I like to keep the main thing the main thing. Our pastor spoke on predestination last week and it has dawned on me lately that I don't think about it that much anymore. Yes, I'm a Reformed Calvinist....and yes I've labeled myself.
Side note: I'm simply amazed at how many people don't like to be "labeled" or carry a "label" these days. Almost to the point were no one is allowed to have any label, at all for the sake of not offending someone. Some says "I'm a baptist" in conversation and the listening audience says..."oh, well...I just consider myself a Christian. I don't subscribe to any denominations"...oooor "I don't like to use "labels". I suppose its because most "labels" have had bad stuff or a negative history in some way or form. Consider any denomination of any church, and you will find something negative in the past that it did, someone in it did, or something happening. Why? Because they're made up of humans people. That's the bottom line.
I don't advocate starring someone down as though they're lower than you if they don't subscribe to your denomination or whatever, I'm just saying that if you've been a member of a Methodist church for 5 years and deplore calling yourself a 'Methodist", don't worry there's really nothing wrong with it. See, anytime humans are involved there will be "bad" things that go on with a denomination...it doesn't mean we should divorce ourselves from its associations.
That does lead up to back what I was saying. This isn't a blog on Predestination(there's books on that)...but my short point is how learning about it coming to a satisfying conviction has allowed me to move on and love God for who he is all the more. In other words, unlike when I first discovered this topic and jumped at any conversation or debate about its meaning, etc, etc., I now just appreciate it and look at myself and say..."who am I to say I know more than anyone else. I am a great sinner, who has been saved by a great Savior, Jesus." That's all.
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I completely agree. We shouldn't divorce ourselves from association, as if we are somehow ashamed of what we believe. I'm basically a reformed Baptist. I've had other Baptists, even my own mom, equate my belief in the sovereignty of God and doctrines of grace, with belief in some sort of cult. There have definitely been times when it would have been easier to simply not express my beliefs, but I've discovered that people ultimately, even if they disagree with my understanding of scripture, respect the consistency of my expression of belief. There is no need to be ashamed.
-Brad
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