Reprobates & Mercy

Status
Not open for further replies.

Reformingstudent

Puritan Board Junior
This might sound like a dumb question but can anyone know for sure if they are a reprobate or not and if so would God answer their prayer if they should cry out for mercy?
Living in post Christian America as most of us here do, where so many take the gospel for granted and assume that they are counted among God's elect who may never have understood the true gospel to begin with, can it be seen how some coming to the truth may believe themselves to be reprobate and not His elect and desire His mercy? Would God hear their prayer and save them and if He did would that mean that they are not reprobates after all? Confusing I
know, but just wanted to know.



Thanks.




Tom
 
Arminians often make the misguided accusation that Calvinism makes God unjust because He would refuse mercy to people who were sincere about desiring it but were simply not on "the list." The thing is, a true realization of their need for mercy and a desire for it is the very thing elect people are elected unto. So if someone truly fears that they do not have Christ's mercy and will thus be rejected by the God of the Bible, the genuine nature of that very fear confirms that they have faith, and thus, if the object of their fear (hell and separation from God) is real, it is only real because of the Bible's truth, and the Bible equally affirms that all who trust in Christ for mercy will be given it. So if such a fear is truly present in someone, it confirms itself as having no ground, and is evidence of the person's hope.
 
Chris,

Just be careful not to overemphaisize that without being sure that someone has a true interest in CHIRST and not just what Christ CAN PROVIDE. Oftentimes people are interested in the latter because they want to escape hell, not because they love God. The Puritans used to say (and I wish we would again say it in our generation) "You must get an interest in Christ."

Many will strive to enter but will not be able...
 
Thanks for that reminder, Matt. I guess the very fact that such a huge percentage of Americans call themselves "Christians" only confirms that we need to be very careful to call for true faith and repentance, and distinguish it from "hell insurance." Again, thanks for emphasizing that.
 
But at the same time, we can't go too far and point fingers. We don't know who (in the church) is a true Christian and who is not.
 
By the way Matt, could you give a direct reference for that Puritan quotation? I'd like to be able to refer back to one or more Puritans when mentioning that in conversation.
 
Originally posted by webmaster
Chris,

Just be careful not to overemphasize that without being sure that someone has a true interest in CHIRST and not just what Christ CAN PROVIDE. Oftentimes people are interested in the latter because they want to escape hell, not because they love God. The Puritans used to say (and I wish we would again say it in our generation) "You must get an interest in Christ."

Many will strive to enter but will not be able...

Very good point. If someone had thought that they were not one of the elect and prayed for mercy and asked God to give them a true love for Christ and His Kingdom would that be an evidence that such a one is among God's redeemed people and would God hear and answertheir prayer? Would a reprobate even care for the love of God and want his will be done? Just trying to sort it all out and i appreciate all the help I can get.


Blessings.



Tom

[Edited on 10-12-2004 by Keylife_fan]
 
Originally posted by webmaster
Chris,

Just be careful not to overemphaisize that without being sure that someone has a true interest in CHIRST and not just what Christ CAN PROVIDE. Oftentimes people are interested in the latter because they want to escape hell, not because they love God. The Puritans used to say (and I wish we would again say it in our generation) "You must get an interest in Christ."

Many will strive to enter but will not be able...

That anything like "closing with Christ" ? ;)
 
Keylife Fan, anyone who is concerned about his/her eternal state should definitely ask God to give him/her a true love for Christ and a true attraction to God's holiness. If such a person is reprobate, he/she will eventually lose his concern about these things. BTW; I'm getting my ideas from Jonathan Edwards' book on Religious Affections.

[Edited on 11-12-2004 by turmeric]
 
The old serpent, is a master in getting people to believe thay are saved,but the Spirit of God has warned us to take care.

"A deceived heart hath turned him aside" Isa. 44:20. "

"Take heed that ye be not deceived" Luke 21:8.

"For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" Gal. 6:3.

We are told to:

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves" 2 Cor. 13:5.

One thing is certain though,when Christ saves, He destroys the spirit of self-will, and implants a a lasting desire to please Him.MAKE CERTAIN YOU DO NOT DIVIDE Christ.HE IS YOUR SAVIOUR AND LORD.

You can not have Him as your saviour but not your Lord.

andreas.:candle:
 
Originally posted by Me Died Blue
By the way Matt, could you give a direct reference for that Puritan quotation? I'd like to be able to refer back to one or more Puritans when mentioning that in conversation.

Ummmmmmm, me? :pilgrim:

Not sure. Its the basic concept I used.
 
Originally posted by fredtgreco
Originally posted by webmaster
Chris,

Just be careful not to overemphaisize that without being sure that someone has a true interest in CHIRST and not just what Christ CAN PROVIDE. Oftentimes people are interested in the latter because they want to escape hell, not because they love God. The Puritans used to say (and I wish we would again say it in our generation) "You must get an interest in Christ."

Many will strive to enter but will not be able...

That anything like "closing with Christ" ? ;)

That would come after getting an interest in Him...."closing with Christ."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top