Determinism in Calvinism and the Reformed Confessions

[atpollard]

It's not totally silent. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father. That's pretty minute.

I agree, to an extent.
It makes clear God has absolute control over minutiae, but stops short of naming God as the CAUSE of all minutiae.

To use your “sparrow”, scripture tells us that the sparrow could not fall, would not fall, and did not fall except that God both KNEW ABOUT IT and God PERMITTED IT. (The so-called ‘permissive will’ of God). Scripture does not go so far to say that God MADE the sparrow fall.

To use another Biblical example, and one far less harmless than a sparrow, we can look at Romans 1 starting at verse 18. Each time “therefore God gave them over …” and evil things happened. Clearly God permitted some evil things to happen after He “gave them over” each time, that God did not permit to happen before He gave them over (or God did not give them over, they were already given over). However, in giving them over to sin and immorality and depravity, God is never presented as the CAUSE of their sin. They sin because that is what THEY desired. God merely PERMITTED or restrained their evil desires.

 

[TomL]

Not if the PERSON must act AFTER the giving of the gift but BEFORE the receipt of salvation as Free Will Synergism requires. Then it is NOT instantaneous. Thus my question about exactly how long does it take and can things go awry in that “non-zero” time interval.

If God gives the gift, we believe, and God saves us INSTANTANEOUSLY … that is Monergism … that is what TULIP and the Doctrines of Grace claim! God did it all.

Um Non Calvinists do not hold faith is a gift exclusive God gives to some and withholds from others. Some may hold it a gift in the sense God gives the ability to believe but you are conflating the different positions

 

[civic]

First point, a minor point, I fixed your OP [you are not really denying the Biblical claim that God works all things according to His will, you want to challenge the tenants of Calvinism].

Second, starting with point #1 …

• I am unfamiliar with the verse that states God determined all minute details in eternity past. Scripture is clear that God determined some things in eternity past … specifically, the predestination of some specifically for salvation (aka. Election) … and Jesus Christ as the means of salvation.
• Given the biblical silence on predestined minutia, ANY answer is human speculation rather than ‘God-breathed’ Truth.
• Some would argue that if a single atom in the universe is not under God’s control, then God is not really in control. They would say that you are correct (you posted what you posted because it was God’s plan that you should post EXACTLY that). Within this group, some would argue for “compatibility” and claim that it was God’s plan for you to post that exact message, but God had no need to compel you to do anything you did not desire to do. YOU wanted to post that message without any input from God as much as God’s plan knew that you would post it and predestined the posting of that message as a part of His plan.
• I, personally, see the merit in the compatibility argument, but take a slightly different view. Looking at Romans 1, I see an image of Humans with a propensity to do what is contrary to the LAW and NATURE of God with predictable certainty. I see a God who exercises His right of sovereign restraint to allow only so much evil. Like the oceans and the tide, the hand of God says “this far and no further” even as the mind of God knows exactly what you will do with any given amount of freedom. Thus the plan of God is as certain as if God actively controlled every thought and action, but God has no need to violate any free will, merely the right to restrain the evil He will permit from any fallen nature.

Thanks I appreciate the clarity on your position.