Hello Garee --

Suppose a man is carried away by a torrent which he is unable to master, would it be reasonable or wise to save him out of this powerful adversary only to recruit his strength for a second trial? Would it not be mockery to save him only to repeat the process ,and call that process redemption!!

The problem with this quote is that the author is not taking into account the fact that we do not stand in our own strength. We have the "dunamis" of the Holy Spirit within to draw upon.

You see, it really is God's program to weak sinners from beginning to end.

No human being could enter into the salvation of God. The Word becomes incarnate and does what is impossible for any man to do.

No human being would or could come to God in and of himself apart from God. The Holy Spirit calls men unto salvation.

No human being could stand the assaults of the evil one and the threefold enemies of our souls - the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Holy Spirit indwells us to give us the power to resist and be victorious.

But unlike the Calvinist paradigm, which completely takes the free will of man out of the picture, our keeping is a matter of our asking to be kept, of our turning constantly to God in prayer asking His mercy, grace, forgiveness and power. We are not robotic beings. We have a free will. That is one way in which we are "in the image of God."

And we never "lose" our salvation. Technically speaking, we are ALWAYS a child of God once adopted into the family of God. But we can turn our backs in our free will choice and as dog return to the vomit of our sins. God no more strong arms us into staying than the father did his prodigal son.

The Good News is that God has done what we cannot do and gives us power that we do not of ourselves have. All we need do is call upon Him and we will find a more than sufficient grace and power to persevere to the end.

Cordially in Christ,

Brother Ed