The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum human inability

AC,

Actually the "Misery-Deliverance-Gratitude" is how the Heidelberg Catechism has been historically understood in its three divisions. It is actually a summary of the entire life of a Christian:

1. Misery: that first work of the Spirit bringing conviction of guilt and sin.
2. Deliverance: conversion whereby the sinner repents and believes upon Christ and is thus justified, being no longer under the power, presence nor penalty of the law.
3. Gratitude: mainly sanctification wherein a redeemed sinner lives to the glory of God out of a heart of thankfulness.

What I did try to communicate is that although these three things are part of the experience within sanctification, they are NOT synonymous with regeneration and conversion. Most of the Dutch Reformed churches have wrongly made the two nearly the same in many cases. This is one of the several reasons why assurance is lacking in so many of its members. They never get to the Deliverance - Gratitude part but are so often times stuck in the "Misery" part (aka: morbid introspection). Ironically, and with great contradiction, they teach covenant children the Heidelberg Catechism which is meant to be the confession and experience of a believer and which tragically fosters false assurance in those youths.