God is Very Patient With Us

[spiritualman]

"In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction" (Rom. 9.22). If God is very patient that implies people have sufficient grace to have the free choice.

"Why does God blame people for not responding?" (Rom. 9.19) This verse indicates God blames you for not responding to the gospel. He wouldn't blame you if you didn't have the free choice.

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom. 10.1). "But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people" (v.21). "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts" (Is. 65.2). Does this sound like a God who reprobates people from birth or a parent holding out its hands to a child? "...even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods" (Hos. 3.1). Judicial Hardening is what God is doing. He is hardening Israel because of their rebellion. He is hardening in love.

Unbelievers through Calvinism have a valid excuse why they don't believe because according to Calvinism they were made this way and were not shown mercy enough to believe.



[Mat 11:28-30 NLT] 28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

How can Jesus say come to Him if they are not irresistibly made to? Calvinists say we are Totally depraved, but Jesus says "My yoke is easy...come to me...take my yoke upon you."

This is a great debate between Flowers and White. Basically, Romans 9 is not what most think it is. It's not about Calvinism or OSAS Arminian. Roman 9 is about Jews complaining that not their entire lineage is saved. Rom. 9.6 says, "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel."

The lump of clay in Rom. 9 is not the whole world but hardened Israelites, and the part taken off is the noble cause, a remnant of Jews who believe and carry the word of salvation.

The ideas of Unconditional Election didn't come along until the 5th century by Augustine. But Clement of Rome in the first century who was in the Bible, was a student of Peter and likely the bishop of Rome, said, "It is, therefore, in the power of everyone since man has been possessed of free will whether he shall hear us to life or hear the demons to destruction."

The objector in Romans 9 is not the Arminian. Who does God not want to save some? "Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone" (Rom. 9.32). "God opposes the proud but favors the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor" (1 Pet. 5.5,6).

[spiritualman]

Leighton Flowers said "God foreknows our free-choice, but doesn't foreknow our determination." If God doesn't know all things then that is Open Theism and Leighton Flowers would not be a Christian.

James White said, "We do not know the identity of the elect are." If you don't know the identity of the elect then how can you have fellowship in the body of Christ since they could be Atheists or Mormons or Muslims, yet you claim they could be saved? He also said in order for Arminianism to be true, "God has to provide grace to everyone equally." Not at all. Some need more, some less; but, His grace is always sufficient.