I commend this board for its quest of correct (biblical) theology. It is a worthwile (and commanded) pursuit. But how does our "correct" theology impact our daily lives? I am interested in learning how your theology has impacted your christian walk. I struggle with this on a personal basis.

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Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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Proper theology places God and Christ in their proper places. It is comforting. The axis of the Earth, the continual beating of our hearts and end times are simply controlled by an all knowing God. It takes the pressure off of us. Erred theology lays much of the responsibility upon men and their work.

[Edited on 10-22-2005 by Scott Bushey]

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Scott Bushey
Husband to Tina, father to Nicole, Danielle and Zoe
Member First Presbyterian Church of Margate PCA

Good theory (or belief) must always precede good practice. It is the same as cause leads to effect.

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Jeff Bartel
Mechanical Engineer
Member - Trinity Reformed Church - RPCNA

"To believe in the power of man in the work of regeneration is the great heresy of Rome, and from that error has come the ruin of the Church. Conversion proceeds from the grace of God alone, and the system which ascribes it partly to man and partly to God is worse than Pelagianism" (The Reformation in England (London, 1962), Vol. 1, p. 98)

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Orthodoxy leads to orthopraxy. That's why I appreciate the Puritan emphasis on "experiential religion."

Personally, I am greatly humbled by my growing understanding of my own wickedness. How amazing is the grace of God that he should set the banner of his love upon me a sinner. The more I know the more I realize how little I know. "What is man that thou shouldest care for him?" I can truly say with Donald Cargill: "Those who know themselves best fear themselves most."

Also, I am given great peace of mind by my growing understanding of the sovereignty of God. To be able to say with Stonewall Jackson, "˜Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.´ ... "˜That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.´ "� I am not there yet. I have doubts and anxious thoughts. But God grant me the grace to trust and to persevere. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

For me personally, family worship has been a most precious application of that which I have learned about true religion. To gather my family together to worship God -- "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" -- this is my joy: to see my children learn the ways of God. May God be merciful to my house, that we may dwell in his house and serve him all the days of our lives.

I have also come to understand that the Bible does not commend "lone wolf Christians." I have a deeper understanding, by God's grace, of what is meant by the "communion of the saints," church membership, and ecclesiastical government. Submission to my church elders, participation in the body of Christ, these are areas where I am learning and growing.

[Edited on 10-22-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

to the above points.

One case in point for me is the practical effects that my discovery of cessationism has had on my life. It has forced me to look more deeply and thoroughly into Scripture for all the issues constantly surrounding my life, rather than seeking a mystical sense of revelation before making life decisions or feeling out "what God wants me to do in this circumstance."

Another practical effect cessationism has had on my life is that it has given me a greater realization of and appreciation for the true value of Church history "“ for if God is not in fact giving the same kind of direct revelation to everyone that he gave to the apostles and prophets, and Christ as revealed in the Scriptures truly was God´s final word for the present age, an inevitably greater value is to be found in all the past believers' interpretation and application of that Scripture than would be if we all had the same kind of continually new revelations as the apostles.

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Chris


A passion to know and reflect Christ by living and demonstrating the truth and richness of the historic Reformed faith

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Christopher Blum
Member of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Northern Kentucky (PCA) in Burlington, KY

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These replies are most interesting. It seems that practice (application) has as much to do with christian living as does theology. This should seem to be plainly obvious to all, but oft times I find myself caught up in the tyranny of the day-to-day. The pursuit of family, career, church et al...all seem to nag at me. I often think to myself, "I want naught else but to be yielded completely to God." But if I am honest, it is more of a sentiment than the truth. I concur with Paul, that sin wars against me and I often choose the path that, except for the grace of God, would justly condemn me to hell.

I know God is gracious towards those He has called. I do not brag about my election. I am humbled by it. I know that no good thing dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. Maybe I should change my prayer. Instead of, "Lord I want nothing more than to be yielded to you"; perhaps I should ask, "Lord make me be more yielded to you." If God is sovereign, should that not be what we ask for?

Absolutely.

I know that Theology has saved my sanity. I have heard it said that when your life is tested your theology will either stand or fall. I have found that the theology I have learned from the scriptures has kept me hid in Christ. I have experienced severe betrayal, legal problems, sinfulness on my part, and God's redemptive love and Sovereignty have been my main stay.
If God wasn't sovereign I could not have trusted Him. If he had not loved and Elected me I would have had no reason to love or be compassionate toward anyone else. Had He not gone to the cross and said His seven sayings I would have not thought he could understand me. Had He not been a God of Covenants, I wouldn't have known His purposes and faithfulness in our lives.
Had he not defined things and taught us what to think we would most definitely been a confused bunch of insane people. What an awesome God we serve.

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R. Martin Snyder
1689er
Harmony Baptist Church (Member)
PuritanCovenanter MSN Blog
PuritanCovenanter's MySpace Page

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

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Martin, encouraging post. I need to hear from my brothers in Christ that we fight the same battle. Intellectually, I know it. But it is good to hear brothers say so.

One´s view on eschatology directly affects one´s outlook on life. If you are a premillennist you would be pessimistic. If you are a postmillennist you would be optimistic. The amillennist balances his optimism and pessimism. Good morality consists of the median between two extremes such as being overly generous and not helping at all.

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Richard Kairelis
Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCNA (Prarie View, IL)
Chicago, IL

Amen. Well said.

Welcome aboard!:bigsmile:

I disagree. I know many that are pretrib and they do not have a pessimistic view of life. You are generalizing. That is not fair to either camp. I am no longer a pretibber...I am atribber. This is a fairly new shift in my eschatology. I am not concerned about my eternal destination. I know that I am in Christ. I just want to live more like Him in all things. I find that my sinful desires keep me from doing so.



[Edited on 10-22-2005 by BaptistInCrisis]

Bill,
If I understand Richard, his point is that there needs to be a balance in each position. For example, the Calvinist may depend too much upon the grace of God and His sovereignty when it comes to witnessing. I can relate to this first hand; when I was not Calvinist minded, I was out on the street weekly standing on a milk crate. I do not do this anymore for obvious reasons. I could use some of that needful panic that I once had for the lost in my walk today. My understanding of many things theologically has quelled much of that.

Saved my sanity - ditto, comforting, ditto. It has changed the way I view the Bible and the way I see God. It has also changed the way in which I try to evangelize.

I have a heart for people to be saved.. to share the Gospel.. but I can also no longer present it as... (gosh, I'm almost ashamed to type it, but here it goes..) ..."God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life..."

Where's a blushing emoticon when you need one??

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Beth Montgomery
Wife to Steve,mom of Benjamin and John, Graduate Whitefield Theological Seminary



Blog: Journeying for Him

Tolle Lege, Tolle Lege!

Reformed Covenant theology has brought peace into my life which once was a chaotic attempt to read God's mind & try to guess at His will. Belief in Jesus' active righteousness has freed me from a lot of hypocritical behavior, pretending to a level of sanctification which I don't possess; but it has also caused me to begin to love God & want to do His will, because He is good & I want to be like that more and more.

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The man who is disposed to think of his sin as a great calamity, rather than as a heinous crime, is not likely either to reverence God or to respect His law. - John Kennedy, 1873
Meg
Blog
Member, Intown Presbyterian Church,PCA, Portland, OR

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Scott - btw...I love your avatar. Franticology!

I can see your point. If that was what Richard was saying, I can appreciate the perspective.