“All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.” (Westminster Confession of Faith 1.7)
Trying to push the requirements for salvation beyond what Scripture says is a mark of spiritual immaturity, or as Paul puts it, being carnal or fleshly. It is the partisan spirit he talks about in 1 Corinthians. Arminians can be saved, and so can Calvinists. Or, for that matter, a person may call himself either one and not be regenerate.
The number of things a person has to know and believe in order to be saved is really quite small. And that leaves a world of things both in and out of Scripture to seek out with joy - in fact, to find enjoyment in. When we are always seeking to turn those things into grounds on which to battle or exclude fellow believers we surrender the peace and joy Christ purchased for us by His work. And that is the point at which we, following Paul, may reasonably begin questioning our salvation. The fruit of the Spirit, he tells us, is peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment