Sheep Go To Heaven
Slacktivist, in his weekly evisceration of the Left Behind tripe, has written a fairly insightful bit on how self-defeating the idea is in our North American Evangelical Grace-Alone Tradition that we gain salvation by intellectual assent to a few propositions. Me likey. Read here.
I read the post yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Two particular thoughts…
ReplyDeleteFirst the tendency to vehemently adhere to Eph. 2:8 - 9 (by grace you have been saved through faith) while completely neglecting vs. 10 (saved for good works). Neglecting this verse is obviously deliberate because it places demands on our lives.
Second the difference of being a Calvinist and a Calvinist-ist. Calvin really believed in God's grace but a Calvinist-ist only believes what Calvin said about it. Most of folks in the story, and by proxy us, fall into believing what Calvin said instead of what Calvin believed. Again, truly believing in God's grace places demands on us for holy living which includes good works.
One primary characteristic I have fought in my own Christian practice is the desire to read the Bible in such a way that places no effort on me. It’s an easy way to live which is the American Way.