Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

To: GLENNS
That's exactly the problem, isn't it?

Um, I'm not sure there is a problem.

You want to live by sight and not by hope.

Where did you get that? You said my understanding of TULIP was incomplete. I asked you to tell me how, and you gave me a fine, though unnecessary, mini-sermon on faith and God's sovreignty, none of which I would dispute.

Not everyone who questions your doctrine is confused and disturbed, or caught up in some zeitgeist, or interested in fast-food theology. Why would I lurk and post on these forums if I just wanted touchy-feely Christianity?

So it would seem to me that my understanding of TULIP is fairly complete. The saints are unconditionally elected and will persevere since they cannot be led astray. Those not unconditionally elected are led astray to eternal damnation, though we cannot say exactly how they were led astray since they were never among the elect. Yet we have faith and the Scriptures attest that a righteous, merciful, and just God uses it all for His glory. Is that a fair, albeit concise, assessment?

546 posted on 01/25/2005 7:04:48 AM PST by opus86
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 519 | View Replies ]


To: opus86

Try this:

Because of the father of humanity, Adam, we his children have inherited a defective nature such that we have no abilities on our own such that we can communicate with God or perform any unaided pleasing actions. Because of this, the Father sent the Son, incarnated with the man Jesus Christ, to not only provide the sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of sins but also attain the merits necessary through his perfect obedience unto eternal life for those who possess a saving faith. Through the power of God, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is only through a "resurrection of the dead" through the work of the Holy Spirit that man can be given a new spirit alive to God, shedding in part, in this life, his old Adamic nature, and being raised daily through the Holy Spirit into the person of the new Adam, Jesus Christ. This union of the Spirit of Christ with a soul can never be cut because Christ cannot deny Himself. As the parable of the sower shows, there are some who have a faith that is not planted in soil prepared by the Holy Spirit and it is a faith that is not lasting because it has not been planted and joined with the Spirit of Christ.

Does that help?


740 posted on 01/26/2005 1:17:52 PM PST by GLENNS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 546 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson