One more comment; to the person who said that he couldn’t give a gospel presentation in a minute or two…yes you can…if you remember that you’re not responsible for the outcome…you’re just the delivery system…

http://www.wayofthemaster.com has some good resources to help…I never leave home without a tract or two in my pocket for the times in the grocery line when there is only a second or two to make contact with someone. Usually there is more time than we think their is…

I have let this conversation go on (for several months now) in hopes that you would pay closer attention to the specific words of scripture in some of these areas. But as I have said to you before, the words of scripture must be the centerpiece of all discussion here. If you read my beliefs as stated on this blog, I hold that the only knowable truth to man is revealed in the 66 books of the Bible. Thus, unless you wish to counter my or anyone else’s assertion with a biblical text that supports your position, then I think we should cease this discussion.

You asked earlier why man cannot play a small role in the salvation process, and the Apostle Paul directly answers that question in saying:

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. -Rom 4:4

If man can DO anything for salvation, then that salvation is earned just as a laborer earns his wages.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. -Rom 3:27

This is asking me to participate in a hypothetical situation which is actually an impossibility. I’ll admit off the bat that I don’t know why God chose to save me. But before we even get there, why would the non-elect care, anyway? None of them truly seeks God; none are really interested in pleasing Him on His terms. So, even if I had the perfect explanation, they wouldn’t be interested in hearing it, and even if it made perfect sense they would hate it.

In the real world, my responsibility is to preach the Gospel to everyone without distinction. If they wind up in hell anyway, I assume that either a) they’ll be completely cognizant of why, or b) they will be spewing too much hatred and venom to care why.

As to your other question, no I don’t feel inactive at all. I am faced with choices for which I am held morally responsible. I do believe all things whatsoever may happen have been ordained. But when I do evil, I get all the credit for that because I do it most willingly, of my own “free will,” nobody forcing my hand.

Now I know that’s a tough one to wrap a human brain around. If God controls all things, how does He then still find fault? This is precisely the issue Paul addresses in Romans 9. At some point, as a simple country preacher, I have realize that IS what the Book says, and I’m under obligation to believe it, even if I can’t figure out how all the gears mesh together. I admit that the Incarnation and Trinity still boggle my mind in similar fashion, but this is not an excuse to disbelieve these things.

1) “Calvinists believe that election is all about love, and mercy, and compassion.”

Well, sure, if you’re one of the elect. How would you describe election to one of the non-elect, were you given the knowledge of who they were? How would you explain to them why you were granted salvation by God and they were not?

2) “We simply believe that role is purely passive.”
Do you personally feel as if you’re on auto-pilot and just sort of swept along in a tide of things you have no control over? To what degree does this passivity play out in everyday life? Everything or just spiritual things? I mean do you feel God moves you to do only God-related things (such as repentence) or do you feel that He’s in control over what time you get up in the morning, whether you drink tea instead of coffee, that sort of thing? (I don’t mean that to sound snide … many believe in that)

No Calvinist denies that men “play a role” in their salvation. We simply believe that role is purely passive. There are things we have to “do.” We have to repent and believe the Gospel ourselves; but we do not believe humans can stir these things up from within themselves. They are gifts from God. But in those who are saved, they must be displayed. God gives repentance; but you must actually repent.

What we deny is that we can cooperate with God to earn our salvation. We believe we are saved by the work of Christ alone.

So, that is why your question about why can’t it be both is wrong from the outset.

Calvinism: Salvation is all of God.
Synergism: Salvation is mostly of God, and partly of man.

A thing can’t be A and non-A at the same time. Either it’s all of God, or it’s not.

I don’t understand your question about “power.” I haven’t seen anyone here posit it as some sort of primary or ultimate characteristic of God. Calvinists believe that election is all about love, and mercy, and compassion.

John wrote:
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

We see clearly in this passage that it is God who’s in charge of the New Birth. It’s not of “blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the WILL OF MAN, but of God!!!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Further, why does “Power” alone take pre-eminence over all other possible attributes assigned to God (love, justice, mercy, etc)?

Where in Scripture is God defined primarily as “Power”?