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Originally Posted by Simply_Nikki  Well.. if I can throw in another interpretation of that cliche; it could also be a way of indicting Calvinists who have an elitist, prideful attitude because they "know" the truth... |
Nikki,
I think you bring up an excellent point. The problem is, many Calvinists are indeed elitist and prideful (as are many Arminians, as you pointed out). I have been in entire congregations that display this. In reality, I think that what it boils down to is sound theology mixed with spiritual immaturity. Ironically, it almost becomes a works based salvation where the attitude is almost one of "I am saved by virtue of having all of my doctrinal ducks in a row" (which in turn is almost, in a weird way, a sort of reformed gnosticism) not that we are saved by
grace through faith. In fact, I'd have to question how well those with prideful and elitst attitudes
really understand the doctrines of grace - seems to me that once you gain some understanding that God chose us and called us to himself and that without this we would be lost, any tendency towards pride is cut off at the root. There is a big difference in being able to regurgitate reformed doctrine and really understanding its implications.