Yes, thanks Joe!
This discussion of salvation is a very timely consideration, for especially at this time of year it is good to really think about what God did in sending the Son.
Disputes about doctrine can seem pointless to many, and in some cases I would agree----as in, baptism by immersion or sprinkling, whether we have a "paid pastor", or "teaching elders", etc. As exassemblyites we certainly do feel the need to be more tolerant of other points of view (I think most of us now do).
The Gospel of the grace of God is one teaching that we can't afford to allow it's being confused to the point where the blessedness is lost--- in other words, it's power to affect for the good humanity.
The biggest enemy of the light of the Gospel does not come from it's declared enemies (atheists, Islam, etc.) but from those who say they believe the bible and yet distort that message. The Gospel is the world's only hope and therefore a principle that we must stand fast in and for!
"What's wrong with urging people to strive for inner purity and to have a perfect inner Christ like life", some may be thinking, "and why does that necessarily make one an enemy of the Gospel?"
On it's face, and without giving it too much thought, it sounds like the inner experience of perfect purity in my life is the legitimate consequence of faith in Christ. Indeed, the bible does teach that the Gospel will make us perfect in Christ as an actual experiential fact one day-----
but not yet .
Of course we should strive to have pure thoughts, and affections, but this is not what these "inner kingdom perfectionists" are talking about. Purity with them is the total death of the "self life", by certain kinds of "tricky inner doings," that we learn to apply within. There is another name for these practices: Eastern religion. I know, I use to practice this stuff before I was saved and there is no practical difference between the two (if any would like a gloomy talk on what this involves I can explain).
Honesty is the only way to freedom from the arrogance of those who hold the position that they can create the kind of purity in their souls where all self life is banished and only pure love now reigns in their hearts.
When a person (even a regenerated one), from the time he/she wakes up until they go to sleep, has an ego that is very much alive. In that self life (ego) is a very strong determination to survive and to satisfy it's needs. Within that self (again, even the saved) are certain sinful predispositions that seek to express themselves in our lives---- It could be laziness, gluttony, immoral desires, irritability, anger,etc. Each of us has our own worse 'demons' that we struggle with.
It's kind of funny, (in an ironic way, not hah-hah) that of all the worse kinds of impurities "pride" is the worst, (being called the sin of the devil) as those who claim to have defeated self suffer from this particular malady in spades! The arrogance that believes it has attained to a higher state of consciousness than the common riff-raff below it is the most obnoxious kind of pride that can exist---"Lord I thank thee that I am not like other men---"
Yes, we need to resist the sinful predispositions in our life, but we will be fighting them until the day we die. However, and this is a key difference, we fight because we are saved, not in order to save ourselves.
What real difference does it make? With those laboring to perfect Christ in their souls as a means to earn God's favor you get folks like GG and Betty---- monstrous hypocrites! On the other side: those whose only hope for salvation is in Christ and his finished work you get a justified publican--- "you will know them by their fruits."
Merry Christmas, Mark C.
(PS Brian, snowflakes and Santas please)
