Friday, October 17, 2008

I Was Arminian and Did Not Know It

I did not realize until recently how self-glorifying the infant stage of my Christian life was.  Let me start by quoting some phrases and sentences I used often soon after Christ revealed my sin and my need for His mercy.

"When did you bow your knee to Christ?"
"When did you give your life to Jesus?"
"Turn from your sins and look to Christ and you will be saved."
"My life changed when I gave my heart to Jesus."
"Pray this prayer with me and God will save you."

I dare not say that any of those statements inherently are unbiblical.  In fact, the third statement can be properly supported by Acts 2:38.  However, I will say that they are closer bedfellows to free-will and human choice salvation than the biblical truth of salvation being wholly and solely the loving foreknowledge and sovereign grace of our Lord Jesus to save sinners by His good pleasure and for His glory.

The thought I am hoping to incite you to consider is this:  How often do we in our daily testimony and witness unknowingly (and maybe even knowingly) point to our work as the source of salvation rather than point the sinner to Christ and incite them to beg our gracious Lord for mercy.

"Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." - 1Pe 2:10

In my next post, I am going to ask the question, "What is our testimony: Our walk or His steps?"

1 comment:

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