a.) being saved from final judgment for our sins, and b.) being "saved" from temptations of engaging in sin in everyday life
might be helpful here -
But Yes, we must call out to Christ for rescuing from the temptations of engaging in sin in everyday life, even when our eternal security has been granted by Christ's final sacrifice. And yes, we are powerless to overcome these temptations independent of God's merciful intervention and power.
Second post I've seen today quoting Spurgeon. Today's off to a great start!
Agreed that the distinctions are both true and helpful theologically; practically, I'm left wondering if we've let those distinctions compartmentalize salvation into impotence. When someone cries to God for salvation in Scripture, how much do they seem concerned with those distinctions, and how much do they just plain need to be saved by God? Perhaps if we were more in touch with that need, within the context of the assurance we have by faith, our relationship with God and who He is/who we need Him to be in our lives would be rejuvenated a bit. Just a thought, and a bit of hope.
It's interesting that you mentioned the Old Testament historical characters in your original post, and their cries for deliverance.
In thinking over the New Testament, we do not see the same degree/amount of crying out in agony... in fact, with Stephen at his stoning as an example, we see much the opposite.
I wonder if this is a case of the difference between believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit seen in the New Testament and believers possibly lacking that same experience in the Old? Or, is it a by-product of the much-longer time period the Old Testament represents when compared to the single generation represented in the New, therefore the amount of material there is larger?
Thinking it over further at lunch, I was reminded of Gethsemane - and the ultimate cries of anguish from Christ himself, so my last statement should be taken with that in mind...
a.) being saved from final judgment for our sins, and
b.) being "saved" from temptations of engaging in sin in everyday life
might be helpful here -
But Yes, we must call out to Christ for rescuing from the temptations of engaging in sin in everyday life, even when our eternal security has been granted by Christ's final sacrifice. And yes, we are powerless to overcome these temptations independent of God's merciful intervention and power.
Second post I've seen today quoting Spurgeon. Today's off to a great start!
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In thinking over the New Testament, we do not see the same degree/amount of crying out in agony... in fact, with Stephen at his stoning as an example, we see much the opposite.
I wonder if this is a case of the difference between believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit seen in the New Testament and believers possibly lacking that same experience in the Old? Or, is it a by-product of the much-longer time period the Old Testament represents when compared to the single generation represented in the New, therefore the amount of material there is larger?
Curiouser and curiouser...
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