Very good post, well thought out. I will say, however, I think my 21 year old son is different. He is a senior at Sac State University in Sacramento, CA. He is a prolific writer, and his logic and thinking go way past mine, but he tells me about the same thing you did, about most of his fellow students. He said they don’t have much critical thinking at all. He is probably the exception, rather than there rule, however.
Good for your son. Being brief on such a deep subject, and avoiding a long “scriptural” dissertation is difficult. I am almost 70 and spent years in leadership in non-denominational Keswick movements.
I appreciate R.C. Sproul’s ministry, but there is error too in the Reformist movement.
I, of course, am the only one with a balanced, accurate view of truth. Huge ;-) and LOL.
Actually, my growth over 48 years as a Christian growing in grace and a knowledge of the truth is a continuing revelation of Christ and where I have been off base in the past.....and repenting of my teaching dogmatically that which was not really true. By His grace I have almost always been “Christ-centered”, teaching the finished work of the cross and the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ - but I spent years being actually more “church-centered” than Christ-centered - all the while unaware of what I was doing.
Life is a continual process of new light and repentance. Not necessarily about the foundational things (”Christ Jesus and Him crucified....”), but in other things.
The tendency of all flesh is to take God’s grace and truth and turn them into a works-based, performance-based system where man (the flesh) can perform to please God. That’s what all religion is, and what much of Christendom has become.
I like the way Wayne Jacobsen (a good friend) put it. The religion of the flesh, of every stripe and color, is simply this: “God is good. You are bad. Try harder.”
Grace is, “You are a sinner. God took care of that through the cross and the death, burial and resurrection of His Son. Receive His work and HIs love (same thing), learn to know His love and grace, and He will be your holiness, righteousness, love of others - everything. Spend you life learning His love and all else will follow - His work in and through you by the Holy Spirit.” Or, as Martin Luther put it, “Love God with all of your heart and then do whatever you want.” Only part he left out is we cannot love God without first knowing His love for us......proven at Calvary in and through His Son.......