Help me defend Reformed Theology

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monoergon

Puritan Board Freshman
Grace and Peace,
I refuted a chapter on predestination from a Brazilian Seventh Day Adventist and defended the doctrines of predestination according to Reformed Theology. However, this month marks one year that I came to believe in the doctrines of grace and I don't know everything. Puritanboard helped me greatly to write my refutation (just search my nickname here to read my posts on predestination).

The Seventh Day Adventist author is now asking me questions of which I need help in answering. I will post them here as he keeps sending me questions that I don't know much about.

Thank you all in advance for your time and support :D
Here is the link to my article (its in Portuguese). If you know Spanish, perhaps you can understand some of it.


Seventh Day Adventist author's questions translated to English as I received on my e-mail inbox (the brackets were added by me):

Lucifer was a perfect being, created by God, but, since he was free [had free will] he sinned.

Respond: What does this tell you about the reality of moral liberty [or freedom] in God's universe?

Respond: What does this liberty [or freedom] reveal about God's character?
Click to expand...
 
The Reformed grant that man *had* a free will: he was not coerced to sin any more than God forces anyone to sin in or day. The question is now, since the fall, does man have the ability to do good before God and believe in His Son? The answer is that our wills need to be freed from sin in order for us to do the good and believe in Christ.
 
Thanks Poimen. I didn't know whether or not Lucifer's and Adam's will were free. Do you know any good Reformed online articles that talk about Lucifer's and Adam's free will?
 
With regards to Adam's will, I would suggest a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapters 4,6&9. Robert Shaw's is available here. A comprehensive discussion on Chapter 4 may also include some exposition of Satan's will.
 
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Something helpful to remember:

Before the fall - man can choose either to obey God or to sin against God
After the fall - man can only choose to disobey God
After regeneration - man can choose to obey God or disobey God
After glorification - man can only choose to obey God

I don't know how Lucifer's will comes into play in all this - the Scriptures seem to be silent on Lucifer's will so instead focus on what we know from Scripture, which is how God deals with man.
 
Have you ever read "The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination" by Loraine Boettner? I highly suggest it.
 
I was a little way into Calvin's Calvinism, it is cheap on kindle (possibly find it for free) does anyone else think this would help or is Boettner a better start for predestination? And what about Gill's "The Cause of God and Truth" for some reason that popped into my head, useful? Or is that more just on defending the doctrines of grace? I don't know how detailed his tackling of predestination is. I will say that Curt Daniel's lectures on Calvinism its history and theology are amazing! "The History and Theology of Calvinism" by Curt Daniel
 
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