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Originally Posted by armourbearer  Quote:
Originally Posted by greenbaggins Hmm. Do not believers usually have some experience of grace before their seasons of doubt? The Puritans made much of previous seasons of grace being brought to mind (I think of Brooks here in particular). According to your position, the believer needs to ignore these seasons of grace, or am I reading you wrongly? | Yes, one element is to remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. But this really only strengthens the assurance one already has. If one really lacks assurance, such seasons of grace can have no bearing, (1.) because the person will likewise doubt that these were true visitations of God; a person who doubts their present state will also doubt the steps which have brought them to their state. (2.) The objective work of Christ is what is especially needed in the case. For a person struggling with the consciousness of sin and guilt it is the objective work of Christ which alone can bring forgiveness of sin. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." |
Okay, I grant the point in some of the most extreme cases of doubt. But even in my most serious times of doubt, I don't doubt the previous goodness and genuineness of God's grace. I can always travel back to those for an additional (for we agree that it is not the only or the primary means of assurance) prop to my faith. Even there it is really extraspective, since what I am really remembering is what God has done for me in the past. And I absolutely agree that the objective work of Christ, done outside of me, is far more determinative for my assurance than the inward workings. As M'Cheyne says, "For every one time you look at yourself, look ten times at Christ." At the same time, doubt can also encompass the question of whether that objective atonement has really been applied to me. How would you answer then?