I've never felt so torn while studying Scripture before.
Part of my struggle is that there's a lot of talk about predestination, foreordainment, and other big words that make my head spin.
Another part of it is that most people fall on one or the other side of a very difficult fence: do you believe that God is completely, utterly in charge of who is "saved", or that humans are the ones who ultimately make the initial (or final) decision in the matter?
And so the discussions begin. And passages of "proof" for both sides are brought out. And technical terms are thrown around, while simple folk like me try to keep from looking too puzzled.
To most of my friends' credit, there are rarely any heated arguments. They do try to err on the side of grace when they disagree; most will admit that it is a tricky subject no matter what you believe.
What DO I believe?
It's such a relief to know that God doesn't demand us getting our theology all figured out before He'll love us. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast," as Ephesians 2 says.
No matter how confusing the hard parts of the Bible can be, at least we know one thing for sure: the love we are given is by grace, through faith, a miraculous gift offered to us in the midst of our struggles to understand.
Grateful for love today.
~ Counting Down to Easter Day By Day ~
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