Originally Posted by
FunFromOz
C: Does that mean "I can't actually do it
F: Yes it does. As you well know there is no single verse in the Bible that says, beyond speculation, that regeneration precedes faith. (But then that is true for lots of things, like there's nothing on babies automatically going to heaven for example). The book of Romans, which Paul wrote to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ, runs over 16 chapters. It's a bit hard to condense that into one single verse.
C: Does that mean ... it doesn't really matter
F: What matters is, through the exegesis of the relevant Scriptures, providing a coherent argument for why such a belief can be considered Biblicly valid.
C: Does that mean ... the Calvinist model dictates is all that really matters?
F: Of course not. But as Paul said to the Corinthians, "there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you".