Forgive me if I cited you falsely...
Did you not say that only SAVED man is capable of repentance?
That the not-yet-saved man is incapable of repentance?
That fallen man repenting unto Salvation by God is anathema...
Because to YOU, that would mean evil man is saving himself by his evil?
Did I totally not understand your meaning?
Can you straighten me out here please?
Did you not say that the Holy CALL of God unto Repentance from sin is a mere legalism?
Arsenios
I did not say "anathema"
What I do indicate is that the dead, atheistic, enemy of God who thus denies that God exists, denies that God has any wisdom or law, denies that it is possible to offend one who doesn't even exist, is not likely to repent.
They may feel remorse for what they've done (even dogs can do that) but that's not repentance. Repentance is the awareness that one was violated the Law of God and offended the righteous God who exists and is aware, repentance means to stop the evil one is doing, turning to God's mercy and grace, and walking in a new path. Again, remorse is not the same thing as repentance.
But my disagreement with you is this: You argue all that is needed is the Law, just the Just God issuing a legalistic demand: And that the dead, atheistic enemy of God has the will and ability to respond to the Law. I think that is very unbiblical and that it renders the Gospel irrelevant, it renders Christ, the Savior, mercy, grace, the Cross, the Incarnation, the Empty Tomb, the Holy Spirit, faith - all that is entirely, wholly, completely irrelevant: what is needed is just the legal demand of God. And everyone has the will and ability to respond.
Now, I realize, SO FAR, you've only stated that as the beginning. But you've agreed it ALL hinges on that. Without that will and ability, without fallen, unregenerate, dead, atheistist, enemies of God having that complete full ability - entirely void of God, void of grace, void of mercy, void of life, void of faith, without God doing ANYTHING, supplying ANYTHING except pure Law, only absolutely ordering, THAT is how it all begins. All law, NO Gospel, NO God, NO Holy Spirit, NO faith. Everything hinges on fallen, dead, atheistic, enemies of God doing exactly what the Bible says they can't do. That's what I disagree with.
You claim the Bible teaches that if the Law calls for something, ERGO fallen, dead, atheistic, unregenerate,lifelife, man can do it. Doesn't leave any room for God (other than a proclaimer of pure law) nor for Christ, mercy, grace, the Holy Spirit, faith, life, the Cross, the Incarnation, the Resurrection. Just God announcing pure Law and fallen man thus having the will and ability to reply. Friend, even Islam and some forms of Hinduism leave more room for God than you do.
.f what you are proclaiming IS the Tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, then I find the soteriology of all the false religions of the world to be better, closer to biblical Christianity. But I'm hoping (and believing) what you are saying is quite the antithesis of Orthodoxy on this point.
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