Lutheran Soteriology: With Dr. Jordan Cooper
Vložit
- čas přidán 19. 10. 2020
- Lutheran Soteriology: With Dr. Jordan Cooper
Dr. Jordan Cooper from the Just and Sinner podcast came on today to discuss the Lutheran view of soteriology. We discussed the components of election, regeneration, and monergism, and the mechanics of grace work within the Lutheran system. It's a fun conversation full of witty banter. Hope you enjoy it.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Donate (Paypal)
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
___________________________________________________________________________________
Exclusive Content (Patreon)
/ theremnantradio
__________________________________________________________________________________
We're social!
Facebook: / theremnantradio
Instagram: / theremnantradio
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 years ago I was wallowing in sin like a pig in the muck. Today one of the real joys of my day was watching these nerds hash out Lutheran Soteriology. The Lord is so good yall! The Lord is just so good I could weep. I heart you Remnant Radio.
Amen and same here. If someone would of told me I'd be watching theological/educational videos on CZcams instead of the filth I was feeding my flesh with a couple years ago...I woulda never believed them. Personal testimony here: I severely struggled with alcohol for nearly 2 decades. When I quit running from God and truly sought Jesus, He took the desire away completely. There wasn't a AA hall, jail, rehab, hospital or half way house that brought healing for me like Jesus did. He is mighty to save, we just have to ask with a repentant and contrite heart.
@@homemademusic7love to both of these comments.. they blessed my day! ✝️❤️
Lutheran theology has given me the real Christian language and assurance I never had being raised around a blend of Reformed and Remonstrant theology. I am so much more at peace with objective justification, because it truly leads to objective assurance. Belief on the Name of the Lord by itself is not wrong. But what will sustain and nourish that belief in a saving way is what a lot of Protestant Christians will not apply or seek out hardly at all.
Amen.
After watching remnant radio....i am now an ARMENICALVANGLOPENTACHARABATHRENISTERIAN
This happened to me too! Only, from hosting the show 😂
Jordan Cooper does a really good job explaining the theological concepts. It’s always a good show when he’s on
Very good. Informative and entertaining to learn about what a lot of Lutherans believe and think. Remnant Radio is the best! No argumentation just solid discussion. Great job guys!
Thanks Remnant for having Dr. Cooper on. Great to hear!!
Great show! Love hearing Dr Cooper.
Dr. Cooper! Huge fan. Not Lutheran but a fan! What you said about the resurrection being Christ’s justification, and the world being justified in Christ by that very same act, is something I’ve been thinking about a LOT. Is there a word for this doctrine?!
Yes, it is called, get ready for it....the Doctrine of Justification lol
It's called Universal Objective Justification or simply Objective Justification, a doctrine held by most Lutherans. Some Lutherans disagree, rightly pointing out (arguing from Lutheran orthodoxy) that, while Atonement is universal, Justfication is always only subjective/personal (by faith alone).
I really enjoyed this.
I really like some of these points. I’ve always identified as Calvinist, mostly because I believe in election. But wow, I really liked the Lutheran position. I don’t think I’ve seen many Lutheran churches though. Would really like to hear more on absolution and apostasy.
Let’s talk about it brother!
@@ikefink522, let's talk about apostasy
@@trustchristnotmyselfextran6298 what about it?
@@ikefink522 how is it possible
Majority of Lutherans today are liberal. Very low view of scripture.
Great interview. :)
47:15 I think that's the key there, we can "not resist". We don't need to do anything but give in, as in an absence of action.
On baptism, I understand him as saying that God provides an objectively "done" salvation that He then never will withdraw. The person may withdraw (apostacize), but God's act of saving still stands and if the person repents his baptism still stands. Amirite or no
Correct. God's saving grace has ultimate power to save, no matter if the person resists it or not. That just means the person rejected it, not that the grace had no power.
I enjoyed the discussion about apostasy. I wholeheartedly affirm the Lutheran position on that topic.
But there's no proof if any infant that ever believed which makes them just possibly an unbeliever or unregenerate. Apostasy is denying a faith you supposedly "chose" to have.
@@1001thhill I don't believe I disagree with you. Did he say that infants can believe in Christ?
@@lark8356 yes he did. And he's right they can believe 100%. Baptism regenerates it has always been the teaching of the church uncontensted and undebated for 1500 years. If John 3:5 and Titus 3:5 are baptism then add Luke 18:15-17 to it and you have infant baptismal regeneration
@@UltraX34 no it's not undebatable. It became a long standing tradition for sure but not a biblical one. there's always been a difference of opinions, go read more history books or start here,
www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-old-is-infant-baptism
@@UltraX34 as for John 3:5 go take a look at the notes in the NET Bible and gain wisdom about the figurative language being used and alluded to as descriptions of the person Holy Spirit and not the act itself as Jesus mentioned the Holy Spirit moves wherever He wills and not by our free will to dunk or sprinkle any baby/small child we want.
Hey Conservative Lutheran,,I am ,, but as an African American there is a world of Christianity's history that's left out of Western churches. The African and Asian churches and the history that's being studied and shared by African and Asian Christian Scholars. Its rich and deep. As we look at the failing western church perhaps God,, by His Spirit is directing all of us to learn and embrace our complete history. The church was well and alive before it became a Roman State church,, there is much to the story. As Lutheran we go back to the western understanding of the faith ,,but there is different understanding. I am happy and content with were I am in the Faith but in the future and even now we will need to reach people. The African and Asian and European influences in the faith, historically speaking is a good thing and we need to embrace and celebrate the oneness and diversity in the church,,Apostlic of couras. As I learn more about our church universal, I am learning how the church flourish for years as an international body .Its a grand history that I pray others will lrarn about. Blessing to everyone ❤
Thanks for sharing!
The baptism thing was a bit confusing to me. I need help understanding the view that faith comes through baptism. Wouldn't the person being baptized already have faith to be baptized? It just seems that faith comes before baptism. Maybe I misunderstood but I would appreciate any clarification.
You definitely have a different level of faith after baptism. His promise is given in baptism to you personally - not just generally in the Bible.
Baptism is God’s work done in His Name and according to His command.
Not a baby...
People forget that Calvin also practiced absolution.
How?
Remnant radio and you guys having to filter through this dictionary- doctrine... God bless you fellows... perfect circumstance of man's doctrine justified by scripture 'pick up sticks' concept.
Thank God Jesus said 'those that are not against us are for us' I believe Jesus was prophetically declaring the numerous sects of Christianity. Maranatha
Lutheran History of Redemption Start: min 7:11
Great conversation. Have an Orthodox on your site. Father Josiah trenham for example would be fantastic. I think Orthodoxy answers a lot of the areas you guys got stuck
Great suggestion! We have had Fredrica Matthews on the show she is Easter Orthodox. I think Id like to have Hank Hanegraaff on one day.
@@TheRemnantRadio hank would be phenomenal as well! Fr josiah Trenham however is more knowledgeable and an actual arch-priest in California (ex-Presbyterian minister and studied under R.C. Sproul.) so he speaks with more authority and clarity in my humble opinion (you can watch his “rock and sand” interview). Keep up the good work guys!
Who is Jordan Taylor?
What does baptism save you from? Does it save you from going to hell when you die, or does it save you physically or spiritually from something else. I can’t seem to get a clear answer from the Lutheran POV.
When you begin to doubt your salvation, baptism now saves you. It's an appeal (1 Peter 3:21) to the Highest Court against the lower verdict of your own guilty conscience and weak, seemingly dead faith.
The appeal is possible because "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to" Christ. Therefore the church goes "and makes disciples baptizing."
So you can say to the guilty verdict, "Aha! Satan and Conscience you have no authority! Christ has called me his disciple! Maybe I can't prove it by my faith today, because I can't see that. But I can prove it by Christ baptizing me!"
If the faith that comes by grace is resistible, then it would seem to me that the inward spiritual struggle over whether to accept or reject that faith must involve work on the part of the person. If you are tempted to reject the faith, presumably by some form of sin, then presumably you must work to overcome that temptation. In that case, it seems to me salvation would no longer be by faith alone, would it. I mean, you would need that faith given freely by God's grace, but you would need to work to accept it.
That's why the Missouri Synod says this in their "brief" summary of doctrine. This is the entire section on conversion.
We teach that conversion consists in this, that a man, having learned from the Law of God that he is a lost and condemned sinner, is brought to faith in the Gospel, which offers him forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation for the sake of Christ's vicarious satisfaction, Acts 11:21; Luke 24:46, 47; Acts 26:18.
All men, since the Fall, are dead in sins, Eph. 2:1-3, and inclined only to evil, Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Rom. 8:7. For this reason, and particularly because men regard the Gospel of Christ, crucified for the sins of the world, as foolishness, 1 Cor. 2:14, faith in the Gospel, or conversion to God, is neither wholly nor in the least part the work of man, but the work of God's grace and almighty power alone, Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; 1:19; Jer. 31:18. Hence Scripture call the faith of men, or his conversion, a raising from the dead, Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12, a being born of God, John 1:12, 13, a new birth by the Gospel, 1 Peter 1:23-25, a work of God like the creation of light at the creation of the world, 2 Cor. 4:6.
On the basis of these clear statements of the Holy Scriptures we reject every kind of synergism, that is, the doctrine that conversion is wrought not by the grace and power of God alone, but in part also by the co-operation of man himself, by man's right conduct, his right attitude, his right self-determination, his lesser guilt or less evil conduct as compared with others, his refraining from willful resistance, or anything else whereby man's conversion and salvation is taken out of the gracious hands of God and made to depend on what man does or leaves undone. For this refraining from willful resistance or from any kind of resistance is also solely a work of grace, which "changes unwilling into willing men," Ezek. 36:26; Phil. 2:13. We reject also the doctrine that man is able to decide for conversion through "powers imparted by grace," since this doctrine presupposes that before conversion man still possesses spiritual powers by which he can make the right use of such "powers imparted by grace."
On the other hand, we reject also the Calvinistic perversion of the doctrine of conversion, that is, the doctrine that God does not desire to convert and save all hearers of the Word, but only a portion of them. Many hearers of the Word indeed remain unconverted and are not saved, not because God does not earnestly desire their conversion and salvation, but solely because they stubbornly resist the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost, as Scripture teaches, Acts 7:51; Matt. 23:37; Acts 13:46.
As to the question why not all men are converted and saved, seeing that God's grace is universal and all men are equally and utterly corrupt, we confess that we cannot answer it. From Scripture we know only this: A man owes his conversion and salvation, not to any lesser guilt or better conduct on his part, but solely to the grace of God. But any man's non-conversion is due to himself alone; it is the result of his obstinate resistance against the converting operation of the Holy Ghost. Hos. 13:9.
Our refusal to go beyond what is revealed in these two Scriptural truths is not "masked Calvinism" ("Crypto- Calvinism") but precisely the Scriptural teaching of the Lutheran Church as it is presented in detail in the Formula of Concord (Triglot, p. 1081, paragraphs 57-59, 60b, 62, 63; M. p. 716f.): "That one is hardened, blinded, given over to a reprobate mind, while another, who is indeed in the same guilt, is converted again, etc. - in these and similar questions Paul fixes a certain limit to us how far we should go, namely, that in the one part we should recognize God's judgment. For they are well-deserved penalties of sins when God so punished a land or nation for despising His Word that the punishment extends also to their posterity, as is to be seen in the Jews. And thereby God in some lands and persons exhibits His severity to those that are His in order to indicate what we all would have well deserved and would be worthy and worth, since we act wickedly in opposition to God's Word and often grieve the Holy Ghost sorely; in order that we may live in the fear of God and acknowledge and praise God's goodness, to the exclusion of, and contrary to, our merit in and with us, to whom He gives His Word and with whom He leaves it and whom He does not harden and reject...And this His righteous, well-deserved judgment He displays in some countries, nations and persons in order that, when we are placed alongside of them and compared with them (quam simillimi illis deprehensi, i.e., and found to be most similar to them), we may learn the more diligently to recognize and praise God's pure, unmerited grace in the vessels of mercy...When we proceed thus far in this article, we remain on the right way, as it is written, Hos. 13:9: 'O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thy help.' However, as regards these things in this disputation which would soar too high and beyond these limits, we should with Paul place the finger upon our lips and remember and say, Rom. 9:20: 'O man, who art thou that repliest against God?'" The Formula of Concord describes the mystery which confronts us here not as a mystery in man's heart (a "psychological" mystery), but teaches that, when we try to understand why "one is hardened, blinded, given over to a reprobate mind, while another, who is indeed in the same guilt, is converted again," we enter the domain of the unsearchable judgments of God and ways past finding out, which are not revealed to us in His Word, but which we shall know in eternal life. 1 Cor. 13:12.
Calvinists solve this mystery, which God has not revealed in His Word, by denying the universality of grace; synergists, by denying that salvation is by grace alone. Both solutions are utterly vicious, since they contradict Scripture and since every poor sinner stands in need of, and must cling to, both the unrestricted universal grace and the unrestricted "by grace alone," lest he despair and perish.
I have an understanding of, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." that is different from any I've heard. I understand Jesus as saying, that if a Spirit-filled believer forgives someone that has sinned _against them_ then God will also forgive them, and not hold _that sin_ against them (it doesn't mean that _all_ of their sins are forgiven, just the ones that they committed against the Believer who is forgiving them). But if the Spirit-filled believer doesn't forgive them, then God will not _automatically_ forgive them either. Of course, if a Believer does not forgive those who sin against them, the God will not forgive the Believer either, as Christ says in Matthew 6:14-15
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
And of course, if you withhold forgiveness from someone, but they later repent and believe the Gospel, then they will receive forgiveness too.
So the binding and loosing, is only referring to personal sins committed against us, by those who are unbelievers. If we forgive, they are forgiven, and so are we. But if we do not forgive, they are not forgiven, and neither are we.
What this means, is that no one in hell, is suffering punishment for _any sins_ that they committed against Christians. Because the Christians have forgiven _all of the sins_ that were committed against them, and those in hell received forgiveness for _all of those sins._ The only sins, that those in hell are punished for, are the sins they committed against other people in hell. Even sins against Christ, would seem to be forgiven, as He cried out to God, "Father forgive them" and so I do not think there are those in Hell who suffer, even for sins committed against Christ. Though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven anyone, whether in this age, or the age to come.
I find it interesting that St. Paul says
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
1 Corinthians 1:17
That's not the only thing the Bible says about baptism.
Matthew 3:15 Jesus insisted that even John's baptism was fitting for them to fulfill all righteousness. A servant is not greater than his Lord.
Matthew 3:16 In baptism, the Father claims the Son. The Spirit rests on the Son.
Matthew 21:25 Mere water baptism is a gift from Heaven.
Matthew 28:19 Make disciples by baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and by teaching.
Mark 1:4 Mere water baptism repentance grants the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 16:16 Baptized believers are saved, unbelievers condemned.
Luke 7:29 Even water baptism is a public declaration that God is righteous.
Luke 7:30 Rejecting even mere water baptism = rejecting God's purpose for you.
John 1:31, 33 John knew beforehand that God would reveal the Christ through water baptism.
Acts 2:38 Repentance and water baptism in the name of Jesus = forgiveness and the Spirit.
Acts 2:39-41 3000 bachelors, virgins, wives, husbands, and children of all ages (family festival) *received forgiveness and the Spirit in water baptism.* The smallest can't have decided to repent in a mature way, but they were not excluded.
Acts 8 Many early church Bible readers saw a distinction between the Spirit's invisible gift of repentance/forgiveness and the Spirit's visible gift of leadership/ordination. Philip the Evangelist could baptize but not bestow spiritual authority. Only the apostles could do that.
Acts 10:47-48 Baptism in the name of Jesus is water baptism.
Acts 22:16 *Baptism washes away sins.*
Romans 6:3-5 *Water Baptism (Spirit baptism does **_not_** bury) is death to sin, death with Christ, newness of life in Christ, and resurrection with Christ.*
1 Corinthians 1:13 Baptism must not turn into hero worship, cliques, and factionalism.
1 Corinthians 12:13 Baptism is unity in the one Holy Spirit in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:29 Even heretical baptism declares the resurrection of the dead.
Galatians 3:27-28 Baptism clothes every member of the body of Christ in equality.
Ephesians 3:5 There is one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
Ephesians 5:26 *Baptism sanctifies the Church because it is the washing of water with the word.*
Colossians 2:11 Water Baptism is the Spiritual circumcision, the circumcision of Christ.
Colossians 2:12 Christ was buried. You were buried with Christ *in water baptism.* God raised Christ from the dead. You believe God raised Christ from the dead. Therefore, God raised you with Christ *in baptism.* This is all *God’s powerful work.*
Hebrews 6:1-2 *Baptism is a basic foundational teaching. You can't say you believe in Jesus while rejecting his basic teachings.*
1 Peter 3:20 Noah was saved by water, not from water. The flood waters washed away much evil.
1 Peter 3:21 Baptism now *saves you!* Baptism is assurance/demand of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This verse summarizes all that has been said above.
I like Dr. Cooper but as always he says too little with too many words. He needs to learn concision
If hearing the word of God saves then why did many who heard Jesus reject him?
Because of their sinful nature. Why are some saved and others not? We do not know and do not attempt to answer...It only serves to show the importance of spreading the Gospel.
Seeing Calvinism as absolute puts God in the paradigm of time and space. He is, however, outside of it. Was God playing games with Adam when he asked "where are you?" After he knew both evil and good? I would argue no, there was a vail placed between light and dark and in that moment man chose to hide from God out of shame. Did God know Adam sinned? Yes... Most would say so, being that he knows all things. However, I would argue that he also did not know where Adam was because God has chosen to not manipulate that which is outside of his purpose. Since God is outside of time and space, he can effectively do both.
I am confused by your statement. You said God knows all things but chose not to know something. That seems to suggest God is not inherently all knowing. If God is inherently all knowing, how could he choose to not know something?
I also wonder why you assume calvinism puts God within the paradigm of time and space. I have never heard any calvinist argue such an idea. If anything calvinists would argue the opposite.
@@austinmoore4617 I don't know how to impart revelation on others. Ask God to give you the eyes to see and ears to hear. Christ consistently spoke in parables because he intended to surpass the logical side of man and cut deep into his spirit. God does not exist within the parameters of time and space. Yet I see men stuck to arguments that clearly are chained within that dimension. Making the spirit largely ineffective. Cheers
@@austinmoore4617 you ain't the only one, I'm scratching my head on this one too
The only baptism that matters to salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit alone Who regenerates the heart of the unbelieving elect. Water baptism is obedience to God's command. It is indicative and imperative. Christ has already done the work, and the imperative is that we are baptized as a witness that we belong to Him. How can we believe anything other, as it takes away the glory of God alone?
The ONE verse that mentions regeneration is a baptismal verse. Titus 3:5 speaks of the "bath of regeneration". Most evangelical translations don't want to call it that, but the literal translation of loutron is bath.
It's a baptismal reference.
@@UltraX34 are you suggesting that being sprinkled or dunked in water is more significant than the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the heart? Is it not by faith alone that we are saved? Should you base your salvation on ONE verse, or should it be the WHOLE counsel of God. What about Scripture that says that we are purified by the "washing" of the Word?
@@johnsanders3877 I agree with John!
@@johnsanders3877 @John Sanders no, he is saying that being "sprinkled or dunked" in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gives the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 "Repent and be baptized...and you will recieve the Holy Spirit"
Oh yeah, there is also the forgiveness of sins part in that verse. But I guess us Lutherans base out salvation on only one verse. Also, if you listened to Dr. Cooper, he plainly said that the Word of God can save apart from Baptism. That does not mean that it cannot also save through baptism.
@@ab5879 That's a ridiculous argument. If we're saved through faith alone (and the word, as Cooper says), then how can we be saved through baptism (and the word)? Is it faith alone, or baptism alone? Or faith and baptism? Cooper, as with all Lutherans, just weasels around.
I have a question: why do Protestants have such a hard time bringing themselves to say that God saves us because we are in fact worth saving?
Hmmm. I've never considered that protestants have that difficulty. Our value comes from being made in the image and likeness of the creator of the heavens and the Earth. Scripture says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Christ didn't die for us because we were 'worth it' - our worth comes from the fact that He died for us.
@@caroldonaldson5936 I can hear a parent tell that to his kid. You have no value in yourself. Your only valuable because I brought u into this world ?
@@lark8356 perhaps I don't understand this idea of total depravity of this idea that we inherently reject God.
@@marcusanthony488 That's a terrific point that affirms the imago dei. We value our children above animals because they're made in our image. In fact, perhaps most, if not all, animals do that.
He is so confusing
The Lutheran pastor can forgives sins? I don't think their reformation went far enough.
The Bible says the church has the authority to forgive sins from Christ lol
@@UltraX34 Roman Catholics believe this. Reformers, not so much, as we believe that Jesus Christ is our High Priest Who advocates to the Father on our behalf. The passage has to do with church discipline.
@@johnsanders3877 not what it says
@@johnsanders3877 and fyi if you believe anything other than BR what you believe about baptism is not what the Bible says either lol
@@UltraX34 well IFY I would that you would be certain about what Scripture says and not just ONE verse. I will trust in God the Holy Spirit to do His work of regeneration on my heart and awaken me to Jesus Christ Who died on the cross for my sins and justified me by clothing me in His righteousness for the perfect life that He lived. I was baptized out of obedience and to reveal to the community of believers that I am a disciple of Christ. It did not save me, but God saved me! Water baptism and the holy supper are means of grace, but the giver of grace as a GIFT is God!
My first thought is that if something is this complicated, it's probably off. Second, his explanation of justification diminishes the power of the cross and he sorta undermines his own argument with Abraham. If Abraham could be justified continually without Christ, we can't we be justified without Christ? Why would the Gospel even be necessary? I've always understood 1 John 1:9 to be talking about restoration of fellowship, not a sort of continual justification.
You say grace is resistible but say God cannot over come our resistance. you contradicted yourself.
So you can give an unbeliever a valid baptism -- the objective promise of God -- and yet this schmuck still dismisses it with a snicker? How is it objective? Does baptism give faith, or do I have to have faith first? Sounds like this guy believes the latter, in which case, I have faith before baptism gives it to me, so then baptism doesn't give it to me, because I already have it.
Lutherans are so confused.
It's objective because God's word is objective.
@@Mygoalwogel Holy non-answer, Batman!
@@makobean If an unbeliever lies and asks to be baptized, God's word, "eru san, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" IS still God's word and God's name.
If that person does not believe that word and that name, she is calling God a liar. God's word in her baptism was true. She called it a lie.
If that person later believes and repents, that word and that name in that baptism are still true. God did not lie to the one he adopted, even if the one he adopted called Him a liar.
@@Mygoalwogel Lots of assumptions that I'll pass over, but again, is that person saved, if they're calling God a liar? If they're not saved, then He would be a liar, wouldn't He? According to the heretical view of baptism, and the one you seem to be promoting.
Just answer questions plainly. Does baptism give faith, or does it come after faith? Does it make be "objectively" saved and a child of God? Or does God proclaim me to be adopted because some guy in a robe said so, making Him a liar if I do not in fact believe?
No, that would not make God a liar. 🤷🏿Why on earth would it? All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Christ. He can truthfully put His name on and adopt someone who refuses these gifts and calls them lies. That does not make Christ a liar.
Now if you believe the Calvinist heresy, then I suppose you already have to assume God is a liar, regarless of the promises of baptism. The True God clearly says, "I do not desire the death of the wicked." But Calvinists believe this to be a lie. Their false god certainly has always desired death and hell for those he created to be wicked.
Baptism both gives faith and comes after faith. It is possible to believe the word of God first and, therefore, to pursue baptism. It is also possible to become a believer upon the Gospel promise given in baptism. It is also very frequent for dying faith or dead faith to be restored upon "remembering your baptism."
Min 8:50 oof.. Faith is a gift from God? Why doesnt God give the gift of faith to everyone then? faith is not described as a gift from God anywhere in the Bible.
wow. Somehow this discussion was going on in a tab I could not find. My ears are bleeding. You proestatnt brothers are really so homeless. I am sorry for the many words you have to speak without any clarity ever setting in... May God really save you and lead you home to the Church! God bless.
"From someone who comes from a historically reformed view, help me understand how the means of grace create faith"
I find this comment so ironic, the interviewers clearly have no understanding of the reformed tradition or confessions. If they did, they'd know that the reformed confessions teach that the means of grace create faith. Category errors like this are scattered through the entirety of the video, I'm sorry Dr. Cooper had to put up with it.
I have never heard such a confused statement and I am completely submersed in a reformed environment. Could you forward us some specific quotations?
Also, “reformed confessions” are not at all monolithic. Lutheran theology has quite a different view on the sacraments than Calvinistic theology for example.
The context should have made it obvious that the question was focused specifically on baptism as the means of grace in question. The Reformed position does not teach that baptism creates faith.
According to the WCF, baptism "doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s" (WSC 94), but it does not regenerate, justify, atone, forgive, grant faith, or any other graces. It communicates, strengthens and increases faith, obligates to obedience, and distinguishes the recipient from those outside the visible Church (WLC 162).
A little bit harsh...