Michael Jeshurun in his recent article, emphasizes our unworthiness, as a result of our total deprivation. He implies in his post that once saved we are still wretched and unworthy.
“And many an Arminian preacher following the error of Wesley’s doctrine of ‘sinless-perfection’ uses this illustration and tells his congregation – “Now that Christ has saved you, make sure you live your life in a manner to show God that you were worth saving”!
The above quote is taken from this post FEELING UNWORTHY – A GOOD THING, by Michael Jeshurun
Jesus stated: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
There is no question that humility in the believers life is a character trait to be desired. But is unworthiness that marks the sinner equivalent to humility? We hear in Psalm 104:
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
Many scholars believe that David wrote these words. I am not going to pretend that I am sinless or that we are made worthy by our sinlessness. Quite the opposite we are made worthy by Christ’s imputed righteousness, which we receive when we believe. And as I have said in a former post dealing with Reformed vs Armenian theologies, I think that the truth is somewhere in the middle. But if this above verse from Psalm 104, expresses the understanding of a heart after God’s own; then sinlessness is God’s desire for us. Certainly our walk is to express our love for the Lord and that requires obedience to His commands as Jesus said. So If sinners are to be consumed from the earth and we are unworthy sinners then where would we be? We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice unto Our God. This is not a work to save us. It is obedience to one we love, and without love in our heart for God and our neighbor, we are only kidding ourselves as the religionists of Jesus day were guilty of doing.
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
John 16:27 NASB
Think about this verse. Then think if everything comes from God and nothing comes from man in return as the Reformed Calvinist believes it, is his teaching then any better then that of Wesley’s who teaches sinless perfection?
The truth from the Calvinist and from the Armenian must be mined and tested in the microscope of Scripture.
Thus, I see that Scripture is teaching us that God has chosen before the foundation of the earth all who come to love and believe in Jesus, who are called by the Holy Spirit, who are born of God, and who pray, seek first the kingdom, receive and exercise God’s gifts given freely, and are pruned (disciplined) by the Father in order that they bear much fruit and end well through a life of abiding in Him.
The man who takes no responsibility at all for the mistakes and sins of his own is no better than the man who believes that he must do everything that he can on his own in order to earn favor with God.
The man who is in Christ and trusts God daily for His leading in his life, who seeks truth from the Scriptures, who is a doer and not a hearer only, who repents when he falls; this man according to Scripture will hear the words “well done thou good and faithful servant”.
I like this quote from Paul Washer, Jerry
Pride is a terrible and dangerous thing. It can take so many forms; it can even assume the appearance of humility. Pride can lead not only to self-exaltation, but also to self-abasement. The key to battling pride is not found in struggling against thinking too highly of ourselves or in striving to think of ourselves as lowly. The key is found in simply not thinking about ourselves at all, but setting our minds on Christ and the needs of others.
What do you think?
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Crissy, I love that. Thanks so much for sharing.
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Hi Jerry,
The calvinist will typically always over sell what sinner we are (even after justification) to prop up their doctrinal pillar of total depravity. You might as well expect it.
While we are filthy sinners prior to our conversion, we are capable of making a choice where God & salvation is concerned.
The bible from one end to the other, is full of examples of God setting a choice before man, and Him motivating man to make the right choice.
Moreover, once a sinner has been justified, the bible refers to that person as a saint, not a sinner, (although we do continue to sin).
It’s an issue of identity.
Read the introductory parts of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians…Paul writes to the “saints” of…
Not to the “sinners” of…
So if God identifies His children as saints, then we should too.
…
Washed, sanctified, righteous,…all imputed by God to us as a free gift.
Is that not fabulous?
😀
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“We are capable of making a choice where God is concerned.”
Is what I intended to write.
Sorry I didn’t catch my phone’s word predicting text.
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Also, please replace the word “degenerate scum” with the word “sinner” please.
There…
My edits are now complete.
Thank you Jerry 🤠
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Ok, I think I got it Lee.
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I know you got it buddy,
My edits are for the public who reads my comment. 🤠
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Thanks brither
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