Comment on my beliefs...

[Just Grace]

I was wondering if you could take a look at this and point out anything for discussion or if something is just not right.

http://www.holyfear.net/pdf/confession-of-faith.pdf

Brendan, thanks for some slack and I hope and pray all here have a good 2008

David.

[Robert R. Higby]

David,

This confession is basically patterned after Westminster. I started a series evaluating the Westminster standards and hope to resume those studies in the near future. It would be impossible to evaluate such a large confessional statement with so many fine points in a brief summary.

Thanks, --Bob

[Saint Nicholas]

I was wondering if you could take a look at this and point out anything for discussion or if something is just not right.

http://www.holyfear.net/pdf/confession-of-faith.pdf

Brendan, thanks for some slack and I hope and pray all here have a good 2008

David.

Hello David......welcome back.

After reviewing just some of the highlights of the confession, there is nothing new under the sun, from a reformed perspective that is.

Most of my (and others) disagreements can be found in threads that specifically address our differences.

Just a sample from your confession:

5. GOD'S DECREE
God, from eternity, after the counsel of his own will, and for the
manifestation and exaltation of his glorious attributes, decreed all that he
would do in time and to eternity, in creation, in the government of his
creatures, and in the salvation of sinners of the human race; yet so that he
is not the author of sin nor constrains the will of his creature in its actions.1
The decree of God depends not in the least upon the creature nor upon the
foreknowledge of God himself; on the contrary, God knows that certain
things will be, because he has decreed that they should be.2 God's decree
is infinitely wise3 and perfectly just;4 eternal,5 free,6 comprehensive,7

secret,8 gracious,9 holy,10 good,11 unchangeable,12 and effectual.13

More of the same "infralapsarian" "Augustinian" "low Calvinism" theology that has been around for centuries. If the God of the bible who created ALL things "good and evil" "light and darkness" "wheat and tares" "sheeps and goats" "Elect and reprobate" is not the author of sin, then please tell me what other god exists who can have the power to create? The confession as stated above continues to display more paradoxal double speak to try and protect God from being accused. While at the same time empowers Satan as to have creative capacities.

Nicholas

[Just Grace]

Thanks, this is what I want. I come from a small community.

Thanks for the comments. And I will comment back.

I will look.

David

[Dorcas]

I find the way that it starts out with a combo of natural theology and Aquinas-esque "proofs" for God really strange (and extremely faulty). I don't think that I have ever seen a "Reformed" confession like that, not that I have read all that many other than the major ones.

[Just Grace]

Ok, but is there a perfect one? Can we know it all or be perfect in our thoughts about God?

Is it important even? If so for who? It's ok to pick holes in things but can we come up with something better.

Can we ever be perfectly sure that we have the right line of thought toward God and His unsearchable ways?

[Just Grace]

Hello David......welcome back.

After reviewing just some of the highlights of the confession, there is nothing new under the sun, from a reformed perspective that is.

Most of my (and others) disagreements can be found in threads that specifically address our differences.

Just a sample from your confession:

5. GOD'S DECREE
God, from eternity, after the counsel of his own will, and for the
manifestation and exaltation of his glorious attributes, decreed all that he
would do in time and to eternity, in creation, in the government of his
creatures, and in the salvation of sinners of the human race; yet so that he
is not the author of sin nor constrains the will of his creature in its actions.1
The decree of God depends not in the least upon the creature nor upon the
foreknowledge of God himself; on the contrary, God knows that certain
things will be, because he has decreed that they should be.2 God's decree
is infinitely wise3 and perfectly just;4 eternal,5 free,6 comprehensive,7

secret,8 gracious,9 holy,10 good,11 unchangeable,12 and effectual.13

More of the same "infralapsarian" "Augustinian" "low Calvinism" theology that has been around for centuries. If the God of the bible who created ALL things "good and evil" "light and darkness" "wheat and tares" "sheeps and goats" "Elect and reprobate" is not the author of sin, then please tell me what other god exists who can have the power to create? The confession as stated above continues to display more paradoxal double speak to try and protect God from being accused. While at the same time empowers Satan as to have creative capacities.

Nicholas

Thanks, I am not a great one for drawn out answers, although one day I might be like that.

"In Him we move and live and have our being." Superb words from Paul of Tarsus, Apostle to the Gentiles.

Everything happens within God ( fact ), did God make me sin this morning, then demand me to confess?

That would be the premier response to you.

Actually, denying the authority of the letter of James might help you. If God does not even tempt people to sin, how much more could He not make them sin?

And maybe this may be a perfect reason why James is in the Canon.

I know that by responding will open up a whole flurry of arrows etc.

Well good, lets go through them. As best I can.

[Whammer]

Thanks, I am not a great one for drawn out answers, although one day I might be like that.

"In Him we move and live and have our being." Superb words from Paul of Tarsus, Apostle to the Gentiles.

Everything happens within God ( fact ), did God make me sin this morning, then demand me to confess?

That would be the premier response to you.

Actually, denying the authority of the letter of James might help you. If God does not even tempt people to sin, how much more could He not make them sin?

And maybe this may be a perfect reason why James is in the Canon.

I know that by responding will open up a whole flurry of arrows etc.

Well good, lets go through them. As best I can.

I'm not going to give you a flurry of arrows David, but you have had opportunity to read things on the forum for quite some time, so you should know the positions we take in our own confessions (so to speak) and what we think of a host of other written out confessions. We are not going to re-open the "James discussion" here, there is already ample material for your consideration.
What I do think you need to do is re-consider the nature of God and the nature of everything He has created. It is too obvious to say God is God and we are not..........but those words are not really understood by most.
Look at Acts 17:24-29
Consider that everything created by God is is dependent on Him alone to sustain (in every way) their very BEING........God alone is self-existant.
Just because God has created things antithetical to His own nature, does not mean He Himself sins or is those very things......do you understand what I am saying or where I am going with this??

[Just Grace]

Thanks, I am not looking for a high noon. Just truth. Those who reject James are in a small minority, which I think you will agree.

When God tells me to ignore the teaching of James. I will listen to you.

Suddenly it's all on James because I basically quoted 'God does not tempt anyone'.

Before God I ask you...

Tell me, does God tempt people/anyone or just lead them into plain old sin?

He cannot even look upon it.

Myself I just cannot see it in Scripture.

David

[Just Grace]

Btw, this is the whole point of the post.

To go through what I believe in the confession of faith I put forth.

Thanks for the input.

Obviously we have started on a big one.

I hope at the end of the thread that it has been discussed and not been a gladiatorial ring.

David

[Brandan Kraft]

closing this thread...