Adrian Cosma

Sinner saved by the grace of God alone.

[Adrian Cosma @adicosma]

“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. http://t.co/boz7EqxpXF

[Keith Foskey @YourCalvinist]

If something smells good it’s usually good. If something smells bad it’s usually bad. This is especially true in the case of fruit. Most of us like the smell of fresh fruit. We even synthesize the odors for use in air fresheners, cleaners, lotions, and perfumes.
But, if the fruit stinks, that’s usually an indication that something is amiss. This is very interesting when we consider what the Bible says about being able to identify false teachers. “You will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16)
If a teacher’s fruit has a bad spiritual smell, that is probably an indication something is wrong.

[Tom Buck (Five Point Buck) @TomBuck]

It's vital to understand that when heavy handed pastors want to beat a wayward sheep that they want to control, they will weaponize repentance. And when they want to excuse their own sin, they will weaponize forgiveness.

[5 Solas @5Solas]

🎯

[☧ Today in Christian History @HistoricalRook]

#OTD August 24, 1683:
Death of John Owen, leading Puritan theologian and pastor. Vice-Chancellor of Oxford under Cromwell, Owen was a prolific writer whose works shaped Reformed theology for centuries. He died on the day his Meditations on the Glory of Christ went to press.

[Glenn Diesen @Glenn_Diesen]

Kiev is now openly discussing conscripting women into the military. The British media is doing its part to prepare the public for the idea—and I suspect it will ultimately be packaged in empowering feminist stories. Gender equality in being forced to die for NATO.

[𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 @HwsEleutheroi]

Sir, the topic has been debated for centuries...millennia, really. We can either pretend we can start from scratch, or, maybe, just maybe, consider that some wisdom has already been expressed on the topic.

Sir, your objections have been answered...fully, biblically, and on every level: exegetical, historical, philosophical. No one is dodging the issues of theodicy, will, etc. But when thousands and thousands of pages have been written, why ignore them and pretend the answers have not been given? You do not do that in any other field, so why do it here? It just wasn't consistent with what you have said and done with all the other topics you have addressed. You did not go to original sources...you sent with secondary sources from opponents of the view. That's now how it needs to be done, and I think you know that.

So the ball is in your court. Here is my honest suggestion: social media is not a healthy environment for meaningful theological consideration. Poisonous, really. But you have a chance to do something here. You can read Sproul. I would be happy to send you _The Potter's Freedom_. But my fear is that you will be pressed to do some quick debate, take a position, and then go to your grave defending it...all before having a chance to seriously consider the facts. That's the nature of today's pop culture, unfortunately. Or, you can be wise. Let the topic cool off. We both know it will die in a few days if the fire is not fed. People move on. Take the time to read Sproul. Maybe my work, maybe watch some of the debates. Have Claude summarize, if the time demands are too extensive. But do some reading. You will discover we are people of Scripture. Sola scriptura, tota scriptura. Constant emphasis upon consistency in hermeneutics and exegesis. I have defended the Trinity, deity of Christ, resurrection, etc., around the world, in debates in mosques in South Africa, or with Unitarians in Dallas. And I will tell you this: the exegetical process I use to defend monotheism, Trinity, resurrection, atonement, etc., when facing the world religions, is the same exegetical process that DRIVES me to confess the truth of "Calvinism." That's the issue. Will one be consistent, or will one use one standard for one question, and another for another?

Let me suggest one other thing. Let me ask you to consider the debate linked below. It is not on Calvinism, specifically. It is on how men have peace with God. It is with a Muslim representative. It took place in a mosque in Erasmia, South Africa. Now, I would say the message I delivered there is fully Reformed, to be sure. But I invite you to consider the content of the gospel I presented to the Muslims who were sitting on the floor only a matter of feet from me as I stood before the qibla. The exegetical standards I used as I answered Shabir's questions, from the Greek text of the New Testament, are the exegetical standards that lead me to be a Calvinist.

https://t.co/jZxPSqniKw

[𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 @HwsEleutheroi]

I would like to make a few quick comments on the @DineshdSouza anti-Calvinism crusade going on right now.

First, Mr. D'Souza just indicated he is ordering one of the most basic books on Reformed soteriology, one that every Calvinist I know owns and has read: Sproul's _Chosen By God_. That's a great first step, but it also illustrates the problem. Dinesh has not given any of us any reason to believe he actually understands the position he is vigorously denying. That's what caught my attention. So, first...

Let's stop talking about a debate for now. Debates are great: I will list some of my formal, public, moderated debates below on this topic. But some of them are not useful, such as the one I did with Steve Tassi. OK, entertaining, but not overly useful in the long run. And I don't want to invest time in such a debate at the moment. Here is my suggestion. Let Dinesh read Sproul. Think about it. Work on it. Understand it. I think he would find _The Potter's Freedom_ even more useful, given its apologetic orientation, but for now...Sproul will do. And then, let's give him room to...back track. Realize that all of his objections are basic, and have been addressed by our side again and again and again at a very deep level. Give him the room to grow, to learn, and to go, "OK, sorry...much more to this than I originally thought." Dinesh is a smart man . I've profited from much of what he has written and produced. I'd like to see him given room to take a step back and go, "OK, let's rethink this."

Secondly, I would like to invite Dinesh to consider this: if I were to all of a sudden show up start haranguing his most recent book, and he asks, “When did you read it?” and I answer, “I haven’t,” how much credibility would I have? In the same way, I have written three books on this topic, one of which is very widely used and very popular. Yet it is clear Dinesh hasn’t read it yet…he will dismiss my “videos” as just surface level proof texting? I will hazard a guess: he has not listened to a full debate on this topic, not even the ones with Flowers, let alone the more serious ones with Bryson and Brown. I’d like him to consider what this might mean for his conclusions.

Next, I would like to ask him if he has read any, or all, of the following:

The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin. Fundamental reading for Western Civilization, truly, let alone for Reformed theology, and for “Calvinism.”

Institutes of Elenctic Theology by Francis Turretin. At least the relevant sections on soteriology. Height of Reformed scholasticism, and surely sufficient to keep a person from making off-hand comments about how surface-level Reformed teaching supposedly is.

Jonathan Edwards, The Freedom of the Will. Classic Reformed treatment that would disabuse Dinesh of every one of the rather silly statements he has made about man not being able to make choices, etc. (Reformed theology says we make choices, obviously: the issue is the bondage of the will to sin, and hence the options from which to choose in making said choices).

The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock. At its base, the debate over “Calvinism” is a debate over theology proper. I have always said, a consistent Arminian is an Open Theist. There is a reason why that is a very defensible proposition.

And let’s let ol’ Luther have his say. Has Dinesh read the first written debate of the Reformation, that between Luther (On the Bondage of the Will) and Desiderius Erasmus?

So look…a debate would be great, but, I am simply stating this honestly: I have not seen Mr. D’Souza make an objection so far that shows he has a CLUE what the other side is actually saying. And I say that with standing: I know how to debate. I’ve done more than 200 moderated, public debates all around the world on dozens of topics, not just this one. I’ve gotten pretty good at being able to tell who has done their homework and who is making it up as they go along. Want evidence? OK, let’s start with a few debates on Calvinism, going back over a quarter of a century:

https://t.co/t8PRfzX1tH
https://t.co/6aROuHGd7F

And the Tassi debate which, while entertaining, was not exactly edifying in the long run:

https://t.co/RZQJZZSlKU

And a few others simply demonstrating that formal, public, moderated debate is something we have been engaged in for, oh, let’s see…as of this month, I just realized…36 years (started August of 1990):

Vs. Bart Ehrman: https://t.co/IWNY5DSafr

Vs. John Dominic Crossan: https://t.co/35tPzoQKtI

Vs. John Shelby Spong: https://t.co/uVCuVT5h3D

Vs. Shabir Ally (Abu Bakr Siddiq Mosque, Erasmia, South Africa: https://t.co/jZxPSqniKw

Vs. Dr. Abdullah Kunde, Australia: https://t.co/gnk5EmV57A

Vs. Atheist David Silverman: https://t.co/x2SulRpdlV

Vs. Atheist Dan Barker: https://t.co/hCmZC1Y4C5

And, of course, all the debates with Mitch Pacwa, Gerry Matatics, Patrick Madrid, etc. and etc.

So, let’s let Mr. D’Souza do some reading…and then we can talk about formal debate. As for me, I have been working for months in preparation for my next such debate October 17th in Gilbert, Arizona vs. Eastern Orthodox representative Craig Truglia. Thesis: “Icon Veneration as Taught by the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicea II) in 787 is Apostolic” (I am, of course, taking the negative).

[𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 @HwsEleutheroi]

No amount of absurd scripture twisting can ever, ever come close to substantiating this kind of pagan religiosity. Period. Oh, believe me...I could write up the apologetic some Romanist is busily producing right now myself. But the fact remains: no Apostle ever dreamed of this kind of activity. Ever, and no amount of "Newman" can defend it.

[John Piper @JohnPiper]

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

Man proposes. God disposes.

[𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 @HwsEleutheroi]

@DineshDSouza May I suggest some...study on the subject, sir? You clearly have not done your homework, for your objections have been answered, fully, for...well, over a thousand years.

[Ligonier Ministries @Ligonier]

All of @RCSproul’s teaching series are now free—forever.

• 170+ series from Dr. Sproul’s decades of ministry
• 1,400+ messages on the Bible, theology, and more
• 500+ hours of teaching to help you grow in your faith

Stream all his teaching series in the Ligonier app: https://t.co/yTCZ385Tx9

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

2 weeks before migrants from Morocco invaded Ceuta, the GOP passed a bill with $40 million for Morocco and a committee report advising:

Spanish-administered cities of Ceuta and Melilla are located in Moroccan territory and remain the subject of Morocco's longstanding claim.

[David Santos @davidsantosvlog]

Mohamed VI es uno de los mayores enemigos que tiene España.

Tenemos que asfixiar económicamente a Marruecos, deportar de forma masiva a los ilegales marroquíes que se encuentren en España y suspender la organización del Mundial con ese país.

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

Don’t fall for the fake Fox/GOP outrage. Two weeks ago the House passed a bill that greenlighted the transfer of Spanish territory to Morocco. Every Republican except me voted for it, but now THEY are acting shocked at the invasion.
https://t.co/a7ROEAtoOD
https://t.co/886sJycfeL

[Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 @FmrRepMTG]

We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise.
But he’s betrayed us all.
Our commitment is America First for all Americans, right, left, and center.
The movement has begun.

[Alice Weidel @Alice_Weidel]

Die spanische Exklave Ceuta wird derzeit überrannt: Bereits mehr als 1.500 Migranten, vorwiegend aus Marokko und Algerien, gelangten in kürzester Zeit in die EU. Ihr Ziel dürfte mutmaßlich Deutschland sein. Grenzen müssen jetzt geschlossen und Abweisungen rigoros durchgesetzt werden. 2015 darf sich nicht wiederholen! https://t.co/yTak4BuNBi

[☧ Today in Christian History @HistoricalRook]

#OTD July 29, 1921:
Death of Herman Bavinck, Dutch Reformed theologian and churchman. A leading scholar in the Calvinist tradition alongside Abraham Kuyper and B. B. Warfield, he is best known for his monumental four-volume work Reformed Dogmatics (1895–1901). His careful, comprehensive theology continues to influence Reformed thought today.

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

So why isn’t he speaking out now that Trump’s CDC just gave another billion dollars to Pfizer for more COVID jabs.

[Reformed1563 @Heidel_bro1563]

“Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you."

-Sinclair Ferguson

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

Let me explain this absurd ruse: The Pentagon is pretending there have been two Iran wars separated by a brief cease-fire.

The reality: By going more than 90 days without congressional authorization @SecWar IS BREAKING THE LAW and must be held accountable.