Unfortunately, that means you still don't have a fair understanding of the Reformed faith. As always, I do not speak for all Protestants, but WE are FULLY bound to scripture (as are other "Bible-believing" Protestant faiths). It just happens to be in an interpretation you disagree with. None of what you describe is what we teach or experience in our worship.
In #6222, I said: "There is no salvation before judgment. ... Only after judgment will we be either saved or condemned; only then will we have a ticket to heaven or hell. ... and while none of us deserve[s] salvation, some will receive it for no other reason that God's incredible mercy."
........... When I answered "Yes," it was to the first part of your statement (re: attaining), and not the latter, as you took it (re: awarding); salvation is awarded, as a crowing recognition of you as someone who has attained the likeness to Christ in God's eyes.
Ah, now we may be getting somewhere. Thanks for the clarification. I had been operating under two generalizations that I thought I had picked up along the way. One is that theosis is "like" what I call salvation. The other is that a very few attain theosis during physical life. I take it now that what I call salvation is more different from theosis than I had thought.
In any event, it appears everyone agrees that theosis is not an earned award.
"I take it now that what I call salvation is more different from theosis than I had thought."
Is it what you call "sanctification"? By the way, I asked Blogger about the term "saved" as he uses it; I've yet to hear from him but I'm sure I will. What do you mean by that term? Is it a one time "You're saved" event? What happens after that and finally, you've mentioned the "sinner's prayer". All prayer here on earth is the prayer of sinners, but I suspect you mean something quite specific. Yes?
Yes, that is unfortunate if it were true. How can we speak of a "reformed faith" as anything but an amalgam of individual faiths?
As always, I do not speak for all Protestants, but WE are FULLY bound to scripture...
...based on one's own, personal interpretation of Holy Scripture.
A Reformed Protestant, or for that matter any Protestant, is under no obligation to agree with any existing understanding of the Holy Scripture, but is perfectly free to interpret the Holy Script as he or she sees fit.
One can be a Southern Baptist and believe in free will, just as one can be a Southern Baptist and be Reformed, and deny the free will. So, when one says "I am a Southern Baptist" there is a entire spectrum of possible beliefs he or she may hold that may or may not correspond to other members of his or her congregation.
But as an Orthodox or Catholic believer, I don't have that luxury to cherry-pick what i want to believe and what i don't want to, and still call myself Orthodox or Catholic. I can't profess filioque and say that I am Orthodox. I can't profess Protestant redemption theology and remain Orthodox.
I do have the freedom to speculate and ask, as long as I, in the final analysis, always defer to the Church. I believe with all my heart everything the Eastern Orthodox Church teaches, even if my personal demons sometimes lead me astray.
Otherwise, if I believed anything I speculate as my true faith, and not as moments of demonic possession, I would cease being Orthodox in essence.
Since Protestants are under no obligation to follow any particular rule, but their own interpretation of the Bible, and their own conceptualization of the faith based on personal preferences, intellect, culture, etc., my statement that it is a man-made, tailor-made to one's individual taste and preference religion is not an "unfortunate lack of understanding of the Reformed Faith," FK, is it?