This blog compiles some notes and observations from one average guy's journey of life, faith and thought, along with some harvests from my reading (both on-line and in print). Learning to follow Jesus is a journey; come join me on the never-ending adventure!
So how can you know if you might be reading the Bible, looking for life, but missing Jesus completely? Here are a few clues:
You read the Bible to reinforce what you believe, not challenge what you believe.
You imagine yourself as the type of person who believes the things you read about.
You think the things you read are especially applicable for people you know, but not for you.
You imagine yourself as the hero of the story, not the person or people who are unbelieving. You frequently ask in your heart, “How could these people be so unbelieving?” For instance, when you read the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert you might say, “How could those Israelites grumble about food and drink when they just saw God part the Red Sea?” But you are completely blind to how you grumble at work or home when you’re afraid of losing something.
You love the attention garnered from your knowledge of the Bible, but give little thought to how you have applied what you have read.
Maybe the Bible should come with a warning label: “Beware: reading this book incorrectly will make you twice as fit for hell as when you began.”
Journeyman I have a question for you...how do you answer the claim that "proper repentance" is a key to salvation. I just read a letter from a pastor to his congregation that said that some people don't "repent" properly to be saved.
Isn't it cruel of God to know that we are born in sin, prone to sin, fond of sin...and then hold it over our heads if we don't "hate" sin enough and have a "thorough breaking off with sin"...we can not be truly saved?
Now look Journeyman, I am not baiting you here. Honestly I have lived long enough to feel that no one, no matter how great they may think they are has "thoroughly broken off with sin". Some sins are more obvious than others...but I do not know ANYONE that has even with the utmost circumspect Christian life "thouroughly broken off with sin".
So, what do you say to that? It is possible to repent and yet still sin? and is repentance a requirement for grace or a product of grace?
The only one able to make a perfect repentance is the One who doesn't need to repent - Jesus.
Any repentance done by you or I will be as imperfect as our faith or love is imperfect. But that is why Martin Luther said that the Christian life is a life of continual repentance: we never get it perfectly right! Thank God that His grace covers all.
I think your last statement is correct: Repentance is a response to grace.
This was a good one!
ReplyDeleteJourneyman I have a question for you...how do you answer the claim that "proper repentance" is a key to salvation. I just read a letter from a pastor to his congregation that said that some people don't "repent" properly to be saved.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it cruel of God to know that we are born in sin, prone to sin, fond of sin...and then hold it over our heads if we don't "hate" sin enough and have a "thorough breaking off with sin"...we can not be truly saved?
Now look Journeyman, I am not baiting you here. Honestly I have lived long enough to feel that no one, no matter how great they may think they are has "thoroughly broken off with sin". Some sins are more obvious than others...but I do not know ANYONE that has even with the utmost circumspect Christian life "thouroughly broken off with sin".
So, what do you say to that? It is possible to repent and yet still sin? and is repentance a requirement for grace or a product of grace?
The only one able to make a perfect repentance is the One who doesn't need to repent - Jesus.
ReplyDeleteAny repentance done by you or I will be as imperfect as our faith or love is imperfect. But that is why Martin Luther said that the Christian life is a life of continual repentance: we never get it perfectly right! Thank God that His grace covers all.
I think your last statement is correct: Repentance is a response to grace.