What's missing?

[JM]

I can't help but feel our brother and sister Christians who deny the Doctrines of Grace are missing the point. Do they not see what they're fighting for? It reeks of self importance and worth, it troubles me deeply to see Christians lead into false believe and then defend it...again, it troubles me.

sp

 

[tigersnare]

I can't help but feel our brother and sister Christians who deny the Doctrines of Grace are missing the point. Do they not see what they're fighting for? It reeks of self importance and worth, it troubles me deeply to see Christians lead into false believe and then defend it...again, it troubles me.

sp

Perhaps man's sin runs deeper he can imagine, he would like to take the credit in some way for his salvation.

e.g. The great I, chose God.

 

[frost]

Perhaps man's sin runs deeper he can imagine, he would like to take the credit in some way for his salvation.

e.g. The great I, chose God.

I'm sure that is the case with some - it's a pride issue. I really feel that some churches are a big part of the problem. Many teach the "if I do this, God will give me that," theology. This society is utterly man-centered and unfortunately, it trickles down into many churches. For others, the Doctrines of Grace may just have to sink in a while before they start seeing the wonderful truth of God's sovereignty.

 

[tigersnare]

Something that I found instresting about myself and about others, is how little they actually know about God. The first 7-8 of the O.T. books really changed how I viewed God. Talk about a God of wrath and judgement!

Most would be appualed at the idea that a God would order his people to lay waste to entire cities slaughtering every man, woman, and child.

So I can see how if they have a skewed image of God, the doctrines of Grace would really make them squirm.

Most can't reconcile free will and sovereighty.

 

[cygnusx1]

I can't help but feel our brother and sister Christians who deny the Doctrines of Grace are missing the point. Do they not see what they're fighting for? It reeks of self importance and worth, it troubles me deeply to see Christians lead into false believe and then defend it...again, it troubles me.

sp

"...Before proceeding further it should be pointed out that the design of every false scheme and system of religion is to depict the character of God in such a way that it is agreeable to the tastes of the carnal heart, acceptable to depraved human nature. And that can only be done by a species of misrepresentation: the ignoring of those of His prerogatives and perfections which are objectionable, and the disproportionate emphasizing of those of His attributes which appeal to their selfishness—such as His love, mercy, and long-sufferance. But let the character of God be faithfully presented as it is actually portrayed in the Scriptures—in the Old Testament as well as the New—and nine out of every ten of church-goers will frankly state that they find it impossible to love Him." The plain fact is, dear reader, that to the present generation the Most High of Holy Writ is "the unknown God."

It is just because people today are so ignorant of the divine character and so lacking in godly fear, that they are quite in the dark as to the nature and glory of divine justice, presuming to arraign it. This is an age of blatant irreverence, wherein lumps of animate clay dare to prescribe what the Almighty ought and ought not to do. Our forefathers sowed the wind, and today their children are reaping the whirlwind. The "divine rights of kings" was scoffed at and tabooed by the sires, and now their offspring repudiate the "divine rights of the King of kings." Unless the supposed "rights" of the creature are "respected," then our modems have no respect for the Creator, and if His high sovereignty and absolute dominion over all be insisted upon, they hesitate not to vomit forth their condemnation of Him. And, "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15:33)! God’s own people are in danger of being infected by the poisonous gas which now fills the air of the religious world.

Not only is the miasmic atmosphere obtaining in most of the "churches" a serious menace to the Christian, but there is in each of us a serious tendency to humanize God: viewing His perfections through our own intellectual lenses instead of through the glass of Scripture, interpreting His attributes by human qualities. It was of this very thing that God complained of old when He said, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself" (Ps. 50:21), which is a solemn warning for us to take to heart. What we mean is this: when we read of God’s mercy or righteousness we are very apt to think of them according to the qualities of man’s mercy and justice. But this is a serious mistake. The Almighty is not to be measured by any human standard: He is so infinitely above us that any comparison is utterly impossible, and therefore it is the height of madness for any finite creature to sit in judgment upon the ways of Jehovah. Again; we need to be much on our guard against the folly of making invidious distinctions between the divine perfections. For example, it is quite wrong for us to suppose that God is more glorious in His grace and mercy than He is in His power and majesty. But this mistake is often made. How many are more thankful unto God for blessing them with health than they are for His bestowing the gospel upon them: but does it therefore follow that God’s goodness in giving material things is greater than His goodness in bestowing spiritual blessings? Certainly not. Scripture often speaks of God’s wisdom and power being manifested in creation, but where are we told of His grace and mercy in making the world? Inasmuch as men commonly fail to glorify God for His wisdom and power, does it thence follow that He is not to be so much adored for them? Beware of extolling one of the divine perfections above another. "

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Election/elec_05.htm