Mark

Cheryl,

Again you are convincing me more that you don’t actually understand the people you oppose-namely reformed Christians. No one i know who holds to a reformed doctrine would come to the conclusion that we don’t need to pray or that it is synergism.

The issue you need to deal with is in relation to salvation. Sinful people by nature do not know God. THat is, their sin seperates them from God. Now can they find their way back to God? Reformed theology saids no. THey need God to show grace upon them. God has instituted prayer as one means by which faithful people can pray that God might open people’s eyes.

Sure that person may not be elect, but we do not know that- only God does. But clearly God has told us to pray and witness to ALL people. If God chooses to use prayer to fulfill His will that is fine. ( but that is not synergism which said people have the ability in themselves to seek salvation)However God may choose not to answer a prayer because it is not in alighnment with His will. THis parody stands with every aspect of our christian life, not just salvation. We may ask God to make us well if we are sick, but he may choose not to answer that prayer- it’s up to His plan and will for our lives.

Your point makes no sense- your conclusion doesn’t fit. Otherwise you think every time we pray God answers it- but that is simply not the case because we do not know what his will is. This is no different with the elect. We are to pray for people but if they are not God’s elect he will not answer our prayer since that is not in his will.

That is why calvinists in the past have been wrong- that actually didn’t hold to the teaching of calvin nor the Bible. The logical conclusion of calvinism is not ‘do nothing’. THat is a wrong understanding of calvinism or as some say ‘high calvinism’.