Well, when you come into the forum badmouthing Calvinism, and being contentious in every post, and going out of your way to find offense in posts where no offense was intended, it becomes very difficult to assume your "thinking" is so positive and irenic.
I fixed it for you.
And it seems self-evident that the vast majority of society holds no "hope of salvation", nor do they even believe they are under sin.
Well, that is NOT what Reformed theology teaches.
We believe that no sinner is "forced" to sin, but rather that they sin WILLFULLY, and the unrepentant are so bad that the intentionally JUMP head-long into sin.
YOU may personally believe that sin is "not of their will", and that is a very BIZARRE (and unBiblical) position to hold, but please do not project that belief onto the Reformed. It is NOT something we believe.
Well, in order to have a productive discussion, we would first have to "define" what 'free will" means.
Reformed Christians believe that sinners have sinned OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL. And having (freely) sinned, they have become SLAVES of their sin, although they love being enslaved in their sin:
Rom. 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
And how does one go from being "slaves of sin" to becoming "slaves of righteousness"?
"Thanks be to GOD", of course (v.17).
It's almost like you're quoting Scripture:
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
God gives His elect a new heart of flesh, that causes us to hate our sin and love God, so there is nobody who is drawn "kicking and screaming" and not wanting to be saved, if that's what you're suggesting:
Ezek. 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
All glory be to God!
Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
Rev. 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
So says the Bible:
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
Perhaps that is because we have obeyed God and "made our calling and election sure":
2Pet. 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
It does.
Thanks for noticing!
Well, I don't know of any Reformed believer who "frets" over doctrine. But your claim seems more than a bit disingenuous. You are claiming we shouldn't discuss theology, but if we don't answer your questions, then we're wrong for doing that also. It's like you're going out of your way to try to look for an excuse to criticize us. Please tell me that's not your intent.
But we are also told to "contend for the faith" (maybe you are unfamiliar with that verse?):
Jude 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
We also love the gospel, and want everyone to hear it, to the glory of God. And we wish to correct people when they misinterpret the gospel.
But I think you will notice that if we believe it's pointless to continue arguing with someone, since they're not interested in learning, but only in being contentious, that we find it easier to "disengage" (which is when people complain that we "won't answer their questions").
And yes, there is no chance that any of God's elect will be lost:
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
2Pet. 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
We seem to be, yes.
I would agree.
