyway again for a couple weeks like before because of contradicting your profile, but since you would rather be removed I am happy to oblige.

Praise the Lord for this discernment.