The Doctrines of Grace

After a short back and forth on our Facebook page concerning the subject of limited atonement, I felt a need to make a clear statement why I embrace the doctrines of grace.

Firstly I have to point out that in all honesty I’m not inclined to bang on about T.U.L.I.P. as I so often think of these points totally differently than their names suggest. What I also want to make clear, is that the truth of these points is far more for the benefit of personal assurance, rather than something that needs to be forced upon others point by point.

I have never been discipled as a calvinist, nor even attended a church where the pastor or teaching staff are of that persuasion intentionally. However when I first became aware of these points, and began examining these things against the Bible itself, I found that in all honesty I couldn’t dispute them. They are not points I was quick to accept by any means, especially because of the stigma that those who oppose them attach, but when taken point by point sanely in the light of Scripture, I honestly believe they all stand up.

There is a caveat to this however, and that is to ask oneself what benefit is it should these points be true. This is why I state that they are far more useful for personal assurance than anything else. In fact, if all we do is spend our time trying to prove them right to those who oppose, they become little more than stumbling blocks in my opinion. I believe it is sufficient to quietly and personally agree with them, and allow the words of Scripture they are drawn from to speak for itself. This is the very thing that convinced me personally; not that Calvin was right, but rather these things are clearly outlined in Scripture. Continue Reading>>>