Please read and comment on partial blurb of common vs. saving grace

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AC.

Puritan Board Freshman
Common Impressions Can Go Deep

What is the difference between saving and common impressions? Common impressions can make us pious and serious, but do not change our hearts! Our heart still remains evil. Without a new heart we will try to serve two masters. Our hearts were never broken. It is possible that we had very deep impressions. We may have seen the fire of hell burning, but even that does not change the heart. Only the Lord does.........Saving impressions may be less scary than common impressions, but they at least change the heart!

Marks of Saving Grace

What are the differences between common and saving impressions? The greatest difference is that saving impressions are so profound that we cannot find rest in those impressions. Encouraging words and Bible verses can give GOd's children true peace, but do not provide a firm foundation. Persons in whom the Lord works savingly cannot find complete rest until they have found it in Christ.........................No, they do not learn that in one day, but faith in Christ becomes the clearest mark of saving grace. It does not begin with Christ, yet our ancestors in the Canons of Dort mentioned it as number one. Let me add that talking about Christ and hoping that Christ will save you is not the same as believing in Him! Only when the Lord has stripped us from self-righteousness does Christ become suitable and precious!
 
does anybody have a strong, concise definition of experiential peaching ?
 
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Maybe I should further clarify my question....what does is it mean to experientially know we are a Christian, I'm thinking it has something to do with saving faith.

Actually, I don't like the term saving faith....what does it mean to HAVE FAITH with a capital F....

I don't like the semantics, having to throw around therms like 'experiential' and 'saving faith' but I guess we have the Pelagians, Arminians and Roman Catholics to thank for the development of this terminology....
 
In my most humble opinion I believe you are looking for 2 capitol letters, F and A. Faith Alone in Jesus to justify you. From what I have read on what you are experiencing a tendency of trying to have a "perfect work" show you that you are truly saved. As I have heard before from a great teacher tell a student after the student said he did his best on a test that he got a C on. "Sir you have never done your best". Look to the Lord Jesus Alone as your basis for salvation and have faith that He will lay out the works before you to do, as He sees fit. Rest in Jesus, and flee from any thoughts of a works type assurance because the only work that is good enough is the Lord's. The works will flow from his grace and will show you are His though they will always be tainted with "mixed motives".
 
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Hi:

How would I define Experimental (Experiential) Christianity? It is the truths of Scripture impressed upon the soul by the work of the Holy Spirit. In the words of the Confession:

our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts, WCF 1:5.
The author that you are quoting by saying that the Word of God is insufficient to give a "firm foundation" has passed beyond Experimental Christianity, and has embraced Enthusiasm.

Blessings,

Rob
 
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