I'm not worthy...

[Christ_empowered]

...do you think we go too far with this, especially Calvinists?

I grew up liberal PCUSA. My mother was briefly an elder. I vaguely remember the prayers and hymns and it boiled down to...a) I'm part of The Elect; and b) I don't deserve this.

I was saved by The Pentecostals (thank you, Teen Challenge!). I don't know if I quite go for their free will stuff...I mean, I just don't know...but I like their approach to life and The Bible more. At TC, they'd always say "Grace is unmerited favor," and "We serve The God of yet another chance," and that's stuff I've really taken to heart.

My own salvation experience leads me to believe in Predestination (I know, a sample of n=1, lol). I mean, if God hadn't seen fit to save me, I'd still be lost. And I do think on how I don't deserve the grace shown me, and Born Again Christians in general don't deserve to be "set apart for a purpose," but...

...I think sometimes the "I'm not worthy" aspect of salvation is over-emphasized, maybe to the exclusion of emphasizing other, more positive things, like "work out your salvation with fear and with trembling," and showing your gratitude to God for His grace, instead of wallowing in what I sometimes see as false humility.

Or am I wrong? Again, just a Baby Christian asking a random Q....

 

[Willie T]

...do you think we go too far with this, especially Calvinists?

I grew up liberal PCUSA. My mother was briefly an elder. I vaguely remember the prayers and hymns and it boiled down to...a) I'm part of The Elect; and b) I don't deserve this.

I was saved by The Pentecostals (thank you, Teen Challenge!). I don't know if I quite go for their free will stuff...I mean, I just don't know...but I like their approach to life and The Bible more. At TC, they'd always say "Grace is unmerited favor," and "We serve The God of yet another chance," and that's stuff I've really taken to heart.

My own salvation experience leads me to believe in Predestination (I know, a sample of n=1, lol). I mean, if God hadn't seen fit to save me, I'd still be lost. And I do think on how I don't deserve the grace shown me, and Born Again Christians in general don't deserve to be "set apart for a purpose," but...

...I think sometimes the "I'm not worthy" aspect of salvation is over-emphasized, maybe to the exclusion of emphasizing other, more positive things, like "work out your salvation with fear and with trembling," and showing your gratitude to God for His grace, instead of wallowing in what I sometimes see as false humility.

Or am I wrong? Again, just a Baby Christian asking a random Q....

I love that paragraph......... now run with it.

 

[for_his_glory]

Even in our sin God finds us worthy of His grace and mercy as He has given us His son Christ Jesus that through Him we can reconcile ourselves back to the Father.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

[Mike S]

...do you think we go too far with this, especially Calvinists?[/B]


...I think sometimes the "I'm not worthy" aspect of salvation is over-emphasized, maybe to the exclusion of emphasizing other, more positive things, like "work out your salvation with fear and with trembling," and showing your gratitude to God for His grace, instead of wallowing in what I sometimes see as false humility.

Or am I wrong? Again, just a Baby Christian asking a random Q....

We spend too much time trying to be doctrinally pure in the minutia (how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.) What's important is our personal encounter with the Living God. He will guide our lives.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah 6:8