arete
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Post by arete on Oct 30, 2014 19:48:20 GMT
October 31st marks the 497th year of Luther's 95 Theses posted on the door at the Wittenberg Cathedral. This act is seen as the impetus for the Reformation. Every Protestant denomination owes their origin in some sense to this act. In celebration, I thought I would share the testimony of a Reformed believer posted on monergism.comHe was an Arminian Charismatic and he details his experience in embracing the Doctrines of Grace. I have a similar background having come to faith in the Assemblies of God and holding a semi-Pelagian Arminianism. While not all will agree with him or me, it is an insight into believers like us. www.monergism.com/blog/why-i-am-calvinist-brandon-lucas-guest-post |
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Post by Brookhouse on Nov 1, 2014 18:25:51 GMT
Look forward to reading this Arete, as mentioned elsewhere though I would ask, do the doctrines of grace lead to us focusing on obeying Jesus first and foremost as His disciples? I have no problem with the doctrines of grace (I should perhaps be more careful with my words because what I've written sounds very patronising, forgive me), a better rendering might be 'I deeply appreciate the doctrines of grace'.
If I have any problem with them it is not with the doctrines themselves but the fact that the proponents always seem more concerned about whether the doctrines are being held to than whether the clear commands of Jesus are being obeyed and Jesus recognised (and responded to) as God walking in the earth.
My concern is only that the doctrines seem to become subtly more important to the doctrine communicators than the message of Jesus who did not come preaching the doctrines of grace (i.e. saying "these are the doctrines of grace") but an amazing body of revelation truth that He says His disciples will live and continue communicating.
This is in no way to gainsay the importance of the doctrines of grace but when more time spent in to and fro debate about the doctrines, the more important question remains "Are we being fruit for Him and because of Him, are we living the lives of selfless sacrificial love as He did and wants us to?" A right understanding of God, doctrine and required response is incredibly important but the question I believe He asks is this - "Are you doing what I told you to?"
As say, look forward to reading the articles!
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arete
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Post by arete on Nov 3, 2014 20:19:59 GMT
How can one obey doctrine without holding to it as well? By saying Jesus had clear commands, one admits that doctrine is essential to a life of faith and its practice.
The doctrines of grace are the message of Christ and his apostles and should be the message of every true disciple. The doctrine of Scripture is the message. Or do you propose that there is a message without propositional truth contained within it?
The message of the Gospel (synonymous to the doctrines of grace) necessarioy contain propositional truth statements about who God is, who man is, what God's standards are, how man has failed to meet the standards, what fate awaits natural man, and how grace alone provides a way to eternal life - eternal both in duration and quality. He saved us to himself (although many focus on being saved from hell for some insane reason).
Those who hold to the doctrines of grace are exceedingly passionate to declare the Gospel and preach the whole counsel of God contained within the Scripture, that we see as perfect and lacking nothing in revealing the will of God to man.
Think how passionately I engage these topics on a forum with folks I never see in real life. I am this way always in awe of the Word of God and its proclamation to the glory of God.
Debating the doctrines are so that we refine our beliefs to more closely align with the absolute truth statements of Scripture. We do this so that we think God's thoughts after him. We feel the way he feels about all that he has revealed to us. We find in his Word the breath of God and every step closer to understanding his Word thrills us and drives us to understand his revealed will more and more. To subject our lives more and more to that will. To declare his word more and more and accurately to all who have ears. How can I proclaim him rightly if I do not understand what he has said rightly? And how I long to declare him in his majesty, sovereignty and beauty correctly, accurately and compellingly to all men.
I believe we bear fruit because he sovereignly decreed it and supernaturally empowers it and graciously uses my meager efforts to work all things to declare his glory.
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