|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
(1) If I come back to Arminianism then I'll have to believe that I can love God more (with stronger commitment) than He loves me. His command is that I love with with total commitment--all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. The glad tiding of Arminianism joyfully assures me that our heavenly Father's commitment to my eternal welfare is conditional on my performance; nevertheless I must love and trust HIM wholeheartedly come rain or shine, sickness, pain, disaster, and unanswered prayers. Thus I must believe that I can love and remain committed to God--apart--from His performance while His commitment to me DEPENDS on my performance.(2) If I come back to Arminianism then I'll have to believe that I have the wisdom and will-power be able to perform better than the majority of the human race. Arminianism adds to Christ's words and tells us that the way is narrow that leads to life and few EVER WILL find it. Thus I must remain convinced that most of the human race will fail to perform as effienciently as I will.
(3) If I return to Arminianism I must be prepared to shun the *very appearance of evil* --at all times--while also avoiding legalism. Since, acording to Arminiansism, "choice is the chisel that is carving my eternal destiny" I must moniter my EVERY CHOICE, whether great or small. At the same time I must make sure I'm not "falling from grace" by entering into "handle not, taste not, touch not" and thus nullfiying the work of Christ's cross--and thus qualifying for being "eternally condemned."!
(4) If I return to Arminianism I must be prepared to believe that--*with my constant help*--God will somehow accomplish His will in my life, although He will fail to accomplish His will in most of His vast creation.
(5) If I return to Arminianism I must be willing to "look ever to Jesus" and thus to meditate constantly on "the truth as it is in Jesus" that I may wind up in hell forever--despite all of my present efforts to love, worship and obey Him. And I must be willing to do so--thankfully--for Scripture bids us to "give thanks *for* all things.
(6) If I return to Arminianism I must be prepared to believe that Christ came to save "the world" and tasted death for "every man"--but He came offering far too little and far too late. That is because, according to Arminianism's glad tidings, myriad numbers of human beings for whom He died were already perishing in endless hell when all of the aforementioned words were uttered.
(7) If I return to Arminianism I must sing "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine"--basing my assurance on the certainty that *I* will remain sufficiently obedient and believing so that Jesus will not eventually say to me, "Depart from Me (forever! according to Arminianism) I never knew you."
(8) If I return to Arminianism I must embrace the so-called truth that most of the "heathen" who have never heard of Christ will be forever lost. And why? They will perish in endless fiery disaster *because* they failed to "follow the inner light of their conscience" until they found their (lost?) Good Shepherd. Thus I will have to believe that the reason *I* came to be a Christian and will be finally saved is because *I* followed the inner light of *my* conscience until I found Him. And I must believe that *I* will succeed at CONTINUING to do so until I eventually "enter the pearly gates."
(9) If I return to Arminianism I will have to believe that Christ said, "If I be lifted up, I will TRY to draw all men (who aren't already burning in hell) to Myself and succeed in drawing a few."
(10) If I return to Arminianism I will have to learn to receive great inspiration from John the Baptist's words, "Behold the Lamb of God Who trys to take away the sin of world (that isn't already perishing in hell) and mostly fails."
Nope.
I'll just have to be honest. I don't have the faith to receive these marvelous glad tidings.
Do you?Yours in Jesus' Joy--
Charlie - Follow-up post
BACK - Charlie's Newer Posts - Spirit of the Word -