From: Pilgrimpub@aol.com
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 12:38 AM
To: Mentonebay@aol.com
Subject: MARC CARPENTER: HARDSHELL PELAGIAN? [07/07--2005]
MARC "OUTSIDE THE CAMP" CARPENTER REVEALS
HIS TRUE COLORS: HARDSHELL PELAGIAN [07/07-2005]

In a message dated 7/7/2005 9:02:18 PM Central Daylight Time, Marc Carpenter of "Outside the Camp" writes:

I'm not a "Hardshell Primitive Baptist" by any means. . . . I do not believe in the "Spirit-direct-operation-alone" theory that you accuse me of. . . . But regeneration PRECEDES belief of the gospel. . . . belief of the gospel IS A RESULT OF regeneration.

So when will you stop your slander?

To God alone be the glory,

Marc D. Carpenter

BOB'S REPLY:

This is double-talk. PELEAGIAN double-talk. Your bloodline is PELAGIAN.

You clearly hold the basic Hardshell theory, which is a form of Pelagianism.

You have the sinner BORN AGAIN before he believes . . . A BORN AGAIN UNBELIEVER.

You hold the Pelagian theory that the sinner must first be ABLE to believe, then he can exercise faith. This is what you and Robbins were spouting the first time I ever heard of you thru Trinity Review.

You have a REGENERATED UNBELIEVER. You teach that Regeneration is "in order to" believe. The sinner receives "LIFE" before he receives FAITH.

But then AFTER the sinner is supposedly "regenerated" (made "alive"), he is then in a good PELAGIAN, "ABLE" CONDITION, and is THEREBY ENABLED TO BELIEVE.

So your "result" of making him an ABLE PELAGIAN is his "immediate" use of his Pelagian "ability" in believing!

This denies that faith itself is a creation of the Holy Spirit by the use of the Word as His instrument, and at the VERY INSTANT THAT FAITH is brought into existence in the sinner, THIS constitutes THE NEW BIRTH -- for no one has LIFE without the SON and no one has the SON who does not have faith.

Whatever is done in the sinner before faith is NOT REGENERATION, but when the HOLY SPIRIT has COMPLETED His work of creating faith in the DEAD sinner by use of the WORD by His own efficient POWER in that Word (John 6:63-65), THEN and ONLY then does the sinner have LIFE, and then and only then has the sinner been BORN AGAIN, REGENERATED. He THEN has LIFE because he has the SON thru the faith created in him by the Holy Spirit.

He that believes on the Son has life (new birth), and he that believes not on the Son does not have life (new birth).

He does not have LIFE before faith, otherwise one can have the SON before faith. LIFE IS IN THE SON, and that is what the Spirit brings the sinner into -- UNION WITH THE SON. THAT UNION IS BROUGHT ABOUT "BY" FAITH CREATED BY THE WORD AND SPIRIT, AND IS NOT "BEFORE" FAITH.

Repent, Marc, of your HARDSHELL PELAGIANISM! -- Bob Ross

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