I thought I would Blog the debate a little at a time as I review my notes. I did ask Dr. White last night in channel if Bob Wilkins was typical of professors at Dallas Theological Seminary. He assured me with an email that DTS professors are not normally like Dr. Wilkins. Thank God.
Dr. White did open up the debate. He started with the doctrine of regeneration. He demonstrated that regeneration is the Sovereign work of the Trinity, for the Glory of God and not man.
He spoke of the deadness of man in sin and how dead men are raised to spiritual life. Therefore it is God who saves and saves perfectly in Christ. Christ is saving a people, who are zealous for good deeds. God did not make men saveable, but actually saves His people. Therefore Dr. White demonstrated the doctrine of particular redemption in Christ.
Dr. White showed four steps in demonstrating his position. First God's Grace is free and freely given. It is God's Sovereign grace. Then he showed that faith is a work of regeneration. Third, one who is regenerated and has faith is born of God.
Fourth "Why does it matter?" If a dead man can choose God and has a natural ability, then "How is God glorified?" This question was never answered by Dr. Wilkin. Dr. White showed that if man has the ability to choose God apart from the regenerating and saving work of the Spirit, then the man who is saved is either wiser, smarter, better, more sensitive or something that shows he deserved to be saved over and against someone that goes to hell.
I agree with the Reformers. Soli Deo Gloria!
Weekend A La Carte (December 21)
5 hours ago
2 comments:
glad you liked the debate, but most of us at the debate thought even though white won the debate overall, he nevertheless dropped the ball in the first half and recovered in the second half. This was not a group discussion as much as it was said all together with no discussion, but we all enjoyed it.
I agree that the presentation of the first half "seemed" to be missing something, but I don't know if "dropping the ball" is an accurate description.
Dr. White went through the deadness of man and presented texts that speak to regeneration. Perhaps it was delivery or perhaps it was me. I don't know.
Who is most of "us" anyway? Reformed or....?
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