4 Comments:

1. Anonymous said...
   March 21, 2009 at 10:50 AM  

   Charles Simeon (an Old Calvinist and one of 3(also Wilberforce and Newton)that Piper talks about in "Roots of Endurance") recalls his conversations with John Wesley:
   
   Simeon to Wesley(with Wesley's responses after each question)--"Sir, I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist;and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions. Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved that you would never have thought tf turning to God, if God had not first put it into your heart?
   
   Yes, I do indeed.
   
   And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by anything you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?
   
   Yes, soley through Christ.
   
   But, Sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?
   
   No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.
   
   Allowing, then, that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?
   
   No.
   
   What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms?
   
   Yes, altogether.
   
   And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom?
   
   Yes, I have no hope but in Him.
   
   Then, Sir, with your leave I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calivinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is in substance all that I hold, and as I hold it; and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."

2. Dr. Rick said...
   March 21, 2009 at 2:10 PM  

   You gotta love the catholic spirit of JW and the people called Methodist. Thank God that present assurance empowers one in Christ to use the means of grace. This creates obstacles to sin instead of obstacles to grace. Obstacles to grace happen, of course, if we neglect works of mercy and works of piety subsequent to justification by faith.
   Wesley also said he comes within a hair's breath of Calvinism. An Arminian or Methodist is a bit uneasy about insisting on use of the term "eternal security". Actually they wonder why present assurance is not good enough for others.

3. Anonymous said...
   March 21, 2009 at 11:34 PM  

   I think it's rather ironic that the same post for neo-calvinists was displayed with a big ol advertisement with the word failure on it.
   
   Kinda goes with our post nicely doesn't it?

4. Raffi Shahinian said...
   March 21, 2009 at 11:48 PM  

   HA! I hadn't noticed that. Good eye, brother.
   
   Thanks for the updates from the conference, BTW. Great job. Get some sleep, will ya!
   
   Grace and Peace,
   Raffi

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