Casting my memory back nearly 60 years ....
The accusation was made that "Billy Graham converts don't last."
One official reply was, "Neither does a bath, but it does you good."
The BIG problem with decisionist, salvation prayer, evangelism is that "converts" are encouraged to look back to their commitment for assurance, rather than upward & forward & onward to the LORD Jesus & eternal life relationship beginning NOW.
What is Lordship Salvation?
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by Reformed, Dec 30, 2017.
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Covenanter Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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For over 20 years I lived with the endless anxiety of looking to my commitment to Christ for assurance of salvation. It's nothing short of a miracle that I kept my sanity through those times. I can't express the mental torment that began with decisionist evangelism and was carried along with pietism. Like Martin Luther's dream of being crushed by a Bible, I was living the nightmare 24/7.
Reformed theology, aka, the Doctrines of Grace, saved my life by transferring my assurance from the quicksand of my commitment to Him to the Rock of His commitment to me. My salvation has anchors that stretch back to before the world was formed, and forward to glory. Praise the Lord! -
Hmm, 54 years ago I decided to stop running from God and believe the gospel of forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.
Personally I attribute the ability to make that decision as a gift coming down from the Father in heaven flowing through the Spirit of God.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
When we get involved with these kinds of debates they are still SELF-ORIENTED. The measure of the quantity/quality of lifestyle as the criteria set up by the entrenched combative camps as to the genuine quality of our walk with the LORD.
Now in this kind of social media gathering that is to be be expected as we each in our own way sincerely contend for the faith.
That the ministry of the Spirit of God is neglected (for the most part) in our debates of this kind seems to indicate an area of consideration.
What better evidence of our walk in the Spirit than the fruit of the Spirit?
Galatians 5
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
HankD -
FollowTheWay Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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The glory of the Triune God - isn't that what its all about?
by participating in the work of the Spirit by obeying the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel - is that not evidence?
The Spirit of God is our Commander-in-Chief directing the obedient churches, now as in the book of Acts.
Go - if you are led to do so.
Give - all -as you are led.
Pray - We can all do this, plus Jesus has torn open the Vail into the Holy Place, cleansed us by His blood and urged us to come in making our requests known.
what power he has made available to us (if He is your LORD of course).
Yes there will be the drifters that's inevitable.
and some (guilty as charged) will occasionally fall into slothfulness of our duties as NT priests.
But we have 1 john 1:9 and other scripture to heal our spiritual wounds.
HankD -
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1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
HankD -
Iconoclast Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Jesus is Lord and Saviour of all men right now...especially those wh o believe. -
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We do grow in our faith, but Jesus does not become the Lord of our life at some unspecified date after our salvation. That is the crux of the argument.
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The more yield to Spirit the more we become like Christ. Call it Philippians 1:6 playing out. The more we are like Christ the greater our assurance.
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