How Much To Throw Out?

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Igzy

I understand what you are saying, Nell. But in the case of apprehending the leading of the Holy Spirit, just what is that experience like to you? Some people say He matches the Bible. Yes, but which interpretation of the Bible? Calvinism or Arminianism? Covenant or Dispensational Theology? So ultimately the Spirit's leading is not just a logical deduction of the Bible's meaning. It's more than that. Ultimately it is a real and subjective experience of God himself guiding us.

Without reference to the rest of your post where you discuss other aspects of a sense of the Spirit's leading, I note that most of the Spirit's leading is not about Calvinism or Arminianism, Covenant or Dispensational Theology, etc. In other words, not really much about doctrines.

Instead, the leading of the Holy Spirit is with regard to our living. It is not about whether I can or cannot lose my salvation. But it will lead me to repentance where that is required no matter whether you think you may or may not have lost your salvation. (And there is something to be said for — or maybe against — a common Calvinist position of skipping the real repentance and just claiming the blood, or claiming grace, or whatever is the formula of the particular day or group.) I lean Calvinist but do not entirely discount the Arminian view. I am less enamored with Dispensationalism though that is the primary theology of my assembly of choice.

But none of those are the things that the Spirit speaks to me about. More like my anger when driving in rush hour traffic. Or my wasting of too much of my evenings. And so forth. Nothing Calvinist or Arminian in either of those.

The only place where there might be some problem is when we come to the Bible with a mindset that the kinds of commands to deal righteously with everyone is set aside because of false teachings. Or biblical justice for the widow, orphan, homeless, sojourner, etc., is for the liberals and the soup kitchens because we are no longer under the law. But that is not a problem of Calvinism, Arminianism, Covenant theology or Dispensational theology. It is simply ignoring the Bible because it suits us.

I think the only sense we typically get about doctrines is a sense of pride in thinking ours is the better way to think about it. But let's get real. If you need to repent, you need to repent. Doesn't matter whether you think about it from a Calvinist or Arminian viewpoint. And whatever you think will happen in the end times, what actually happens will be what actually happens. It really won't matter if you expected it or thought it would be different. And it shouldn't affect whether or not you believe in Jesus. What might make a difference, if any, is whether I believe (present tense, not past tense) in the Son of God. That means I should be living as if I believe (not just believed on date X after having the Roman Road shown to me by someone doing evangelism on a campus).