Rage

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference

Amen

I posted a question on the Grace Assembly facebook page. So far no one has replied. I did not ask that question because I am unsure of what I believe in. Neother am I trying to say "Pastor Lim is wrong". Oh nononono... However I just wanted to hear from my very own church about this topic of free-will vs Pre-destination. From a very young age, in Sunday School, we were taught that Calvinism (or Reformed Theology) is in error. I had believed that all my life until I started reading books by authors (and without knowing) with a Calvinistic slant because of all the controversies that have surrounded some popular charismatic leaders in the past two decade.

I know where Pastor Lim is coming from when he made that statement. I used to believe in what he exactly shared about. However in my recent own bible study and influences by writers such as John Piper, John MacArthur and Charles Spurgeon led me to believe that salvation is absolutely and totally the work of God by grace through faith. By faith, it does not mean to will myself to believe but faith is a gift from God thru the work of the Holy Spirit to cause a regeneration in a siinner's life. This result in God being given all the credit and it is in no way a result due us "choosing to believe" because without the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we simply cannot respond to the gospel at all.

Therefore I believe that we have to make a outward respond though our declaration of faith, but that outward response is a result of the initial work of the grace in our hearts by God. I was tired "willing" myself to keep up to the standard and not trusting or even knowing what Grace is really all about. That really made me weary. But this theology has been the most liberation to my spirit, I finally feel set free- more free than I previously thought I was.

I have come to a conclusion that when we get to heaven, the advocates of these two school of thought will congregate side by side worshipping and serving the Lamb upon the throne together forever. I've been in Grace Assembly for 25 years. I love it here, pls do not stone me for what I have written.