Philip wrote: It is absolutely incredible to me that anyone believes that the free will which God has so mercifully and gracefully given us, that using it by simply being RECEPTIVE to and subsequently embracing God's free gift of salvation, saves anyone - although it is the door through which ALL must walk to receive it!
Okay. So to be receptive means one must ‘walk through a door’ to be saved? That sounds like something apart from grace to me.
And what is it exactly that the will is free from?
Philip wrote: It is not the choice to be receptive that ultimately saves, but it's the GIFT Itself (Jesus, The Cross) that does the saving.
If some men walk through the door, but others do not walk through the door, then it is not the gift that ultimately saves, but the will of the ones “receptive” enough to walk through the door. And so, on this, it is logically possible that no man will ever be receptive, and God predestinates a provision in Christ which none will receive. This is just folly, and God is not a God of folly, nor is He a God of cotingencies.
Philip wrote: We might have been given many other choices or gifts by God, with no others having the ability to save. So it is clear that our free will ALONE is capable of NOTHING - it can only RECEIVE the Gift/Jesus.
How does the will receive the gift? What is it about one man’s “will to accept” over another’s impotent will?
1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Philip, this contradicts everything you have said. There’s no door for man to walk through; that is a fad. The Spirit does
all the work.
Philip wrote: If nothing else, the story of Cornelius refutes the false belief that a man cannot positively respond to God or seek Him without first being "regenerated."
You’re missing the thrust of Acts 10.
Acts 10:9-18
Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance
11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.
12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”
15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made enquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate
18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.
God is telling Peter that He has made made men of all nations clean. Of course, Peter being Peter, he doesn't understand what is going on.
Acts 10:23-28
The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”
27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.
28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Having revealed Himself to Cornelius, God shows Peter that men of all nations, not just theJews, are no longer to be called common and unclean.
Acts 10:30-35
Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing
31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’
33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
God’s impartially is towards men of all nations, Jew and Gentile alike. This is what Peter is referring to when he says God shows no partiality.
And God indeed works in those He calls:
Acts 16:14
One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
What caused Lydia’s conversion?
Ezekiel 36:26-27
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Philip, at this point I imagine you want to accuse God of violating their free will?
Point to me where I accused you