"monergism" and "synergism"

Post by **__id_1887** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:45 pm

Steve wrote:

You are less likely to make such embarrassing mistakes if you visit us with the same agenda that most of us have here, which has nothing to do with proving our positions, but to dialogue (which includes listening) with other brethren who are looking only for the truth. When you come with the assumption that whatever you believe is, de facto, the truth, and are not willing to be corrected by others, you are in poor condition to learn--or even to hear--anything.

Wow!

God bless you brother, but you don't know me or my "agenda".

"Let God be true though every one were a liar"

I pray that God might have something for both of us to learn in this little side discussion.

And yes, praise God for this:

We have someone who gives, and keeps on giving us all the fire we can use.

Which could have been stated without this:

who could hardly care less about what the monergists think about us.

Resting in Christ,

Haas

Post by **_Michelle** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:57 pm

bighaasdog wrote: ...Which could have been stated without this:

who could hardly care less about what the monergists think about us.

Bighaasdog,

What is your objection to this clause?

Michelle

Post by **_Steve** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:18 pm

Haas,

If I have misjudged you, I apologize. I simply could not see how a person who was seeking to hear Homer's comments could have missed his rather transparent point.

Post by **__id_1887** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:27 pm

Hello Michelle,

You wrote:

Bighaasdog,

What is your objection to this clause?

Here is the entire sentence:

This is a metaphor for those of us who are simply Christians; who could hardly care less about what the monergists think about us.

Are monergists not "simply Christians"? The overall point would have been more effective without that part. Don't Christians care about other Christians and what they think about one another? Does this make sense?

Again, I hope and pray that all of us here are praising God that:

We have someone who gives, and keeps on giving us all the fire we can use.

Here is something the Apostle Paul said about God's perfect provision:

Acts 17:24-27
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.[emphasis added] 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

Thanks for the question.

Resting in Christ,

Haas

Post by **__id_1887** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:30 pm

Steve wrote:

Haas,

If I have misjudged you, I apologize. I simply could not see how a person who was seeking to hear Homer's comments could have missed his rather transparent point.

Steve,

I accept your apology. God bless you brother.

In Christ,

Haas

Post by **_Michelle** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:06 pm

Hi Bighaasdog,

Thanks for explaining. You took that phrase to mean something different than I did. I thought he meant that some people (like "simply Christians") don't care what categories they are placed in by theologians (like monergists.)

I, for one, do praise God for his perfect provision.

God bless,
Michelle

Post by **_tartanarmy** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:54 am

I am not understanding why Steve decided to make a comment to me and Haas about our comments, seems strange.
I mean, what was it about Homer's post that we did not seem to understand?

And I was just agreeing simply with what Haas had commented, thats all. Had nothing whatsoever to do with anything Homer said as far as not understanding his point.

But, I too, did not like the way Homer referred to Monergists, especially in the same sentence as simply Christians. Seemed an unnecessary point. A contentious statement.

Anyway, maybe Steve decided to comment because he was irked by my response to whatever he originally thought Haas and I were not grasping followed by subtle charges of not sincerely trying to facilitate honest and open dialogue, but I would simply ask Steve to perhaps not lecture us about something he may in fact be doing himself, namely misunderstanding what we are saying. Cuts both ways I think.

Anyway, I am happy to see Steve apologise to Homer, he deserved that, for he is a man who loves Christ and His word for sure.

Mark

Post by **_Homer** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:25 pm

This is a metaphor for those of us who are simply Christians; who could hardly care less about what the monergists think about us.

Seems there is much that was misunderstood in my post.

But, I too, did not like the way Homer referred to Monergists, especially in the same sentence as simply Christians. Seemed an unnecessary point. A contentious statement.

This reference to the monergists was in regard to the numerous ad hominum comments, charges of heresy, or "not orthodox" leveled at those who do not agree with the Calvinist position. I get the definite idea that while we may possibly be Christians, the monergists view us as perilously close to the edge.

We have far too many "isms". I claim no allegience to Arminius and know little about him. The simple term "Christian" should be enough, not loyalty to some denominational tag or someone's system, but loyalty to the truth. Jesus is truth, and to the degree our minds are unwilling to consider other viewpoints, we may miss out on Jesus.

Post by **__id_1887** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:35 pm

Homer wrote:

Jesus is truth, and to the degree our minds are unwilling to consider other viewpoints, we may miss out on Jesus.

Keep pouring over His word Homer. I might not agree with much of the theology entertained here, but hanging out on this board has inspired me to be reading my Bible often. Christ is everything.

"To live is Christ and to die is gain"

Resting in Christ,

Haas

Post by **_Homer** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:19 pm

Haas,

Keep pouring over His word Homer. I might not agree with much of the theology entertained here, but hanging out on this board has inspired me to be reading my Bible often. Christ is everything.

Amen; me too.

I am not Calvinist, OSAS, Open Theologist, Universalist, dispensationalist, polygamist, or much of a charismatic so practically everyone who has posted here will think I'm wrong about something. (yes, we had an advocate of polygamy here for awhile. Not so easy to prove him wrong as you might think.) But it is good to be challenged! Good to make old brains work!