Featured Puritanism

Belief is a condition of justification. Is it really? Is that the only condition or are there more that have to be reviewed in order to be justified? Then is justification a one time thing and associated with eternal salvation or does it have worldly reprocutions?

 

God chose in his salvation of men to have faith be what links us to the benefits He has provided. Some compare it to a hand reaching out or to "closing with Christ". For two rational beings to have an interaction there must be - an interaction. Even the way you describe it there is this interaction. We believe the this interaction consists of the person coming to Christ by faith. That is explained in the Bible as something very specific and unique. Come unto to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest - I believe it is a stretch to say there is merit in coming.

Now I think the way you believe on this will have an effect on how you might share the gospel or how a preacher might preach. But you and the hyper-Calvinists and the PB's are as near as I can tell relying on the blood of Christ and his imputed righteousness same as me which is why I considers all these groups Christian brothers.

 

I compliment you And completely agree.

 

There you go…at least admit it that you are fearful that your mode of operation is being disrupted! What, no salvation via preaching the gospel ..heaven forbid!

 

Yes. It really is a condition in the sense that without faith and until you come by faith you are not saved. And the Bible is very clear and repeatedly says that faith is unique in this. So much that we say you are saved by faith "alone" to make sure everyone understands the unique position faith occupies in our salvation.

It is a one time thing but when it happens changes occur so that other things will certainly follow. Humans are capable of looking back and evaluating those things that follow and examining ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. That is why verses such as that and verses like "If you love me keep my Commandments" have meaning to us. Because we can evaluate ourselves to see if we are doing so. If no changes occurred when you believed you can know that you do not really believe and have not been born again.

 

I don't understand what you are saying. I've always wanted to say this "Unpack that".

 

By now you must note that your label of hyper Calvinist isn’t accurate… because we don’t operate like Calvinists. Nor do we emulate SBC, Missionary Baptists, Free Will Baptists, Presbyterians, Reformed types, Methodists etc.

 

Of course you don’t…. You’ve spent your life studying conventional theology, never Old School Theology. So figure it out for yourself… get stepping.

 

I don't have time right now. I have to get ready for church. If I don't show up the Puritans will probably hang me for forsaking the assembly our ourselves together.

 

Here is a thought, go visit another church… perhaps a change in prospective would help your knowledge to expand. The Puritans will be appeased by a check.

 

Then Christ can declare them that are righteous right out of the gate… but he did not come to this earth for the righteous, he came for the sinners. I believe we are all sinners, made righteous or otherwise.
Question: was the thief on the cross made righteous? Then how about… let’s see, Saul, David, Samson etc. how would you categorize them?

 

I must be honest, you turn faith/believing into a meritorious work to gain Justification before God friend.

 

jonc

I cant see us agreeing on that since you also said earlier

 

I am aware that you believe that but you are wrong. A meritorious work would be something that would somehow put God at an obligation for a service rendered to justify us. Throwing yourself on His mercy or resting or relying upon Him solely for our salvation does not do that. But faith is required on our part. The Bible says so and it also carefully and repeatedly distinguishes that from works so you don't have a right to go beyond what the Bible says and declare it a work.

It's a slightly different subject but that's the reason I believe that faith is not a work even in the case of the Arminian or free will advocates. It is simply not a work, as a matter of definition. Now the more Calvinistic your theology, and the more you go on faith itself being a gift, and the more you lean towards an actual regeneration occurring before you believe the easier this concept is. But I'm saying to you that by any proper definition of what faith really is - it simply is not a work. Period.

 

If you were to choose a single Bible reference that best unveils the Trinity, what would it be?

 

When you condition Justification before God by something you do, by default it is a meritorious work. Not only that you disregard the blood of Jesus Christ alone to be the grounds of ones Justification before God.

 

No. That is incorrect. And it doesn't matter if you up the controversy from just a theological debate by making false claims of what I am saying. You have claimed that I disregard the blood of Jesus alone to be the grounds for justification.

Now let me try to make this very clear to all you on here who have made all kinds of comments about what constitutes an attack and who is too sensitive. Back in post 262 I said this:

But you won't give me even that much consideration. No, in your eyes I disregard the blood of Christ. This is why debate cannot seem to stay friendly and why we can't really learn from each other. You happen to be wrong in this. If you are correctly representing some theological system then they are wrong too on very important, core issues.

 

Careful, Bright, you're 'attacking' him. He's very delicate and sensitive to 'attacks'.