Gazelam wrote:...
the above questions
...
Well gol'durn it! Miss Moneypenny (or who ever she was) is an agent of the borg -- so, I guess we're
stuck with Roger (sigh!)
Back to the list with out ontology (or oncology, or whatever)...
"Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior?"
Now THERE is a question for Martin Luther -- indeed!
Leaving aside for a moment the question of what "salvation" might be, we are left with a
rock and a hard place -- and we sinners squeezed squarely in between.
If John Calvin was correct, then we are elected from all eternity to salvation or damnation;
and there isn't a damn thing we can do to change the situation. We only try to obey the commandments
because they are commandments. We only have faith, because it is given to us by a higher power. Our
most elevated, well-meaning efforts are but filthy rags, meriting us naught but eternal torment.
If John Calvin is correct, Grace is entirely Sovereign -- and comes no matter our nature and acts --
and comes no matter whether we acknowledge it or not.
On the other hand there is that other John -- Rev. Wesley -- who tells us that we might take a
page from the book of Arminius, and notice that election is voluntary. We can (more or less)
choose to join the elect -- choose to repent -- choose to increase in faith -- choose to be saved.
If Wesley is right, then Luther is at least partly right. We can "sin boldly," knowing that five minutes
later our repentance will usher us back into the communion of the saints.
And -- if we exercise even more faith, our salvation is even more assured -- and, if we exercise
perfect faith, we ourselves are perfected. -- Well, Luther might not have agreed there; but Wesley
would have at least sung a hymn with us.
So -- does the power of God fall upon me, on my way to Damascus? Am I thus converted and
experience a change of heart? And perhaps even "born again" before baptism? A puppet of
Sovereign Grace?
Or -- do I hear Sidney Rigdon preaching that ALL I must do is to agree that Jesus is the Christ,
and come down into Sidney's baptismal pool, where my sins will be washed away -- all due to
my choice. God has become my puppet.
Methinks Wesley would have walked right between Calvin and Rigdon, passing Luther on the way.
UD