:)

In Reply to: Re: OK, I'll bite posted by CB on July 09, 2010 at 08:53:55:

When you speak of pietist leanings, are you saying that you have a tendency to be overly pious or introspective?

When I was first introduced to Calvin's teaching on the Scriptures, it became apparent to me that I had been interpreting scripture with a similar understanding, although I had never formalized it in my mind. Giving form and arrangement helped me to clarify and solidify the doctrines that were, for me, obviously present. Not that there aren't some difficult passages here and there, but within the correct framework, they can be better understood.

I think that there is a danger for some to presume on "once saved always saved," but it comes from an imperfect or misguided understanding of just what that means. It's akin to taking any one passage and creating a completely new teaching with it, which always leads to heresy.

"So, if I am saved purely through God's sovereignty, can that gift of regeneration in the Spirit also be taken back by an act of God's sovereignty?"

In theory, I guess that it could be. But I believe that God **promises** otherwise. [John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 10:28 "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."] The key, of course, is "am I saved?" And not to put undue worry on any, including myself, but a saved person will exhibit the fruits of the spirit. And that's not to say that there won't be sin in the life of the saved. But the saved will come to repentance. That's part of what perseverance of the saints is about, imo. No matter how many times we fall, we continue, through the strength of the HS to submit and return to our God and Father. On the other hand, perseverance can also be about continuing to resist temptation and continuing to trust our God no matter how bleak things become, or how good they are...sometimes I find that when things are going very well for me, I tend to become less focused on God and his word.