tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post6546264991103934531..comments2023-03-28T15:30:45.255-04:00Comments on Hammer and Nail: Appointed to Eternal LifeErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-67946146132835634842008-10-15T16:48:00.000-04:002008-10-15T16:48:00.000-04:00Matt,I agree with you completely. The ironic thin...Matt,<BR/><BR/>I agree with you completely. The ironic thing is that God's election is a beautiful gift. It's not as if He is predestining us to something bad.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-88055019786247947502008-10-15T16:22:00.000-04:002008-10-15T16:22:00.000-04:00Eric,I think part of the lack of willingness to ac...Eric,<BR/>I think part of the lack of willingness to accept predestination comes from the obsessive individuality of our culture. If I do not choose my own path in every situation, then my rights have been violated. I have to have a say in what I eat, what I wear, who my congressman is, what color the carpet is at church, etc etc etc. This attitude, I think, plays heavily into the surge of Arminian-esque theology that pervaded Western Christianity in the nineteenth and twentienth centuries, i.e. after all the ideas of the Enlightenment had firmly taken hold.<BR/><BR/>-MattMatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16674784038690975152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-4053163642546530352008-10-13T09:35:00.000-04:002008-10-13T09:35:00.000-04:00John,It certainly is strange how we hear that on t...John,<BR/><BR/>It certainly is strange how we hear that on the one hand "salvation is by grace," but on the other hand "you must do this (insert behavior X) in order to be saved." The theology being preached is often not consistent, and as you have said, "guilt-tripping."Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-16109853067144311442008-10-12T16:37:00.000-04:002008-10-12T16:37:00.000-04:00Eric,For this sinner,I can only say "Amen" to what...Eric,<BR/><BR/>For this sinner,I can only say "Amen" to what you have written.<BR/><BR/>My concern in our country is that, although most church leaders who would claim to adhere to the same Reformational doctrines of grace, still preach a doctrine of works and performance, which they enforce by carefully designed, harsh, guilt-tripping sermons.Aussie Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16199918171163666399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-87364385450056274472008-10-12T08:42:00.000-04:002008-10-12T08:42:00.000-04:00Richard,I agree with you completely.For me, the is...Richard,<BR/><BR/>I agree with you completely.<BR/><BR/>For me, the issue is settled with total depravity (total inability). When I understood my utter sinfulness and depravity, the only thing left was that God must have elected me out of His glorious grace.<BR/><BR/>It is sad that so many Christians in this country, whether they have thought about it or not, view their faith as a work.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354626964012460623.post-83158602761966301162008-10-10T23:56:00.000-04:002008-10-10T23:56:00.000-04:00The idea of sovereign election is one I tend to di...The idea of sovereign election is one I tend to discuss more frequently than other points of doctrine. <BR/><BR/>What I have learned is this:<BR/><BR/>Persons not agreeing with the Reformed doctrine of election have no clue why they're saved. <BR/><BR/>"Why are you going to Heaven? Most people don't."<BR/><BR/>- Because I have faith.<BR/><BR/>"Why? Most people don't."<BR/><BR/>- Because I saw my need for a Savior. <BR/><BR/>"Why? Most people don't."<BR/><BR/>....Um.....Go away. <BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>It's almost comical, really. They try to attribute their election to themselves, yet when they realize the implications of it, they find themselves in a corner. <BR/><BR/>Like the old hymn writer said, I once was blind but now I see...but only because God has chosen to give me sight.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12131408704271847433noreply@blogger.com