The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum General Doctrine Questions

AJC . . . Welcome to The Highway Discussion Board.

Well, that question has been asked many times over here. There is a relative consensus as to the answer although as you might expect, there is some disagreement(s) among the members due to the wide diversity of them. It's a difficult question to answer for several reasons. What needs to be established first is what one means by "believe"? What I am referring to is "Assensus" vs. "Fiducia", i.e., an outward and/or intellectual agreement with those doctrines versus a heart-felt embracing of them which influences one's life. This is critically important when speaking of one's eternal salvation. One can profess to believe in Christ but not be united to Christ by a true living faith which has been wrought by the Holy Spirit. So it is today and always has been the case that there are many "professors" but few "possessors".

Okay, so let's look at just one of these doctrines, which are in fact simply 5 inseparable parts of a whole. Let's consider "Total Depravity" and note that this doctrine in its most basic teaching says that man is spiritual dead, hates God and all that is good and is totally incapable of even desiring God's salvation in Christ. Unless God the Spirit regenerates a sinner's soul, creating a new nature which has a God-ward disposition, implanting faith in the heart and a yearning for Christ, that person will never desire to be reconciled to God so as to repent and believe on Jesus Christ. Now, someone who doesn't truly believe the teaching of this doctrine will of necessity believe that a sinner (he/she) is not spiritually dead but rather has a natural ability, whether it is a general ability given to all or one inherent by nature. Thus a person's salvation ultimately rests in one's own exercising of the will (aka: decision for Christ, etc.) and not 100% on grace, "Sola Gratia).

So, IF one truly believes that their salvation rests upon their "decision" I must conclude that they cannot be saved. However, there are some who hold to a form of synergism (God and man working together) who hold to this unbiblical teaching as head knowledge but in their hearts they know that their salvation was all of God by grace through faith in Christ. These individuals will eventually come to embrace these infamous "Five Points of Calvinism" by the Spirit's leading.

I've written a short article that includes a chart showing the difference between these two views and how they effect one's salvation. You can read it here: By Grace Alone.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/yep.gif" alt="" /> you bet it is. In fact, such feelings of unworthiness are a mark of indwelling, active grace. Assurance is not a static thing but one that comes and goes depending upon circumstances, especially dependent upon if one is living in sin, being disobedient toward God, etc. However, it is not healthy nor typical for a true Christian to have no assurance whatsoever.

You may benefit from reading some of the articles on The Highway on the subject of Assurance here: Praxis - The Christian Life under the heading of "Sanctification". <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bigglasses.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,