In a spiritual world of quick fixes and vague emotion, is it crazy to believe there is still a place for insights based on simple, basic, theological understanding. I believe it is worth exploring.
I would say it involves obedience based on trust. If I trust that God's power works in me and then I do what He commands trusting Him to do it rather then trusting in myself I am acting on God's power.
One of the things God's power working in our lives does is work to convince us to have faith, but if we resolutely refuse then it does limit what more God can do to change us.
I see irresistible grace as something prior to and overarching God's specific workings in our lives. There is a general call and offer of power that is resistible, but God's sovereign will ultimately will determine the result. At any point I have the choice whether to have faith in God of not. But it is God's will that determines what that choice will be.
It shall be noted here by "limit" I mean limit practically( God chooses not to give power to those who do not trust Him.). I am not referring to something God's power cannot do.
Before we are saved we caught in the coils of sin and the power of God is required to break us free. Human will is not invalidated, there still needs to be a choice. But we cannot make that choice without God;s intervention.
I think that God's intervention is always needed in our choices. He leads us to willingly follow by his Spirit but does not drag us by force either before or after we are saved. In that I know that we disagree. And I am okay to agree to disagree on that. ツ
Do we have a part?
ReplyDeleteYes, by trusting in and acting on God's power, But God's power makes that possible.
ReplyDeleteCould you give an example of how a person acts on God's power?
ReplyDeleteI would say it involves obedience based on trust. If I trust that God's power works in me and then I do what He commands trusting Him to do it rather then trusting in myself I am acting on God's power.
DeleteSo our part is to act in faith and trust God to do the changing?
DeleteYes, that is how I understand it.
DeleteIs God's power to change us then limited by our faith?
DeleteOne of the things God's power working in our lives does is work to convince us to have faith, but if we resolutely refuse then it does limit what more God can do to change us.
DeleteYou last comment is why I have difficulty in accepting the idea of irresistible grace.
DeleteI see irresistible grace as something prior to and overarching God's specific workings in our lives. There is a general call and offer of power that is resistible, but God's sovereign will ultimately will determine the result. At any point I have the choice whether to have faith in God of not. But it is God's will that determines what that choice will be.
DeleteIt shall be noted here by "limit" I mean limit practically( God chooses not to give power to those who do not trust Him.). I am not referring to something God's power cannot do.
So human will is invalidated only before we are saved?
DeleteBefore we are saved we caught in the coils of sin and the power of God is required to break us free. Human will is not invalidated, there still needs to be a choice. But we cannot make that choice without God;s intervention.
DeleteI think that God's intervention is always needed in our choices. He leads us to willingly follow by his Spirit but does not drag us by force either before or after we are saved. In that I know that we disagree. And I am okay to agree to disagree on that. ツ
DeleteIf we can agree to disagree I will leave it there. The exact relationship of our will versus God's has always been a hotly contested question.
Delete