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Pentecost Reading: Ezekiel 1

  1  In the thirtieth year, [ a ]  in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was among the exiles by the Kebar Canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.  2  On the fifth of that month, in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin,  3  the word of the  Lord  came in a dramatic way [ b ]  upon Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, [ c ]  by the Kebar Canal, and the hand of the  Lord  was upon him there. The Glory of the  Lord  Appears 4  As I watched, I noticed a windstorm coming from the north. There was a large cloud, with fire flashing through it, and there was a bright light all around it. In the middle of it, there was something that looked like glowing metal [ d ]  in the middle of the fire. 5  In the middle of it I saw what looked like four living creatures. This was what they looked like. Each of them had a human appearance,...

Pentecost Reading: Isaiah 1:1 - 31

  1  The   vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem   in the days of   Uzziah,   Jotham,   Ahaz, and   Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The Wickedness of Judah 2  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;      for the  Lord  has spoken: “Children [ a ]  have I reared and brought up,      but they have rebelled against me. 3  The ox knows its owner,      and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know,      my people do not understand.” 4  Ah, sinful nation,      a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers,      children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the  Lord ,      they have despised the Holy One of Israel,      they are utterly estranged. 5  Why will you still be...

Tackling Tradition 80: Free Will Vs. Determinism

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 Is the content of this meme theologically correct?  The debate between Calvinism & Non-Calvinism with respect to free will is about the internal mechanics of free agency as an action theory of the will.  How is the concept of a free will offering an example of the existence of libertarian free will?    Calvinists affirm what James 1:14 - 15 affirms:    When moral agents sin, they do so by following their own desires into sin, condemnation, & death.  Arminianians & other advocates of libertarian free will argue that people have either by virtue of their creation or by way of the application of Universal Prevenient Grace, the ability to make & follow through with choices that run counter to their own (prevailing) desires as well as the ability to make & follow through with choices that do not run counter to their own (prevailing) desires, or maybe with no underlying cause at all.   The concept of the free will offering...

Covenant Theology In Outline Form 32: John 21

Shema  21  After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.  Historical Prologue 2  Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.  3  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. General Stipulations  4  Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  5  Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”  6  He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7  That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon ...

Covenant Theology In Outline Form 31: John 21

Shema  21 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.  Historical Prologue  2  Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.  3  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4  Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  5  Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”  6  He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7  That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it wa...