John wrote: > Apparently you do not believe that there is a > difference between misquoting and misunderstanding.
Yes, there is a difference, but Judy gained an understanding from what you wrote and then expressed her understanding. She did not quote you initially. She quoted you after you objected. We have been around this merry-go-round with you before. For some reason, you cannot fathom how anybody can misunderstand you. John wrote: > You have argued against universality > in the past. I missed the change or > are you just trying to prove how much > you and I agree? I'm tempted to start yelling at you for misquoting me, but I realize that you simply misunderstand me. I have argued against universalism (the idea that all will be saved) in the past, not against the idea that Christ has died for the sins of the whole world. John wrote: > That we are saved before any of this happens > is a pretty good deal, as well. You never established this idea at all. You carry a lot of baggage in your mind when you read this passage that we have not yet discussed enough. John wrote: > Does your voice lower in tone when you are > talking down on someone? I'm curious. No, usually just the opposite. I tend to raise the tone in my voice when I talk down to someone. John wrote: > The fact of reconciliation is not conditioned on > faith and any resulting holiness. The realization of this reconciliation in our lives is conditioned on faith (Col. 1:23). This is not only what this passage teaches, but also many other passages in Scripture. John wrote: > One never finishes -- in this life -- with the > effort to become holy, blameless and above > reproach. Becoming holy, blameless, and above reproach is not an effort. If you think it is, you are still under the law. The more you talk, the more you sound like a legalist, like someone who has not yet experienced the grace which you so much want to experience. Righteousness, holiness, blamelessness, being above reproach, is all a gift of God, something done as a sovereign act of God apart from anything we can do. We simply cooperate with him by believing his Word. When we do that, we experience the reality of it, in this life. John wrote: > Consequently, we are always in need of unmerited > grace as seen in the fact of reconciliation. I agree. John wrote: > We do not see things the same. I agree, but our differences are not as great as you think they are. John wrote: > Your ARE a perfectionist salvationist. I'm tempted to start blasting you for "misquoting" me so you could see how it feels to be on the receiving end, but I realize that you simply do not understand me. I am not a perfectionist salvationist. I preach that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works. I teach men that they cannot and should not become good before they come to God, but rather that they should come to God that they might become good. John wrote: > I would like for you to answer this question: > The comments below seem to have you saying > that we agree on most things -- it is our perspectives > that are different. I have no idea what this means. > Can you explain? Again, I am tempted to yell at you for "misquoting" me, but I realize that you simply misunderstand what I have written and have reworded it in an inappropriate way. What I said is that there are some perspectives that I have which you seem to be oblivious toward. For example, I perceive Christ's Spirit to be imparted to us when we believe upon him, and that Spirit is a righteous Spirit which in turn makes us righteous. I expect the power of Christ to keep me walking in his righteous ways, according to the promises of Scripture. You seem to perceive righteousness as a state of being, a position before God, a legal standing before God. You seem to perceive that Christ causes God to see you as righteous and consider you righteous even when you are not. I would consider that deceiving God, but you see some kind of gracious merit in it. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
