tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post473425929369570497..comments2023-10-05T18:18:10.665+01:00Comments on That Happy Certainty: "I've lost many arguments, I've never lost a re-run..."Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854839609821362906noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-8903461553132650832007-03-20T20:14:00.000+01:002007-03-20T20:14:00.000+01:00thanks for your replys to my quesiton robin and we...thanks for your replys to my quesiton robin and westie, both of you have been helpful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-8364607746283713122007-03-15T15:10:00.000+01:002007-03-15T15:10:00.000+01:00How on earth do you find time to write all this? D...How on earth do you find time to write all this? Do you not sleep? Would you like some more things to do?Tom Underhillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10379328203614335555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-4867422097823124512007-03-15T14:35:00.000+01:002007-03-15T14:35:00.000+01:00Robin, thanks for your comment on Goldsworthy. If ...Robin, thanks for your comment on Goldsworthy. If you drop me an e-mail to dlh (at) uccf.org.uk, I'll rpely with my thoughts.<BR/><BR/>Peace,<BR/>DanDaniel Hameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12873077003668925577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-4904278679948847982007-03-15T14:30:00.000+01:002007-03-15T14:30:00.000+01:00That is so true...often I just stop at the sound d...That is so true...often I just stop at the sound doctrine part, and become pleased with myself for being 'sound'. Which is so arrogant...if my knowledge of what is sound doesn't lead to rejoicing in God and His truths, then it can all to easily become about us and the truths we hold.<BR/><BR/>How can we become more joyful? How do you personally find joy in your sound truths?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-91885929653559256942007-03-15T01:41:00.000+01:002007-03-15T01:41:00.000+01:00Yeah, that's very true. We were looking at the bac...Yeah, that's very true. We were looking at the back end of Romans 8 at Focus last week and it really is incredible the way Paul just so clearly and unashamedly declares how it is God's work from start to finish, and that's a real source of assurance for us!<BR/><BR/>In my Augustine module we've looked at his heated debate with Pelagius over precisely this issue. P thought that it was possible for us to bring stuff to our salvation, and that, though God was helping us in giving us wills able to choose, and the law to direct us, we ultimately could effort ourselves to do good. <BR/><BR/>Augustine refuted him pretty sharply, which we'd also be quick to do I'm sure. Interestingly though, Augustine didn't stop there. He went on to say that BECAUSE it is ALL grace, because we are useless, then not only are we to realise our salvation is God's work, but we are to massively REJOICE in it! We're good at refuting heresy, and knowing what is 'sound' and what isn't, but I think we need to get better at rejoicing in our 'sound doctrine' and finding great joy in it.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12854839609821362906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-71335850054385679052007-03-15T00:06:00.000+01:002007-03-15T00:06:00.000+01:00I became a Christian gradually and I cannot rememb...I became a Christian gradually and I cannot remember a particular conversion moment. As I started going to church and reading the Bible more, it started to make sense and I started to believe. It was all so gradual that it may have seemed like I was growing into Christianity.<BR/><BR/>But the way we perceive events are often different to the way God perceives them. To me, what looked like a gradual increase in understanding was actually God working in my life, transforming me. In hindsight, I can look back and see the change. So gradual or instant, there will always be a radical change as we move from darkness into light, as we bow the knee and acknowledge Jesus as king.<BR/><BR/>Also, because salvation is God's work, we can trust in his effective calling. Therefore, there must be a definite time of being called and being justified. We don't grow into Christianity, God draws us to Himself. Instananeous or not, this effective work will always be life-changing. <BR/><BR/>Hope that makes sense :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-45028157905729254552007-03-14T01:03:00.000+01:002007-03-14T01:03:00.000+01:00Thanks for your comment - really perceptive questi...Thanks for your comment - really perceptive question. One of things I didn't express very clearly that Carson was trying to show, was that often in evangelicalism we push conversion into something that resembles us almost doing God a favour, and make it a kind of 'if only they can just get tipped over the fence' sort of forced moment. But this isn't how Paul views conversion. He says it is life-transforming. His point is that the Christian cannot live according to the flesh any longer, it's not an option! I, for one, can't point to a time when I when I moved from unrighteous to justified, so I totally identify with your question. At the same time however we must surely be careful to distinguish between learning about God, that continual coming along to Christian things, and actually being counted as his. In John's language, it's believing in his name, and for sure that's a a continual thing too. Similarly in Paul's words there's the continual considering oneself a slave to righteousness, growing in grace, yet he definitely considers there to be a time of being called, and being justified. Thoughts?Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12854839609821362906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27753293.post-6406092120634718322007-03-13T23:31:00.000+01:002007-03-13T23:31:00.000+01:00What about people who seem to 'grow into' Christia...What about people who seem to 'grow into' Christianity? There may not be a specific time for them when they made a decision, but just kept learning more about by God e.g. by continually going along to church or reading the Bible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com