Every once in a while I am called a synergist which amazes me as I am very much not one at all... I view man is saved by Grace through Faith and if anyone actually took a second to read what I write they would see that I believe salvation from beginning to end is of God and God alone.
So, to be called a synergist is rather an ignorant statement to say about me.
I once read a book by Chuck Smith who described the working of God like both He and a person are about to lift a table... In his example, Chuck states that God lifts His side and we must lift ours also... in effect he was saying that God is helping us... yet in the example it could be viewed that we are helping God. I read this and thought that so wrong... it is never that we are helping God lift the table, rather God is lifting the table and we appear to be doing so as He does it through us... This is tricky to catch but it is a big difference if one gets it. God does His works in and through us... they do not originate from us nor are they of us at all. If they were then they would not be God's works, but ours.
Now, in a broader sense there is synergism within Christianity as we are part of the Body of Christ. We in this sense make up this Body as parts to the whole... So to say that all synergism is wrong is a bit too broad of a brush. Yet again, as far as salvic workings, God saves us by Grace through Faith....
Now, to say that some are created "elect" and some "non elect" cuts across the grain of the teachings of Romans 8 -10. (The Calvinist will bristle and howl over that statement yet I have yet to find one that that gives a true biblical interpretation of these chapters without distortion of the passages to "fit" their system of theology.)
There is a misunderstanding of "obedience" which I have written on pretty extensively and will soon in the up coming "Walking Through Romans" series. You can hit the link on Romans to see that series. Yet, this is not about our obedience but walking about Christ's. (Romans 5:19) The part we play is of simple surrender as one who has no where else to go... as the Peter stated in John 6:68 "Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
Only in Christ's finished works can we find rest. That is why Jesus is called the Sabbath... for in Him we find our rest from works.
Interestingly falling from Grace as commonly used to day is most often used wrongly. The only verse that uses that phrase in the NT is Galatians 5:4 "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." In that many come to Christ and then go to works to sustain and maintain their salvation. When one does this they have fallen form Grace to works... and that is what Paul wrote about in Galatians:
3: 1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
Man cannot add one thing to his salvation and works cannot help us gain statue in the Kingdom of God. Man must depend totally on Christ Jesus alone... If one thinks that his own works are of any value, then they deceive themselves.
So, what part does man play in his salvation... to rest in the Grace of God and walking Faith and not by sight... I am amazed that some walk by sight as they push doctrine over Christ Himself... in that they are not walking in Faith, but by their own understanding... that is depending not on God, but man's reasoning and rational thinking for salvation. True doctrine is the outflow of our relationship with Jesus... in that He teaches us and guides us... and even in the Darkness we must press on in Faith believing in what we cannot see in Hope of what we will one day be. True doctrine flows from Christ, and in Him we gain the understanding of this doctrine by revelation. Insight that is given by the Power of the Holy Spirit to renew our minds to right thinking... to reverse this and seek God through doctrine takes the Holy Spirit out of play and them Christianity only becomes a religion of rules and commands... and not of loving submission to God through Christ for salvation.
We must base our walk on this Hope... this Blessed Hope that we do not see, and in that walk in faith and not by feelings... the error of the synergist is that they are very "feelings" based, yet the error of the religionist is to ignore feelings all together.... in that we must seek out a reconciliation of the two... to walking balance of our feelings as expressions of faith or admissions of lack of it in hopes to be built up int the Faith... and the other the Faith to trust blindly, God at His Word and not seek out more proof as to God's Love for us.
Blessings,
iggy
So, to be called a synergist is rather an ignorant statement to say about me.
I once read a book by Chuck Smith who described the working of God like both He and a person are about to lift a table... In his example, Chuck states that God lifts His side and we must lift ours also... in effect he was saying that God is helping us... yet in the example it could be viewed that we are helping God. I read this and thought that so wrong... it is never that we are helping God lift the table, rather God is lifting the table and we appear to be doing so as He does it through us... This is tricky to catch but it is a big difference if one gets it. God does His works in and through us... they do not originate from us nor are they of us at all. If they were then they would not be God's works, but ours.
Now, in a broader sense there is synergism within Christianity as we are part of the Body of Christ. We in this sense make up this Body as parts to the whole... So to say that all synergism is wrong is a bit too broad of a brush. Yet again, as far as salvic workings, God saves us by Grace through Faith....
Now, to say that some are created "elect" and some "non elect" cuts across the grain of the teachings of Romans 8 -10. (The Calvinist will bristle and howl over that statement yet I have yet to find one that that gives a true biblical interpretation of these chapters without distortion of the passages to "fit" their system of theology.)
There is a misunderstanding of "obedience" which I have written on pretty extensively and will soon in the up coming "Walking Through Romans" series. You can hit the link on Romans to see that series. Yet, this is not about our obedience but walking about Christ's. (Romans 5:19) The part we play is of simple surrender as one who has no where else to go... as the Peter stated in John 6:68 "Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
Only in Christ's finished works can we find rest. That is why Jesus is called the Sabbath... for in Him we find our rest from works.
Interestingly falling from Grace as commonly used to day is most often used wrongly. The only verse that uses that phrase in the NT is Galatians 5:4 "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." In that many come to Christ and then go to works to sustain and maintain their salvation. When one does this they have fallen form Grace to works... and that is what Paul wrote about in Galatians:
3: 1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
Man cannot add one thing to his salvation and works cannot help us gain statue in the Kingdom of God. Man must depend totally on Christ Jesus alone... If one thinks that his own works are of any value, then they deceive themselves.
So, what part does man play in his salvation... to rest in the Grace of God and walking Faith and not by sight... I am amazed that some walk by sight as they push doctrine over Christ Himself... in that they are not walking in Faith, but by their own understanding... that is depending not on God, but man's reasoning and rational thinking for salvation. True doctrine is the outflow of our relationship with Jesus... in that He teaches us and guides us... and even in the Darkness we must press on in Faith believing in what we cannot see in Hope of what we will one day be. True doctrine flows from Christ, and in Him we gain the understanding of this doctrine by revelation. Insight that is given by the Power of the Holy Spirit to renew our minds to right thinking... to reverse this and seek God through doctrine takes the Holy Spirit out of play and them Christianity only becomes a religion of rules and commands... and not of loving submission to God through Christ for salvation.
We must base our walk on this Hope... this Blessed Hope that we do not see, and in that walk in faith and not by feelings... the error of the synergist is that they are very "feelings" based, yet the error of the religionist is to ignore feelings all together.... in that we must seek out a reconciliation of the two... to walking balance of our feelings as expressions of faith or admissions of lack of it in hopes to be built up int the Faith... and the other the Faith to trust blindly, God at His Word and not seek out more proof as to God's Love for us.
Blessings,
iggy
