Posted on 11/13/2006 11:01:10 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg
If salvation is all of grace -- if God is God and he has chosen us for salvation even though we did nothing to deserve it -- then we ought to live by the grace we have received. Of course, some of you will look at that and say to yourselves, “Yeah, I really need to do better at living by grace. I’ve really been a failure there. I hope God will forgive me again.” If that’s you, you still don’t get it. Go back and re-read the last seventeen pages and (if you’re a believer) remember that you’re one of the elect!
Our hearts so quickly try to relate to God on a works-basis! It’s our pride, really. I’m convinced that that’s the problem with free-will Arminianism. People naturally process it like this: God requires one work from me, to believe. Once I believe, I’ve done my work and deserve heaven. Of course, in more hard-line Arminian circles, it goes a step further. Unless I’m holy enough, I’ll still go to hell, and maybe I’ve even committed the unpardonable sin and will be damned even if I’m sinlessly perfect from here on out. Legalism. Legalism. Legalism. Such a religion is barely recognizable as Christianity.
But Calvinists can fall into legalism just as easily. You see, I understand predestination. I’m a superior Christian. I’ve got all my theological “t”s crossed and my Reformed “i”s dotted. I sure am close to God. Pride is the Presbyterian’s favorite form of legalism, so watch out! But if God really is for us, and if we had nothing to do with that decision -- if even our faith was given to us by the Father -- then there’s no room for boasting. God’s sovereign choice of us leaves us free from pride. It leaves us aware of our brokenness and humble before God, but all the while confident that his eternal purpose will stand, that we will glory in God forever as objects of his saving mercy. As God’s eternal blessing really begins to sink from our heads into our hearts, we see a new freedom that we never would have imagined when we first encountered the raw, holy, sovereign power of God. Among the newfound freedoms:
1. Freedom from shame, guilt & Insecurity
Read Romans 8:28-39. Nothing can separate you from God’s love -- nothing in the past, nothing in the future. No one can stand against you. No one can accuse you. Even bad things (“all things”) are working right now to your benefit, to make you more like Jesus. God didn’t choose you because of your faith, and Jesus is not ashamed of you—even at your worst (Hebrews 2:11). He’s proud to have you in the family, proud to call you brother or sister -- even knowing what he knows. He’s displaying the glory of his mercy, remember. God’s law is no longer your enemy, but a friend. You can have confidence before God.
2. Freedom from destructive Perfectionism
If God really is for you, then you can quit trying to look good. If you’re trying to be good enough for God, he’s not buying it -- he didn’t choose you because of your great faithfulness. If you’re trying to be good enough for other people, don’t bother. God wants to display his mercy -- that means we have to be broken. God’s glory is not displayed by trying to look like you have it all together. Faith is not a work, and even if it were it still wouldn’t earn you any brownie points. Let God be God. If you won’t show your weakness, then others won’t see God’s power displayed in it.
3. Freedom from legalistic man-made rules
Some of the biggest practical opponents to living by grace are those legalistic little rules that we live by. We love to judge other with them -- they make us look good, and help us feel better about ourselves. (Pride again.) Dress this way, not that way. Wear this much makeup, not that much. Work. Don’t work. Home school is God’s way. Public school is God’s way. Christian school is God’s way. Drink. Don’t drink. Smoke. Don’t smoke. Dance. Don’t dance. This is God’s worship style. If we’re all about God’s glory, there’s no room for any of this. Do whatever you do for God’s glory without comparisons. God has freed you from judging others. You don’t understand God’ sovereign grace until you realize you are a beggar who’s been blessed without cause. You had nothing to do with it -- you’re just a receiver.
4. Freedom from Penance
Even repentance can be a sham if we’re trying to approach God with some vestige of self-reliance. Biblical repentance is a freedom we can enjoy daily, while penance is its counterfeit.
Repentance/Penance
Comes with empty hands/Tries to bargain with God
Acknowledges real sin as against God/Makes excuses for sin
Grieves over displeasing God/Grieves over getting caught
Asks for help to do better/Promises to do better
Is willing to publicly confess, if needed/Is too proud to publicly confess
Relies on God's promises to us/Relies on own promises to God
Turns outward, away from self, to God/Turns inward on self
Produces freedom, joy, and confidence/Produces guilty feelings, anxiety
God has obligated himself to receive any repentant sinner who comes to him. Without this realization, true repentance is impossible. Until we realize that God is for us, we cannot truly be for God.
See post 400. Meant to include you.
"An early Happy Thanksgiving to all of you."
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God bless you to! I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving.
It boils down to perspective; extroverted or introverted. How does one views oneself before God and what are they going to do about it?
I'm a depraved creature. If left to my own self I would cheat, lie, steal, and a host of other sins. I'm vile before God although to most people I'm a very decent sort of person (certainly my wife). But God and I know the evil that lurks within my heart. Since I am a depraved creature, I don’t naturally seek after God or do the things that are of God.
The scriptures state that I’m to repent of my sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation. Every other religious belief believes we can obtain perfection in some way or other or, believes we’re basically good folks capable of doing something that pleases God. Not Calvinism. The Bible states we’re depraved and must fully understand there is nothing that we can do.
Since I’m depraved, God had to change my heart to make me understand, give me the desire to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is faith and being born again. The reason I know I’m elected for glory is simply because I understand that I’m a sinner in need of a Savior. Most people don't give two hoots that they're sinners. I wake up and beg for God’s mercy that I do not dishonor Him today and at night I ask for Him to forgive my not being a faithful witness. This is the work of God; not my depraved nature.
If left to my own devices I will fall back to my evil ways but God has told me He won’t allow that to happen. I trust Him because He has stated it. I know I’m saved because I understand what I’m capable of doing but don’t want to do. I sin but have a desire to repent and be like Christ. This is the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart; not my depraved nature.
What differentiates my beliefs from everyone else? Generally speaking, all other false religions preach being a “good person” and doing good things. Christianity doesn’t preach that you’re a good person nor can you do anything good for God. Instead it tells you what a wretched person you are. Christianity, true Christianity, requires an understanding that all of my works are as filthy rags before God and He must cleanse and purge me. If a person cannot realistically look at themselves and understand the depths of their depravity against the true holiness of God, then they are not saved. But the only reason one can realistically look at their true nature and repent of it, is simply because God has made it so. True Christians can identify with my description and we know we’re bound for glory, not because of anything we have done but because Christ is working inside us to correct our flaws.
People can 1) fashion a god after the image they would like, 2) believe that they can do all sorts of things for God, or 3) recognize that they’re a sinner resting upon His promises. Those who fall into Category 1 incorporate atheists and a host of other religions. Those in Category 2 are the tares of the church. Those who fall into Category 3 are elect and bound for glory. All can examine their hearts and know which description applies to them.
How does understanding that one is a sinner in need of a Savior show infallibly that one is elected for glory?
-A8
Didn't you read my lengthy explanation above? I took a long time composing it.
Summarizing: Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Oops, sorry. Catholics don't believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
HarleyD: It boils down to perspective; extroverted or introverted. How does one views oneself before God and what are they going to do about it?
A8: Nothing here shows how you know that you are elect for glory.
HarleyD: I'm a depraved creature. If left to my own self I would cheat, lie, steal, and a host of other sins. I'm vile before God although to most people I'm a very decent sort of person (certainly my wife). But God and I know the evil that lurks within my heart. Since I am a depraved creature, I don’t naturally seek after God or do the things that are of God.
A8: Nothing here shows how you know that you are elect for glory.
HarleyD: The scriptures state that I’m to repent of my sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation. Every other religious belief believes we can obtain perfection in some way or other or, believes we’re basically good folks capable of doing something that pleases God. Not Calvinism. The Bible states we’re depraved and must fully understand there is nothing that we can do.
A8: Nothing here shows how you know that you are elect for glory.
HarleyD: Since I’m depraved, God had to change my heart to make me understand, give me the desire to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is faith and being born again.
A8: Nothing here shows how you know that you are elect for glory.
HarleyD: The reason I know I’m elected for glory is simply because I understand that I’m a sinner in need of a Savior.
A8: Ok, now you finally get around to my question. You claim that you know you are elected for glory because you understand that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Of course, that pushes the question back one step: How does understanding that one is a sinner in need of a Savior allow one to know infallibly that one is elected for glory?
HarleyD: Most people don't give two hoots that they're sinners. I wake up and beg for God’s mercy that I do not dishonor Him today and at night I ask for Him to forgive my not being a faithful witness. This is the work of God; not my depraved nature.
A8: How does your waking up and begging for God's mercy show infallibly that you are elect for glory? You seem to be assuming that no apostates-to-be ever do this. What justifies that assumption?
HarleyD: If left to my own devices I will fall back to my evil ways but God has told me He won’t allow that to happen.
A8: In a dream, a vision, the Bible? Where has He told you this?
HarleyD: I trust Him because He has stated it.
A8: Where did He state it?
HarleyD: I know I’m saved because I understand what I’m capable of doing but don’t want to do.
A8: What reason is there to believe that just because a person understands what he is capable of doing but doesn't want to do, that person is elect for glory?
HarleyD: I sin but have a desire to repent and be like Christ. This is the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart; not my depraved nature.
A8: How does this show infallibly that you are elect for glory?
HarleyD: What differentiates my beliefs from everyone else? Generally speaking, all other false religions preach being a “good person” and doing good things. Christianity doesn’t preach that you’re a good person nor can you do anything good for God. Instead it tells you what a wretched person you are. Christianity, true Christianity, requires an understanding that all of my works are as filthy rags before God and He must cleanse and purge me. If a person cannot realistically look at themselves and understand the depths of their depravity against the true holiness of God, then they are not saved. But the only reason one can realistically look at their true nature and repent of it, is simply because God has made it so. True Christians can identify with my description and we know we’re bound for glory, not because of anything we have done but because Christ is working inside us to correct our flaws.
A8: Nothing here shows how you know that you are elect for glory.
HarleyD: People can 1) fashion a god after the image they would like, 2) believe that they can do all sorts of things for God, or 3) recognize that they’re a sinner resting upon His promises. Those who fall into Category 1 incorporate atheists and a host of other religions. Those in Category 2 are the tares of the church. Those who fall into Category 3 are elect and bound for glory. All can examine their hearts and know which description applies to them.
A8: How do you know that anyone who "recognizes that they're a sinner resting on His promises" is elected for glory?
-A8
Where is that in the Catholic Catechism? Or are you just making things up out of thin air?
-A8
Nope. I tell them God loves them in spite of their sins because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for every one of them.
And if you ask me "how I know" this to be true, I will reply "Because the Bible tells me so."
I tell my children the gift of God's grace is not to be squandered. I tell them to live the life God has given them with obedience and gratitude and thanksgiving and joy. I tell them God will love them forever and so will I.
I answered your question, so kindly answer mine. You said you did not know for certain that you would would never stop loving your children and I asked you then and again...
Do you tell your children that one day you might stop loving them?
AMEN! Read some Van Til. He begins and ends every thought with this reality.
Thats WHY The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was off limits..
For who could discern the totality of good and evil except God himself..
For men can easily see good as evil and evil as good..
I did, and it was time well spent. Thanks for posting.
Oops, sorry. Catholics don't believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
I think in Catholicism the Holy Spirit only rents because He is in and out so much.
Just for you for Thanksgiving.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/thanksgiving/turkey-dinner.html
A8: The above sentence is a case of mortal reasoning applied to God. Therefore, the above sentence is "words without knowledge". Every instance of attacking logic has this result. All who attack [logic] have just committed intellectual suicide.
And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. – I Cor 2:4-5
Since we believe all of these things, why would we ever have a problem believing that God’s thoughts are above our thoughts, that His ways are above our ways – that He overrides the "laws" of Creation according to His own will - and that we created beings can never obtain a full understanding of the Creator?
-A8
[ A8- If you claim that logic does not apply to statements about God, then you have just contradicted yourself, for you have just used logic to make a statement about God. ]
You're chasing your tail A8... although cute with puppies, it's silly with adults..
That's an ad hominem. If what I said is false, show how it is false. If what I said is not false, then believe it.
-A8
We receive the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of water baptism. And then we are baptized into the fulness of the Spirit through the sacrament of confirmation.
You have water baptism in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Spirit, and thus you have the initial measure of the Spirit. But you don't have the fulness of the Spirit that Catholics and Orthodox receive in the sacrament of confirmation. (Nor do you have the life of the Son that we receive in the Eucharist (since your "Lord's Supper" is not a valid Eucharist).
-A8
I tell them God loves them in spite of their sins because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for every one of them.
How do you know that Jesus paid for *their* sins, given your belief in limited atonement? You seem to be telling them something that you have no grounds for telling them, given your theological system. If your child says, "Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus paid for *my* sins?" what would you say?
-A8
"Oops, sorry. Catholics don't believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit."
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No Way dude ;-)
If the Holy Spirit doesn't indwell believers how does the Holy Spirit guide them? Oh, I get it! The Holy Spirit only indwells a select few who then guide the rest. You know this secret knowledge stuff is gnostic don't you?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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