Our first guest post - by Van Watts
My friend Van chimes in on the
Sanctification issue, responding to Josh's
response to my original
post
(Editor's Note - This post was written by my
friend Van, and linked by me, in response to Josh's
response to my original
post on Sanctification)
Some comments and a question.
First, you said, paraphrasing Weber: "Protestants, by understanding election as an immutable decree of God, attempted to discern their eternal position by looking for signs of God's favor upon themselves."
I was taught in secular high school that this was the position of the Puritans. Of course I was then and am now no scholar of the Puritans and so I cannot respond to it. But I thought I'd throw it in there as an observation.
Second, you said: "In other words, the law isn't meant to be used as a tool to see if one is regenerate or not."
As the confession says, the Law teaches us what God's (moral) will is. Thus, when Jesus tells us Christians to love God and our neighbor, we read the Law and know what that love looks like. And so reading the Law helps us to understand what the command "Be holy as I am holy" means.
Now, if we who are members of the visible Church--baptised and professing Christians--live lives that are in complete rebellion against God's Law, should that not "scare" us? Should we not feel the weight of the Law standing in judgment against us? Should we find any solace in the fact that we are called "Christian" or that we have been baptized, or that we profess Christ? May we rest comfortably in that third little circle called "Carnal Christian," believing that "once saved, always saved" means that we can profess Christ while living a life that consistently violates God's Law and still "get to heaven?"
In other words, it seems to me that if I am living my life as an unregenerate pagan, despite my profession, I should regard the Law as if I were unregenerate. There are far too many professing Christians in the world whose lives bear fruit not befitting repentance but, rather, indicate that true repentance has yet to occur. These people ought to consider the Law of God in this manner:
The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof. (WLC 96)
Likewise, the Church in its exercise of the office of the Keys, binds and looses Christian church members whose lives greviously and unrepentantly violate God's Law. These people are to be treated as if they are unregenerate (regardless of whether or not they are), and delivered to Satan, that their souls may be saved.
Some comments and a question.
First, you said, paraphrasing Weber: "Protestants, by understanding election as an immutable decree of God, attempted to discern their eternal position by looking for signs of God's favor upon themselves."
I was taught in secular high school that this was the position of the Puritans. Of course I was then and am now no scholar of the Puritans and so I cannot respond to it. But I thought I'd throw it in there as an observation.
Second, you said: "In other words, the law isn't meant to be used as a tool to see if one is regenerate or not."
As the confession says, the Law teaches us what God's (moral) will is. Thus, when Jesus tells us Christians to love God and our neighbor, we read the Law and know what that love looks like. And so reading the Law helps us to understand what the command "Be holy as I am holy" means.
Now, if we who are members of the visible Church--baptised and professing Christians--live lives that are in complete rebellion against God's Law, should that not "scare" us? Should we not feel the weight of the Law standing in judgment against us? Should we find any solace in the fact that we are called "Christian" or that we have been baptized, or that we profess Christ? May we rest comfortably in that third little circle called "Carnal Christian," believing that "once saved, always saved" means that we can profess Christ while living a life that consistently violates God's Law and still "get to heaven?"
In other words, it seems to me that if I am living my life as an unregenerate pagan, despite my profession, I should regard the Law as if I were unregenerate. There are far too many professing Christians in the world whose lives bear fruit not befitting repentance but, rather, indicate that true repentance has yet to occur. These people ought to consider the Law of God in this manner:
The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof. (WLC 96)
Likewise, the Church in its exercise of the office of the Keys, binds and looses Christian church members whose lives greviously and unrepentantly violate God's Law. These people are to be treated as if they are unregenerate (regardless of whether or not they are), and delivered to Satan, that their souls may be saved.
Posted: Thu - May 13, 2004 at 03:36 PM | | | | | | |
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