"Bob Felts" wrote in message
news:136.37.18.05.949310000@srcbs.org...
>
>
> Gary McNees wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> > > >
> > > > I am waiting. Specifically tell me how an unregenerate man,
Cornelius,
> > > > can pray to God and God answer his prayers.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Trivially easy. 1) Total depravity does not mean that unregenerate
man
> > > cannot pray. I prayed before I became a believer, although I
certainly
> > > prayed amiss. 2) God answers the prayers from whoever He desires.
> > >
> > Then you depart from historical Calvinism which states that unregenerate
man
> > will never seek God, by prayer or any other means.
>
> What I said and what you said are not contradictory. To pray to God
> doesn't equate to seeking God. In many cases, the prayer is to a
> fictious God.

The God that Cornelius prayed to was the REAL GOD.
Not only that, God ANSWERED his prayer, probably
more dramitically than He answers our prayers.

> They pray to a God of their imagination; they do not seek
> after God as He really is.

Cornelius, Lydia, etc. did seek the true God, and not
one of their imaginations. And they did this WHILE
not saved or regenerate.

> > For Cornelius to pray to God he must have had faith in God. Not saving
> > faith, but faith nevertheless.
>
> How can you have faith in someone you don't know?

The devils believe and tremble!
The devils "believe" in ONE GOD, the true God.
They also KNEW Christ!
Saving faith is believing the GOSPEL.
And the Gospel is only applicable to the seed of Abraham.


> > The knowledge he needed to know was presented to him by Peter in the
> > Gospel.
> >
> > Cornelius is a very good example of how a person is saved. When
Cornelius
> > HEARD the word of the Gospel preached he believed and was saved.
> >
>
> But you are, once again, begging the question. You _assume_ that what
> Cornelius did he was able to do, without the prevenient work of God.

Of course I am not assuming that!

The Scriptures provide a lot of information about God's
prevenient grace in Cornelius' life.
Where we probably differ is that I believe that God
gives "prevenient" grace to everyone.

And "prevenient" grace can be rejected.


Gary



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gilgames wrote:
> <<
> There are several reasons for Christendom's reluctance