Except that you never submit any explanation of "what you believe" other than "You're WRONG", or "This doesn't mean that".
If you ate some ice cream in spite of your diet--because you found it irresistible--was there force involved?
Pastor at my old church would use an illustration involving a vulture and two plates spread apart, one with raw meat on it and one with cake. Which one is the vulture always going to choose?
Animals are programmed by their instinct and their experience. They have no choices in the way that we do. It is often claimed that a man cannot choose against his nature, as if nature forced every action. Yet, those who claim this also claim that Adam was made with a righteous nature, and are at a loss to explain how he acted against that nature.
He used this more to show that without God intervening, we will always choose wrong(in regards to soteriology). Do you agree?
Men will always choose to reject Christ unless God intervenes, but it is a free choice on their part. But they often choose the good over the bad in lesser things, as Paul testified of gentiles who show the work of the law written on their hearts. Not even Calvinists claim that total depravity means that men are as bad as they could be.
)
What relationship do YOU think "eating something I like" has to Suddenly and catastrophically abandoning your entire life direction, and striking out in a totally DIFFERENT direction with a complete new set of values, and the directive to "Crucify the flesh", Die to self, and enter into a lordship environment as the PURCHASED POSSESSION of your new Lord and Savior??
Projecting, are we?? Maybe I'm not the "insecure" one.
That was certainly true in my case. Whether it's absolutely "inevitable" or not would be a little farther than I'd go conceptually, BUT - obviously in my case, although it took over a decade, it got done.
BOY HOWDY!! is that ever true. If asked my personal theological position, I tell 'em that I'm a "Free range Charismatic, non-systematic, Calvinist leaning Eclectic" Since I was saved, and initially indoctrinated by Southern Baptists, been Assembly of God for most of the last 58 years and further cross-bred during the Charismatic Outpouring in the '70s this is the way I turned out.
Absolutely, and perfectly stated Brother !
God never calls sinners to "suddenly and catastrophically [abandon their] entire life direction and [strike] out in a totally DIFFERENT direction with a complete new set of values, [or]... to 'Crucify the flesh'." He calls sinners to believe (submissively) in Christ, giving up their lives, and yes, to "enter into a lordship environment as the PURCHASED POSSESSION of [their] new Lord and Savior." After they come to Christ, the Holy Spirit accomplishes catastrophic changes. We have but to surrender to Him. The ice cream illustrated how the term that you object to, "irresistible," can mean an irresistible attraction and does not have to mean an irresistible force. Such an illustration is not difficult for any to understand; therefore, you have made yourself out to be someone who does not squarely face reasonable arguments.
Congratulations! You hold to Unconditional Election & Irresistible Grace! Welcome aboard!
When Jesus said to Pilate, "You could have no power over Me unless it were given you from above," did that mean that Jesus was not submitting to Pilate's power of His own free will? Did He go to the cross of His own free will even though we know that it was God who give Him into their hands according to God's own wise counsel?