But, no, I will never swim the Tiber. If I would have lived at the time of Luther I would have probably have handed him the hammer.
BTW-I've recently discovered that it is entirely possible one of my very distance relatives was a great Reformer, a converted Jesuit priest who was a theological doctor at one of the Catholic schools. During the Reformation the Catholics sought to kill him when he converted and preached against the Catholic Church. Wanting to reform the Church must run in the family.
” BTW-I’ve recently discovered that it is entirely possible one of my very distance relatives was a great Reformer, a converted Jesuit priest who was a theological doctor at one of the Catholic schools. During the Reformation the Catholics sought to kill him when he converted and preached against the Catholic Church. Wanting to reform the Church must run in the family.”
That’s neat! I have Jesuit relatives too and most of the family says they’re heretics just like your relative! :)
***How do we know who is the elect and the non-elect. If the elect had a big “X” tatooed on their forehead it would be easy.***
Hmm. You know what to do since God micromanages every move and thought of your elect life, yet you don’t know if someone else is elect. Is this program missing a few subroutines?
Look, it’s not a great step. The Reformed elect say that they know that they are of the elect. You preach the Gospel to people who do not have that surety inside. You say that if you are of the elect, then you know it. They don’t know it. Therefore they are of the non elect. Therefore they may come to the conclusion that you are taunting them with eternal rewards that they cannot attain.
A side question: are there any Reformed who believe that they are of the non elect? Why?
***I used “grace” not in a salvation sense but in a general sense. God would be rightful and just to strike us all down. Instead He allows us to live our lives and provides for even those who would profane His Holiness.***
What does that have to do with preaching the Gospel to the non elect?
***For a more thorough reading may I suggest the Westminster Confession. It is an excellent document complete with refereneces.***
It is a most excellent document and I am indebted to the good Dr. E. for bringing it to my attention repeatedly. I have read it through many times and read some studies on it. It certainly ranks with anything written by Nestorius, Arius or any of the Gnostics. My appreciation to those who are not embarrassed to use a government bureaucratic panel, commission, bought, paid for, and ratified by the Parliament of England.
***BTW-I’ve recently discovered that it is entirely possible one of my very distance relatives was a great Reformer, a converted Jesuit priest who was a theological doctor at one of the Catholic schools. During the Reformation the Catholics sought to kill him when he converted and preached against the Catholic Church. Wanting to reform the Church must run in the family.***
You must come from a line that contained Roger Bannister.