A Disclaimer
I am about ready to post my 121st piece, and it will be a long one.
I just want to say, before it appears, that I am not trying to change anyone’s doctrine or theology. I have enjoyed fellowship with brothers and sisters of all denominations. The only criteria I use to determine if someone is indeed a brother or sister in the LORD is who they say Jesus is? What do they say about His cross? For that reason, I have had communion with all sorts of believers, from Catholic to Wesleyan, from Baptist to Reformed. Greek Orthodox, Messianic Jews, Charismatics, need I go on?
Nor, have I been searching the scriptures for answers. Not that I have all the answers, but most of the questions I ask here on my blog are rhetorical. I must admit that the past few months have been very hard on me. And, I have found myself crying out loud, lamenting…God, you just can’t be who and what they say you are. And in His mercy and patience He has reminded me of His love. He has let me feel his presence. And His Spirit has spoken clearly to my heart. “You know, I AM.”
But the reason I have written the next post - which should be up by Saturday afternoon - is that I have had 2 gentlemen say that I have no Biblical Basis for what I believe. And both have either directly or indirectly implied that people who believe as I do are heretics, stupid, foolish, and working for the enemy. Since one of those two is a personal friend of mine, this accusation was all the more hurtful. According to my statistics, I’ve had over 7000 hits on this site. That amazes me. But the only place I seem to get any comments are the places where this old argument can be addressed. And frankly, I’m a little sick of it.
I guess that is the nature of blogging though. If what you read doesn’t get a rise out of you, you simply move on. If you can’t argue you rather not waste your time commenting or even reading in full what has been written. I’m guilty of it as well. What will be, will be…what is, is. It’s just a blog after all.
7 comments:
I will start off the fireworks.
"God, you just can’t be who and what they say you are."
I have never said who and what He is. He has revealed it in His word.
"What will be, will be…what is, is. It’s just a blog after all."
Sounds awfully calvinist to me.
:-)
My problem has never been with election vs. our free choice,it is the idea of a God who does not have complete prescient/omniscient knowledge, i.e. complete foreknowledge of any and all events and/or choices. That is what I cannot find in the Scriptures.
I am looking forward to your post
"God, you just can’t be who and what they say you are."
I have never said who and what He is. He has revealed it in His word.
Which you seem to claim sole correct interpretation of, thus negating or rendering hypocritical the above statement.
"'What will be, will be…what is, is. It’s just a blog after all.'
Sounds awfully calvinist to me."
The reference is blog related, which you indicate doesn't reflect real life, therefore not approaching theological on even the most loose interpretation. How then can it be Calvinist?
Wanderer
I am beginning to wonder if you and some others sit around all day waiting for me to comment or post?
Chris -
Very humble of you, but rest assured I have better things to do with my time than dwell on you. If you are annoyed by my response, perhaps you should approach your wording a little differently:
"I will start off the fireworks.
"
It kind of looks like you were trying to get me to respond. What other fireworks would you be starting than another debate, and who else would be most likely to respond.
I came here to read MaryEllen's blog because I have been doing so for some time. I wonder, though, if it is not you who was fishing for a response from me?
mc, shame on you!
What has God revealed about Himself in His word? That He was there in the beginning, That He will be there in the end, and then begin again. That His creation was perfect to begin with, His people good. But at the very beginning He gave them choice. After they chose badly, He gave them a promise. Before the first murder, He gave a warning, and encouraged the man to resist the enemy. For nearly 10,000 years he has been warning and encouraging man to resist and choose wisely. And He has kept His promise, to send us a savior, and a counselor, to equipt us with all that we needed to resist. He lifted Himself, His Son, His Only Begotten high on a cross so that all who would gaze upon it would be drawn to Him and be saved. And He promises forgiveness to whosoever confesses. The name of every soul He ever planned to be, is written in the Book of Life, and it is written there until we die. Up until our last breath, we can choose life or death, blessings or curses. The Word of God is full of calls to choose, and we can learn, we can become wise, by reading about the choices that those who came before us made, and the consequences of those choices, and how God was always there to forgive, redeem, and restore when they turned from their wicked ways and turned their eyes upon their Creator once again.
That is what He has revealed about himself in His Word.
Post a Comment