Don't Blame God Because You Don't Believe
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- What about that person who does not believe but says they want to believe, and they want to repent? … but they claim to not believe or have repented because God hasn’t given them faith and repentance? That person is in a dangerous place. Why? Because what they’re doing is, in essence, blaming God for the fact they aren’t saved. They're saying it’s God’s fault because God hasn’t given them faith and repentance…and what does that do? It makes that person passive. They sit back. They wait. Where in your bible does it command anyone to do that?
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Jeff Peterson is a pastor at @gccsatx of San Antonio, Texas.
Follow us on / illbehonestwillyou
Artwork by / jacy_loves_art
Also consider watching, "God is Sovereign and Man is Responsible" ua-cam.com/video/NogNeT9k6Ug/v-deo.html
Amen thank you for this video. God bless
This was a fresh breath of air to me. For so many years, I thought I was a doubter and an unbeliever because I put believing in Jesus in feelings. I understand it's not feeling that saves you, it's just puttung trust in Jesus. This was just a relief that Jesus takes that burden from me to be able to believe.
“I believe; help my unbelief” mark 9:24
Comes to mind when I watch this. There is a battle which is waged in the hearts of men and I know this battle all to well. The message of this video is correct, we can never blame God for our own sin. But the Lord will help and sometimes patience is required for you to realize you've received His help. God bless!
What does "help my unbelief" mean?
Hebrews 3:15
As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
AMEN "Today is the day of salvation!".....book of hebrews
I was 5 years of chronic illness! I was Semi Housebound, lost my health, job, finances and my fiance left me. I couldn't even look at electronic screen for 5 minutes, or hold a 10-minute conversation.
But God did an amazing work.
I now have a Christian Channel where I encourage people and show them what God did in my life and that there is hope for you also. ✝️🔥
*Keep believing even when it's hard* 🙏❤️🔥
*All things are possible with God* ✝️
Glory to God....Refiners fire my hearts one desire is to be Holy! i went through the refiners fire for 7 years....i couldnt eat or sleep or function as a normal human being....now i am humbled empty and care about only one thing......the will of God
God helped you? What about all those parents that pray for cures for their terminally ill children but don't get them. Why does this god help some...but not terminally sick children?
@@mana3735 James 5:15
"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the LORD will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven"
@@mana3735 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Romans 6:23 ).
@@mana3735 Matthew 13:58 says..."And Jesus could not do many miracles there in his own hometown because of their unbelief and lack of faith."
Thank you, Pastor Jeff and Pastor James! All glory to God alone for using you to reach souls for Christ that they may truly be saved and not self-deceived! God has used all of you at I'll Be Honest to reach me! I tremble to think where I would be if I had not heeded the warnings of Hebrews 3, Hebrews 6, Hebrews 10, and discerning truth from 1st John 1:6, which were all passages that you all have so faithfully proclaimed and lovingly warned with.
Important message. If more people would quit blaming God for things and start taking personal responsibility, there would be a better understanding of faith's role.
Appretiating what God has allowed through his grace and abundant mercy,saying Thanks to God is wise conduct.
It’s true. Is there something you’re holding on to that’s preventing you from repenting?
When I was recently In sin, I’d ask God to help me to repent. He did, but it was after telling him I no longer wanted to do my sins anymore. It was after he sent me a wake up call that made me not WANT my sins anymore.
When I was sinking in sin like Peter, I cried out and asked Jesus to save me. And he did. Jesus answered me quickly.
God created the non elect so he could have people to hate and to hate him back. Its his fault we dont repent. He never wanted us to begin with.
Great message, brother. This shows we are indeed initially condemmed in our transgressions against God but that we are not completely unable to seek Him on our own. Amen!
You can't seek Jesus on your own because it is He who gives the grace of understanding His message. He said in John 15 "abide in me, and I in you". It means when He calls, you respond. Unfortunately, some preach that "responding" is work-based and expect that you would experience some sort of spark. But this is false.
@@fidelamoah9115 You are right, brother Fidel. I have come to understand that it is God who seeks us, and then we either respond positively in faith or reject the grace of salvation He lovingly provides everyone with. God bless.
@@VictorFelipe82 amen. May God enlighten us with His truth 🙏🏾
Wonderful title that speaks so much truth!~
Fantástico!
The thing about seeing God, is that God is every which way you look.
Thank you for posting this. Very helpful.
Good teaching,
Just the truth.
Amen
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Romans 10:17
I knew I was wrong in my temptation to be passive. I tried to do at least what I know to do. But my mind just takes this and wants to place faith in my wanting or a sense of desperation. I know that's wrong too.
How are things going?
@@wilmerjimenez1156 Hey, sorry I don't log in as much as I used to, but thanks for asking. I'm still nowhere near where I want to be, but recently I haven;t been as passive. Oddly enough, it was encouragement from an Arminian guy when I was feeling low about a sin, I've had a hard time with. It's hard to say exactly what's gong on now, but I feel encouraged even if unsure. I should re-watch this video though, just to remember what it's all about.
@@--i-am-root has your faith got stronger?
@@wilmerjimenez1156 Actually yes. Or at least things seem to be clearer right now. I'm less caught up in myself, and even though I feel shorts of some of the promises, I have confidence that they're there.
Amen Amen! Absolute Truth!
Thank you for this video
So there's nothing you can do to be saved, but it's entirely your responsibility to get yourself saved.
This is like asking your son or daughter to fly around the room unaided. No wings, no jets, nothing. Just commanding your child to fly around the room by the power of magic. When they can't do it, you then threaten to punish them for all eternity.
If you would feel stupid asking your child to fly when you KNOW they can't, why isn't god stupid for telling people to repent when he KNOWS they can't even do so without god's help?
This is why the Christian doctrine of salvation is completely contradictory. Salvation is supposedly not by works, but it's your responsibility to DO the work of repentance and faith. When you can't do it, you're then blamed for not being to do something that is LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE for any human being.
We are created sick, and commanded to make ourselves well.
@JaketheSnake99: RE: "you're then blamed for not being to do something that is LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE for any human being." If so, then how have untold numbers done it (believed), including myself. Have I done what's "literally impossible?"
RE: "This is why the Christian doctrine of salvation is completely contradictory. Salvation is supposedly not by works, but it's your responsibility to DO the work of repentance and faith." The law of non-contradiction states that "A cannot be non-A at the same and in the same relationship (some say "sense"). Nothing we claim in the video violates that law. Salvation is not by OUR works, but by the work of another. We can do no work which merits favor in God's sight, but we place faith in Christ who did do works which merit favor - obeying the law perfectly, and dying a substitutionary death in the place of sinners. So, we're not saved by our works, but by faith in His. That's not a contradiction. Nor does John 6 present any problem, where Jesus is asked, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus responds with "This is the work of God; that you believe in Him whom He has sent." That "work" of faith itself merits no favor... but imputes Christ's work to the sinner. Once again, there's no contradiction, nothing illogical or irrational. Thanks.
Well, in calvinism, which is the view that I'll be honest hold to, it is in fact that God is to blame for those not believing.
That's the truth
@@morgangreenlee2091 calvinism the truth?
Gods sovereignty in salvation, does not absolve man of his responsibility.Both are preached in the bible.I to am a Calvinist, but would never be as bold as to attribute blame to God for mans unbelief. Your view of Calvinism is faulty and is more like hyper Calvinism, or fatalism.
@@neilgrobson58 wrong. You are right that there are more types of calvinism than one, mainly the hyper view and the compatibilist view. The 1st one is awful, yet honest. The latter is seemingly more beautiful, but very dishonest. Dishonest because one cannot say both that God does/decided everything, AND that man is at fault.
@@Ravenghost123 I am not a Calvinist, but I agree with what you stated above.
Tip: If your theological position leads you to illogic, or a lack of cohesion, you’re probably interpreting it wrong. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Amen.
Romans 8 31-39
So obviously confusing and completely contradictory. At the begining of this mesage he says only God can make somone believe, the goes on to tell poeple to believe as thier responsibility. Well wich is it????
Thank you for this message; I have a related question though. I agree that the responsibility is on man to respond to the Gospel by faith and through repentance. You can force these things by choice if you want them enough. But what about love? What if you want to love God but you know in your heart you do not. You can surely prove your love by following his commands, but is that satisfactory for salvation if you don’t have affection for him and perhaps only follow commands out of fear? Thanks.
@CandyOnAChopstick: Thanks for watching. Please allow me to say a few things...first, does Scripture give the sense that people are "force these things by choice if you want them enough," when it comes to faith and repentance? One might (emphasis on "might" - not necessarily "must," but "might") interpret your statement to mean that people are to believe and repent against their will, as they don't WANT to do so. So I think we need to be careful there.
Maybe we need to go to 1 John 4:18 (and we have a video pending on that verse, BTW) where John says "perfect love casts out all fear." ALL fear, even "fear of the Lord?" No, and the video pending will address that. Context says perfect love casts out all fear of judgment. But who lives in the light of the perfected love? The one who doesn't believe, or the one who does? When Jesus states the law is summed up in loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself, who's going to do that...and how? The one who is going to do that is the one who has turned away from following the course of this world (repentance) and the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2) and is now following Christ in faith. Scripture indicates that the turning and believing are "first," and "love" follows...now, perhaps one could say they all happen simultaneously but even so, there's a logical order. Can the one who doesn't "believe," actually "love" God? No, because Scripture says people either love God or hate Him and those who are in unbelief do hate God..
Then we have to address things like Romans 14:23 where Scripture says whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Are there any exceptions to that? Can a person love God and please God with that love prior to faith? It doesn't look like it. So to circle back around to 1 John 4:18, I'm assuming the "fear" you mention there is fear of judgment. Does the one who follows the commands of God out of fear of judgment really please Him? Is that really a manifestation of love for God if commands are only followed out of duty or fear of Hell?
Thanks.
@@jeffgccsatx Thank you for your response, but I have to be honest and say I can’t see how your response answers my question. Perhaps I didn’t word it as clearly as I intended. My question is this: what if I respond to God in faith and repentance but I do not love him? I agree that faith and repentance precedes love, but when does love for God begin to exist? In my situation, I can believe Jesus exists and rose from the dead as a propitiation for my sins, and I can turn from my sins in repentance. But I do not love God. Love for God is not only something I would want if I was to devote my life to him, but it’s also something God commands, making it essential and a requirement. But this is something I lack. So while it’s my responsibility to act in faith and repentance as your video explains, how do I force myself to love God? My point is that love doesn’t seem like it can be a choice like faith and repentance can. I don’t love God but would be following him simply to be saved from him sending me to hell. This is my dilemma and I don’t know how to reconcile this. Thanks.
@@CandyOnAChopstick Oh. I apologize for my misunderstanding. Let me address this statement you made: "love doesn’t seem like it can be a choice like faith and repentance can." I would wonder why you would say that and allow me to explain why I respond this way.
@christopher michael We have a video coming out on 1 John 4:18 in the next couple of months. Thanks.
@christopher michael If I have done what I’ll Be Honest talks about in their video (follow Christ in faith and repentance) but I do not love God, does that make me a false convert? According to scripture, I must be as it says I am accursed. So how do I become truly saved if I have taken the steps to be saved but still lack love for God?
Why would you blame a God that you don't believe in?
Often men blame God, even if they claim to be an atheist because they know the Lord is true, they cannot deny it. Even look at Revelation 16:9 - They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
What should I do if my parents won’t let me go to church?
Thank you, this has been on my mind.
Am I responsible for God not revealing Himself to me?
Well, he clearly has revealed to you the truth. Here you are watching a video on the Gospel. So the real question is this: Why are you not turning from sin and coming to Him? John 5:40 says, "you refuse to come to me that you may have life."
@@illbehonest Because I sincerely believe that Christianity is false, and I have no saying in the matter, I can't decide what I believe.
@@yg156 As the speaker in the video, please allow me to expand upon the comment from my brother James to you above.
God has revealed Himself to you well before this video. God reveals Himself through nature (Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork"). Nature reveals God to us - God is NOT nature, but His having created nature reveals Himself to us. Romans 1 says every person knows God exists, knows who God is and what He is like (e.g., vv 19-20: "For what can be known about God is plain to them ("them" being the "men" of v. 18), because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." Carrying on in Romans, Romans 2 says you have a conscience and your conscience informs you as to what is right and what is wrong (2:14-15) and something has to inform your conscience. Why are you bothered by injustice? Inequality? Victimization of the helpless or less powerful? Why does racism bother us? Because there's a standard imposed in our very being which informs us - and it's placed there by God, based on His law and His having created man to be ear His image.
So, see, God has revealed Himself to you. You DO have a say in the matter - that's why there are commands in Scripture for man to respond to - "Repent and believe in the gospel (the "good news," the good news being Jesus Christ). Commands are given to those who are responsible to respond - and man is responsible to His Creator.
You, as of right now, have also decided what you believe - you believe Christianity to be false. That's your "say" in the present matter. This God, the God who has formed you and made you and given you the mind with which you reject Him, is being very kind and patient with you as you use what He gave to reject Him. We implore you to use the mind and mouth God gave to you believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and what he did to reconcile man to God - His having obeyed that law which is informing your conscience Jesus' having paid the penalty for rebellious man on the cross, then rising from the grave conquering death. We desperately desire you to use your "say" to turn from where you are now and turn to Jesus Christ in faith because you have no other hope. We say this not because we hate you, but not even knowing you, we love you. That's why these videos are published - out of love for man.
Thanks.
@@jeffgccsatx So, you are telling me that I believe Christianity is true, and that I lie to myself?
Sorry, I would have loved to expand more on my ideas on the subject, but english is not my native language, I can understand you, but it's kinda hard for me to articulate complex thoughts.
@@yg156 There's no problem with you trying to express your thoughts. Romans chapter 1 expands upon this further. In addition to what I already cited, verse 18 says this: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." Then you read the two verses, 19 and 20, that I quoted above. Then verse 21 says, "For although they knew God...." These words are the introduction to divinely inspired truth about the state of man after Adam's sin in Genesis 3. Chapter 1, verse 18 through chapter 3, verse 20 is a lengthy proclamation of the truth about man, whether man be a Jew or Gentile. This section of Scripture takes great pains to include all of man in its statements about man's condition.
Romans 1:21, in saying, "although they knew God," is saying this in conjunction with the surrounding writing - every human knows who God is and what He is like but man suppresses that knowledge due to his sin. Man KNOWS. But sin causes man to keep pushing that knowledge down, like when you're trying to pack too much stuff in some bag and the bag keeps popping open, or such as trying to keep a fully inflated beach ball under the water - the ball keeps trying to break through the surface. So it is with man's natural knowledge of God. Man's sin is so great that it keeps the knowledge he has from coming to the surface, so to speak. Does that mean man is more powerful than God? No, because when God decides to reveal Himself to man in a way that conquers that power of sin, sin cannot stop Him.
So, are you "lying" to yourself? No, I would call it a lie, because you really believe what you believe. But Romans 1 helps us even more where because it states people such as yourself do "believe," but their belief looks like this: "... they exchanged the truth of God for a lie ..." (Romans 1:25). The sin of a natural man causes him to believe what is false. It is not that you are lying to yourself, but you believe a lie - the lie being that God is not who He has revealed Himself to be.
But you can acknowledge God for who He is and overcome the power of that sin in your life by trusting Jesus Christ in faith, turning away from your believing in that lie. Thanks.
Pastor Jeff, I wonder if really all such people blame God for their inability. My own conversion was such that I knew without a trace of a doubt that I couldn't believe, nor repent--and yet I was completely convicted that my inability was entirely my own fault (that is, despising the means of grace and rejecting the Gospel as Esau despised the birthright, and now if God withholds His converting grace--am I not receiving simply my just desserts?). I did pray for faith, and for repentance, and was granted them eventually. Repentance is a willingness to forsake all sin--but the unregenerate man is a slave of sin--it clings to him, it dominates his mind, and he is unable to break out of its control. Simply telling that awakened sinner that he is a liar and that he does not really want to repent is simply telling him what he already knows; he knows well he's a hypocrite when he says he wants to be converted--he knows that deep down despite any vows he makes he is apt to go back to his sin again--its grip on him is too strong. What is to be done for such a man except to pray for faith and repentance (in the full understanding that his own state is entirely his fault and that if God rejects his request He would be entirely just?)
@kb27787: Thanks for watching. Yes, people really do blame God for their not having faith. I have preached on this and referred to them as "lost hyper-Calvinists" in the sermon because some of them say this - honest: "I know faith is a gift but I know I'm not elect because God hasn't given me faith. So I must be reprobate." We have had people in attendance at our church believe that very statement - because they've made it. One of my fellow pastors and I spent two hours last week with a woman and that's what she stated. "I don't believe and it must be because God hasn't given me faith yet." See the problem? "God hasn't given me faith so that's why I don't believe." That woman could stay there for quite a while...maybe to her deathbed, right?
When we tell people like this woman - as we did, last week - that she is totally responsible, we're not telling them they're liars. I have no doubt they truly believe what they're saying. But sincerity in expression does not deny the fact one is deceived and that's what such people are. Telling someone they're wrong is not to call them a liar.
I would go back to Scripture...and here's the issue if we apply your advice - we would then tell them to pray for faith and repentance. They pray. They don't receive it. They pray some more. They don't receive it. Does Scripture really let a person remain there...praying for it...or does Scripture squarely lay the burden on the sinner to repent and believe? We hold Scripture lays that burden right on the believer from the beginning.
Thanks.
I think you're describing me. I know I'm responsible and the burden is on me but have no idea what to do now. I know my desire for repentance and faith is merely a desire to get out of going to hell. How do I actually repent and believe?
@@Sebastian-os8ve After years of struggling with assurance, I've become convicted that I'm in a similar situation. I plan to listen to 2 sermons tonight and tomorrow "The Almost Christian by John Wesley" and "Around the Wicket Gate" by Spurgeon (actually this one is a book).
@@Sebastian-os8ve I think we are definitely alike! I knew that my "repentance" was only fear of Hell and there was nothing else I could muster up. I wish I had an answer for you, but in my case God eventually did grant repentance after much crying out to Him. That said, there are yet means however (but as you already know, means do not guarantee any result, they simply are seeking the Lord by the way which He has commanded; to grant is entirely the Lord's prerogative of mercy; if He refuses--as He refused Esau, He is simply doing what is just)--just as faith comes by hearing so repentance I believe comes from the same. Prayer is one I'd believe, and reading the Scriptures is another.
But I would say this: in my own experience repentance comes from looking at the person of Christ. When He is truly perceived, I came to the point where I was sure He was not one who would refuse the dogs that come begging for the scraps. Then I stopped caring so much about Hell (that is, Lord, if You cast me into Hell for Your own glory, so be it--it is right! I will praise You even from there) because I was taken up with His beauty.
@@jeffgccsatx Hi Pastor Jeff, indeed the woman you mentioned seems to be confused. But do we not believe that if the woman truly sought God with all her heart in prayer there is absolutely no way that He would not answer--and quite likely before her deathbed? (for though it is entirely His prerogative to give, yet He has bound Himself as it were, with His own promises?)
Actually, this twin concept of inability and responsibility should not be that difficult to grasp. Take the Law for example, we know that Scripture certainly lays the burden on man to keep the Law (and those who fail to do so, go to Hell). And yet the same Scripture emphatically states that there is no one who is to be justified by the Law (that is, no one can keep it). So, in the end God is commanding man to do something he is completely incapable (that is, unwilling and cannot become willing due to his fallen flesh) of--and if he fails it is entirely his fault; I've never heard anyone say God is unjust in doing so in this case! We would hold in contempt any man who presumes he would try to keep the Law perfectly and go to Heaven that way.
So why is it any different with the Gospel? The Scripture lays the burden on man to repent and believe. We also agree that the same Scripture also says no one can repent and believe (except God grants it). As previous, the fault lays squarely on the sinner (you cannot believe because your own heart is wicked). So why do we not hold in the same contempt (in a rather different manner, of course, I trust some of these men are true brethren) those men who presume to repent and believe of their own free will and go to Heaven? (Those same men also preach and believe in sinless perfection in this life and many of their followers have claimed to have attained it!) Is it because, on the surface level, keeping the Law perfectly is seen as clearly a thing impossible for a sinner and yet repenting and believing is not? (when in the end we all know he can do neither).
In a rather strict sense, it is correct that the woman does not believe because God has not granted her faith--Isaiah has said something similar:
O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear? (Isa 63:17)
But her stating so should not be a problem as long as she lays the fault on herself and knows that since she has shown contempt for His Gospel, she lies completely in His hands whether He decides to show mercy or not.
It is always good to have a high view of faith and repentance (with all the prevalence of easy-believism) as things impossible. The only proper and logical response is for that person to abandon all hope of generating faith and repentance within herself and to humble herself before the Lord, asking Him to grant it (It is not unbiblical to pray for faith--there are instances of such: "I believe--help my unbelief" or "increase our faith"). For though it seems that the Lord has condescended to give faith and repentance to some who had sought to generate such things within themselves, I would not tempt Him for fear that in judgement He gives that proud presumptuous sinner some false sense of assurance and a false profession that is only unmasked in the Last Day.
What if I want to repent and believe but I don’t know how?
In regards to, "I don't know HOW..." but repenting and believing is not you doing some work, it is ceasing from works and trusting in the Savior's perfect work. If you hear the command to believe and you ask "How", that often reveals you are looking to yourself, for something for you to do. It is not about HOW, it is about HIM... about CHRIST and His finished work. I would encourage you to hear this Ask Pastor Tim, "How Do I Run to Christ?" - ua-cam.com/video/K6bQdEmwseI/v-deo.html
People question their salvation in how they have faith or where they get the faith because they let life and there expieriences determine how their walk is going to go instead of what The Bible says Jesus is and who he is and how he has a plan for our lives,
When Jesus created us he made us out of everything that he is ever wanted, he has given us all authority and he is Before & After time and because of that he has every problem met with a solution and if we just believe that then we will see that life listens to him because jesus creative life!!!!
We have a God that absolutely cherishes us, when he was done hand making us in our mother's womb Breathed his breath of life into our lunges, he then looked at what he made and saw that it was good and said that this shall be my child.....
IF YOU DO BACKSLIDE
Say this
Father Thank YOU for allowing me to backslide cause now I see the truth behind the lie I bought, I saw how it made me feel, and how it's a good picture with enticing seductive feelings butt behind it are lies, more pain with a whole demonic tactic to get into more sins so I stray away and become more self serving again, wich before made me miserable, poverty stricken, lonely, hopeless
And now all I see when you showed me that is a million reasons to go back to you and now be joyful, happy, cheerful knowing I'm your son and be prepared for the next attack of the enemy so I can be reminded what I just went through the last time I backslide and just praise god you revealed to me a new way to turn the enemies attacks against him!!!!
Amen
I’m angry at god
I have been too, but neither of us have any right to be.
This is like having a terminal cancer that only a certain doctor can heal. But since you can't afford his prices, the only way you can be cured is if the doctor condescends and does it for free. But, after years of you filing appeals, the doctor and his nurses just sneer and jeer and yell at you. And instead of taking responsibility for being an uncaring piece of trash, the doctor places the blame on YOU for having cancer in the first place and not being able to afford his unreasonably priced treatments.
That's calvinism in a nutshell.
@JaketheSnake99: I'm sure you are aware of the limitations of analogies and similes, because their very nature means they cannot be a one-to-one relationship to the "This" in the "This is like" statement. That why analogies are only illustrative and cannot be used to state truth because every analogy breaks down at some point and we both know that's not just a Christian view on analogies. I could respond with an analogy of my own but mine would also break down at some point just like yours and all analogies do. We don't like in a world of analogies, though, do we? We live in the reality of which an analogy is meant to illustrate.
For the sake of argument, let's assume you are correct and Calvinism is wrong. Let's assume there's something which has made (or even left, in the first place) man's "will" sufficiently "free" that he can at a minimum take the first step toward salvation and God can assist the man from that point on, like a rehab nurse helping the patient along the rails as they relearn to walk after a traumatic injury. That person could then reach the point of being justified through his own "faith" and the assistance of the grace of God. In that case, the responsibility of the sinner still stands. Whether one denies Calvinism or affirms it isn't the issue. The issue is a man's standing before God. Is God sovereign? Yes. Is man responsible? Yes. Does that violate the law of non-contradiction? You may well say, "Yes." I would say we go to Aristotle and the concept of "possible worlds." Is there a "possible world" in which the absolute sovereignty of God and the absolute responsibility of man co-exist and do not violate the law of non-contradiction? We cannot rule it out, if we're being intellectually honest. All we as Christians say that there is such a "possible world" - and it's the one in which we all live presently. Thanks.