SHAPING MY FAITH REFORM STYLE!

When I was a young man Billy Graham helped shape my faith along with John Wesley who started the Methodist Movement. This being the case for most of my life I believed my salvation was in my own hands and my eternal destiny depended on my own decision. Now having that mindset on how salvation works put me into a tailspin of thinking the right church would seal the deal. So I went to a multitude of churches thinking if I am in the "right" faith tradition it would somehow secure my salvation. Talk about frustration and sadly I put myself in that churchy hamster wheel.

Now about a year and a half ago I started researching Reformed Theology. We are talking about reading about Martin Luther of course but also John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, Alistair Begg, R.C. Sproul, and others. At first, I thought they were absolutely crazy to believe that you can do "NOTHING" for your salvation. Jesus Christ did all that was necessary for my salvation. Yes, but what about? Yes, I know that but I have to make a decision to say yes to or no to the Gospel message. Right?

But in the Reformed understanding, it is the Holy Spirit that prompts you to respond to the Gospel message because your sinful fallen nature would not respond without the Holy Spirit. The only part your free will has is whether you will listen to the Gospel or read the Holy Bible or not. But once you do the Holy Spirit comes on you to bear witness of the truth.

Now comes into play what is called "irresistible grace" which is when God's regeneration and transformation of our soul takes place. God does this for us because we are dead in our sins and we have no ability to change our own hearts. (John 6:37 / John 6:44 / Ephesians 2:8)

It took me a long time to finally absorb and understand what the Reformers were explaining about what the Holy Bible was teaching and how God's salvation plan operates. Since then I have been more at ease realizing there is nothing I can do for my own salvation. God has taken care of all my salvation needs Himself. I am so grateful that I could not resist God's grace. But man does have a free will to ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction upon the heart.

"He that perishes chooses to perish, but he that is saved is saved because God has chosen to save him." - Charles Spurgeon. But if a man or woman chooses to perish then logically they can choose to accept the invitation to salvation that Jesus Christ offers to everyone.

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