I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know what Jesus brings, and I know he is already in the tomorrow. My salvation isn't like a rash that comes one day and disappears the next. It's not a state of mind, it's not something I do, it's not even my faith. It's my identity. I have been born again.
And if you were to fall into heresy tomorrow? Or apostate? Or sin and refuse to repent?
To deny these possibilities (and more) is a part of another sin: ego. Now I'm not suggesting you are egotistical, but I am reminding you that the road is never sure when we ourselves do not know our futures.
Thus, salvation comes with plenty of fear and trembling.
(But to avoid any confusion, let me say that I do believe I could choose to reject God's salvation. I just don't see why I should).
That's about it, and I understand that it is silly to reject it, but we do so each time we apostate, fall into heresy, or sin and refuse to be contrite, repent, confess, and do penance.
I believe something similar, but instead of going AGAINST what I REALLY want to do, I'm now free to do what I ACTUALLY want to do - which is good.
Then what use for the Holy Spirit?
While I agree that no one deep down wants to sin and that we are a spiritual race that yerns for God, we must never convince ourselves that we can do it on our own.
Our nature is corrupt and our souls injured. Because of this fallen state, we often do want to sin, and we even take pleasure in it unfortunately. That is just a part of being human: deep down we want to do good, but our broken souls and corrupt nature make us what we also are: sinful and even happily sinful. That is why I am weary of saying "It is what I want to do" since it sort of negates the power, influence, and necessity of the Holy Spirit and it ignores the fact that we really do want to sin sometimes.
Of course, when theosis is complete and we have a purified nature and a whole soul again, forever one in the energies (but not the Substance) of God, then perhaps we can say "It is what I want to do."
I hate sin, I only desire to do good. I've been born again, transformed, I have a new heart. The very core of my being longs to do the right thing. Sin still lives in the flesh though, but that's not my true identity.
True, you are being transfigured little by little, but we must also remember that just one slip begins a degeneratory process in which we will eventually return to the state in which we were originally born in. The way out of that state is by always recognizing our sinful state and by always admitting to, in sorrow, our sins and changing our minds, confessing to God that we willfully or even accidentally screwed up and want to right the wrong and/or do it the right way next time in full cooperation with Him. And because our wonderful God is so merciful, He will, each time, give us another chance. Even after we've screwed up the 100 trillionth time!
We become more like Christ by looking at him. He doesn't tell me what to do - he lives IN me. And I in him. He doesn't show me the way, he IS the way.
Exactly! Theosis makes us to be like Christ: true Icons of God. Never exactly like Him because we will never become One with the Substance, but beyond the pre-fallen state of Adam and Eve: as one in the energies of God. Fully transfigured; as white as snow in purity and will and nature.
Heh, I can see why. But seriously, I don't know what those words mean. I know that calvinism has something to do with a theology from a person named Calvin, that's about it.
I suggest looking up them on wikipedia. It actually has good entries for each.
I KNOW that I am saved from myself, my self-obsession. I know I'm saved from what I would have been if I had never met Jesus. I know (because He has told me so) that I am saved from the penalties due the awful things I've done. Are you talking about saved from Hell? For me that is a non-issue. I am perfectly content to be, when I die, wherever God intends me to be (but no, I don't think it will be Hell- whatever exactly that is).
If you do not know your future, with all due respect, you are not being honest with yourself.
No one knows if they are saved. We love to play the Judge, but we must resist that temptation!