GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS PLEASE?

I have read two statements today, that really challenged and encouraged me, and I would like to highlight them in this blog today.

D.A. Carson a research Professor of New Testament states:

THE AIM IS NEVER TO BECOME A MASTER OF THE WORD, BUT TO BE MASTERED BY IT.

I make no excuses for my lack of understanding of Biblical Greek or Hebrew, but I sure sure thank God for the awesome fact that John 16:13 NKJV tells me,

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

MESSAGE But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.

A friend who does know Biblical Greek very well, tells me I have “Intuitive Hermeneutics” which simply means, that the Divine Teacher/Tutor dwells within me and He is opening up the Word of God to me, and giving me revelation and understanding, as I read and meditate on the Word, and as a consequence as Don Carson says, BE MASTERED MY THE WORD.

The second statement, is attributed to the late R.C.Sproul where he says.

IT IS INFINITELY MORE IMPORTANT THAT MY HEART BE RIGHT BEFORE GOD, THAN MY THEOLOGY BE IMPECCABLY CORRECT.

The dictionary definition of IMPECCABLE IS without flaw, or error, and faultless.

I have come to see it is highly presumptuous to even dare think that our doctrinal belief could be flawless. I think many Believers when they get to heaven will be astonished to find out their doctrinal beliefs was not as perfect as they thought they were.

I was born again (nearly 70 years ago) in a church that was totally Arminian in their theology, plus add the 2nd Blessing Holiness teaching, which I embraced as a matter of course, but in hindsight, these teachings produced much insecurity in my life as well as much religion and legalism.

I have now come to see that there is much truth in what is called “Reformed: doctrine but I discovered there are various camps, in relation to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit like Cessationism and Continualism. I loosely now simply call myself a “CALVOMINIAN”.

I then was exposed to Pentecostalism, with the glorious truth that a Believer can and should want to be FILLED (CONTINUALLY) WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (including a Believer having a prayer language that we can use at any time.. Pentecostal truth and practice like every truth has brought with it much dirty “bath water”, which you can easily simply embrace, without thinking things through. I now fully embrace the German saying used by Martin Luther, “Don’t throw out the baby with the dirty bath water” In other words love and embrace that which is Biblical and reject that which doesn’t .

As a young man I embraced the Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Millennium teaching regarding the second Coming of Christ. I was a crusader, and if a person did believe it, I would shoot them down in flames, I really am not sure what I believe anymore, in simple terms, I embrace Luke 21:25-28 N.L.T.

And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and LOOK UP FOR YOUR SALVATION IS NEAR!”

So the position I have come too echo’s Sproul’s statement, I want to be ready and busy for when the Lord’ breaks through the clouds .

What has saddened me these last couple of years has been as I have read literally hundreds of social media statements about a person’s doctrinal position, so often the vehement intense manner in which they write, and if you do not hold their theological position you are a heretic or a false prophet and some even believe you can’t be born again.

I have come to see that we need to have a commitment to the essentials and that is simply this,

Man is a sinner, and God has supplied a Saviour in the Lord Jesus Christ, and as the Holy Spirit convicts him and draws him and he has the grace and faith to confess his sins and repent, he shall be born again. Eph. 2:8 Passion For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.

MESSAGE Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing.

NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Doctrine and truth is important as Sproul says, but we are not to be DOCTRINE CENTRED BUT CHRIST CENTRED.

Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Tim. 1:12 for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Paul clearly says I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, not a set of doctrines, IT IS ALL ABOUT A PERSON AND HIS NAME IS JESUS.

You may say all the above is simplistic, but I somehow think one of the “wiles” of the evil one is for you to get caught up and distracted, and even get you arguing about doctrine, and guess what? You will lose your peace and your emotions all negatively stirred up.

I agree 100% with R.C. Sproul’s statement.

Would love to hear your comments please?