Teaching on Calling on the Name of the Lord

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by OBW

First, you did notice that I agreed with the idea that the meeting is not generally the place for your average "testimony meeting," especially on a regular basis.

But your idea of what is a viable "high" thing to be included is so skewed. It absolutely should include our recognition and repentance for sin. A real "Lord have mercy" kind of experience. (And for everybody, not just the newcomer or convert.) And I would never presume that praying for the "low things" is beneath the meeting since those are the things that Christ taught us to pray.

We used to sing a song with many verses that started "Lord teach us how to pray, not as the nations do in vain . . . ." That much was real. But that was almost all (from what I can remember of it). It acknowledges that "we cannot but e'er fail you." But rather than bringing us to repentance, it becomes joyous because the "seed of life within us will break through."

Without repentance, it probably won't.

Yes I did so please consider my post as expounding on yours, not in opposition to it. I am used to doing that because of the prophesying meetings where we might build upon something that someone has already said.

Corporate repentance might be good occasionally but I think the time and place for repentance is a personal one and occurs during the "examine yourself" stage before the Lord's Table.

Arminianism and those who believe we can lose salvation typically focus on repentance for blessing. They typically see repentance as a cause of blessing.

Generally speaking, Christian groups with Calvinistic tendencies such as the LR often see repentance as an outcome of blessing not as a cause. They are careful to ensure that repentance is a "gift" and does not become a "work" - it is something that God does in us. So I think it is OK if there is no repentance because blessing and acceptance comes before repentance (like the prodigal son).