Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Alex Murphy

If grace is a free unearned gift from God then even an infant can receive the grace that is given in baptism. Nothing needs to be done to receive it. The catholic notion demonstrates this best. But then, the early church had no idea of what True Christianity was.


10 posted on 03/08/2007 1:01:04 PM PST by Klondike
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Klondike
Option A: consecrate your child to God as an infant, catechetize him, and leave God to do that which God alone can do -- reveal Himself to the child at the right time, place, and manner.

Option B: Assume some kind of "state of innocence" protects your child until the "age of reason" is attained, at which point strive to induce a "conversion experience" via a complex array of societal and psychological pressure mechanisms. Oh, yes. Since we are hard-wired to respond to the pressures brought upon us by those we respect, you'll probably be able to induce such an experience -- but you aren't God, so the converts you make are less likely to be genuine than those God makes.

Charles Finney, the American pelagian, introduced a number of human psuedo-sacraments into the experience of the American church, such as the "altar call." He also denied original sin, and preached a form of autosoteriology through will power.

11 posted on 03/08/2007 2:01:05 PM PST by TomSmedley (Calvinist, optimist, home schooling dad, exuberant husband, technical writer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


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