Dr. E: It's that kind of thinking that keeps men from recognizing their own sins and their position in God's creation
Huh? How do you come to that conclusion. We sin; we corrupt the creation around us. I would say it is the Reformed who have the deformed idea that somehow they can go on sinning and still be forgiven.
And if God didn't WANT this creation to exist, this creation wouldn't exist. Something else would exist
God wanted a sinful world? I don't know such a God. My God is Jesus Christ. What's yours? Zeus?
If the creation were not fallen, there would be no need for Jesus Christ
Oh, I get it! God wasn't just happy with the world which He made good, all of it good; He had to "spice" it up with corruption, evil and death, and essentially "suicide" for His own glory?
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." -- Romans 8:22
Why did I know you'd quote Paul? :) But I won't' argue with you this time because Apostle Paul does say that the world fell (according to Paul's interpretation) because God willed it, in hope [sic] that it will be redeemed.
Was God "hoping" it would work? I have outlined my position on Paul in the past: I don't buy his theology, but he was necessary for the Church to survive. Quoting Paul to me is a waste of time.
Sin does not just "distort" us; we are sin ("for everything not of faith is sin"), unless and until we are made new creatures in Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Speak for yourself! There are a lot of good people on this earth, and not all of them are "born-again." The love of God is inscribed in their hearts.
Men are not "distorted" by sin; men are sin, unless Christ's righteousness covers them.
That's consistent with the Reformed theology: God created sin. Well, He created man who then turned into sin by the will of God. Same thing.
God did this so He could commit deicide and glorify Himself? I don't think so.
Man's intended purpose was to be under grace, Christ-like. Fallen men is not a "natural" man; he is spiritually sick in need of a spiritual physician.
"...we can all say with David, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful at the time my mother conceived me" (Ps. 51:5)
I have no idea why David thought he was sinful at birth. Even the Bible reminds us that the inequities of father are not iniquities of their children. Otherwise we could be trying and executing the great-grandchildren of Nazi war criminals. It's that "blood feud" that existed in some primitive societies well intot eh 20th century (Albania for example).
Therefore, if it is unjust for us to be considered guilty for Adam's sin, then it would be equally unjust for God to consider Christ guilty for our sins, an assertion that essentially destroys the Christian doctrine of salvation..."
Christ was never guilty of any sins. Only something as deformed as Reformed theology could teach that He was! Talk about satanic teaching! Christ offered Himself as ransom (check your Bible), to death as our substitute, in exchange of our freedom. That is the Christian doctrine of redemption, not salvation. Once redeemed, those who become Christ-like, even if it is only in their hearts, are saved because they are restored to their original created purpose.
***Huh? How do you come to that conclusion. We sin; we corrupt the creation around us. I would say it is the Reformed who have the deformed idea that somehow they can go on sinning and still be forgiven.***
Actually, it was the Lord that CURSED the creation for our sakes. And, yeah, if the Lord didn’t want it that way, it wouldn’t be that way.
Also, I’m into the “deformed” idea that I can go on sinning and still be forgiven. God isn’t an Indian giver. The plain truth is that all the saints “go on sinning” every day. It was this FACT which prompted Paul to cry out “who will deliver me from this body of death” (from memory).
It is the Catholic and her sister traditions that have promoted the truly deformed ideas about our justification. Ultimately, these ideas have led many down the path of the Galatians.
However, I do reject the absolute insanity which did pervade some Protestants that felt they could demonstrate their salvation by sinning wilfully and engaging in all kinds of debauchery. The simple fact is, as I noted by my reference to Paul, we are Simul Iustus et Peccator. I exist, not in some kind of uncertain LIMBO, but as an already perfect forever saint who still sees his sanctification being worked out by the Lord.
“Those whom, God effectually calls he also freely justifies, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness, but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God”
I HAVE BEEN SIGNED. “My name is written upon the palms of my Lord.”
I HAVE BEEN SEALED. “I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.”
SURELY SHALL I BE DELIVERED. “I await on the redemption of my body.”
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. You have already been SEALED for the day of redemption. (Eph 4:30) Set aside false ideas of justification and faith. Embrace the Reformation and be reformed by the TRUTH.