1.Salvation is wholly an act of God. 2. God chooses who is saved. 3.Saving grace is irrisistible

I would like to begin by thanking Marauder for accepting this challenge and for referring me to debate.org. As I know we are opposed on this issue, I look forward to an entertaining and informative debate about this much-debated theological subject. I will now begin my affirmative case: CONTENTION 1: SALVATION IS WHOLLY AN ACT OF GOD. a. John 15:16- "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit."(1) b. Romans 9:15-16: I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. (1) c. Romans 9:18- Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills, He hardens. (1) d. John 6:65- "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (1) CONTENTION 2: GOD CHOOSES WHO IS TO BE SAVED AND WHO IS NOT. a. John 15:16- You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. (1) b. Ephesians 1:4-5- Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. (1) c. Romans 9:21- Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for destruction? (1) d. 2 Timothy 1:9- God "has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began"(1) CONTENTION 3: SAVING GRACE IS IRRISISTIBLE. a. Romans 9:15-16- I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, but of God who shows mercy. (1) b. Romans 8:29-30- For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (1) c. Daniel 4:35- All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?” (1) d. Psalm 115:3- But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (1) CONTENTION 4: THE NEGATIVE CANNOT BE CORRECT a. Matthew 7:21-"Not everyone who cries to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven. (1) b. Ephesians 2:8-10- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (1) c. Revelation 22:11- He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. (1) d. Jeremiah 14:12- When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. (1) CONTENTION 5: ETYMOLOGICAL CLARIFICATIONS & DEBUNKING COMMON NEGATIVE ARGUMENTS “Mercy”-eleos-God’s granted salvation (2) "All/Whosoever"-pas-literally "some of all kinds" (3) This rebuts the many verses all too commonly used to promote free-will salvation, such as John 3:16. "World"-kosmos-not necessarily all people (4) “Any”-tis- actually “some” (5) This serves to refute the much overused verse “He is not willing that any should perish…” “Bear Fruit”-karpos- word used in Bible to refer to the fruits of Salvation (i.e., going to heaven) (6) “Predestination”-proorizo- to predetermine, decide/determine that something will happen. Not simply a plan that can be followed or defied. (7) “Adopted as sons by Jesus Christ”-huiothesia- another term used in the Bible to specifically reference salvation. (8) MISCELLANEOUS ARGUMENTS If the negative position was correct and someone must choose God in order to be saved, and not the other way around, no one would be saved, because no one seeks after God. [Romans 3:11- There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.] (1) In clear logical form: If salvation is by man’s choice, no one would be saved (Romans 3:11) But people are saved Therefore: Salvation is not by man’s choice --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jesus Christ did not choose his analogies lightly. He made sure they said exactly what he wanted them to say. And a logical examination of one of His most famous analogies will reveal that. “Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.’ ” [John 3:7](1) The analogy of birth is especially apt, for can one choose whether or not to be conceived, or where he is to be born, or when? Can he forcibly compel his mother to give birth to him? No, of course not. These statements are clearly absurd, but the doctrine of man’s choosing of salvation goes beyond this obvious absurdity to claim that we have power over God Himself. This is to give the creation power over the Creator. In conclusion, Scripture both explicitly states and implies the doctrine of predestination over and over again, not to mention the fact that it is also simply chock full of refutations to the false belief that man chooses salvation. I would like to wish my opponent good luck, and look forward to a good debate. (1) Holy Bible [New King James Version] (2) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (3) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (4) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (5) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (6) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (7) http://www.blueletterbible.org... (8) http://www.blueletterbible.org...