On that question I was referring to if anyone "lost their assurance." You know, if someone was assured and then later - in this lifetime - wasn't assured anymore - doubted their assurance or lost it completely.
Or if externally.. One says he is "assured" and others of the same church say, "ain't no way in hell that guy is saved.." Something like that. Whether there was a logical requirement of Once Assured Always Assured.
I would imagine there has to be some cases of people losing their assurance.
As to the attraction of personal theology of Reformed, I think it also appeals to the individualism of the West - the frontierism and the conjunction of revolt and self-rule, democracy. I often see the argument made that the nation's founders were Calvinist, or the something similar.
And there is also a variation of sins "wiped off" where sins are "covered over." Add to this, the range of predeterminism and the theological permutations become multiplied again.
Nondenominationalism is the rage in many places and then there's the prosperity Christianity, believe to receive, that I think most Protestants here recognize as secular peversion of the beatitudes.
It may sound contrary, but sometimes I see Protestant Churches as talking one aspect of Catholocism, eliminating the rest and expanding on their chosen piece. The only piece never picked is monasticism.
thanks for your reply, perhaps a Protestant will speak to the question of Assurance of assurance...
The insecurity comes from our lack of trust. It is not that God becomes distanct; it is rather that we distance ourselves from Him. But, as even Adam did, we blame God.