I can't imagine anyone who would say that the majority view is ALWAYS correct! We can point to too many instances experientially where this just is not the case. I guess we could also note the other obvious that the majority view is not always wrong;) Nancy >From: H Dorrington <hjdinfl@...> >Reply-To: soundofgrace@... >To: soundofgrace@... >Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] Are infants really "innocent?" >Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 21:23:02 -0800 (PST) > >I would agree with RC Sproul who said that the majority view is not always >correct. > > >Preserving grace before regeneration > >(Joseph Philpot,(1802 - 1869) "Daily Words for Zion's Wayfarers") > >"To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father > and preserved in Jesus Christ." Jude 1 > >What a mercy it is for God's people that before >they have a 'vital union' with Christ, before they >are grafted into Him experimentally; they have an >'eternal, immanent union' with Him before all worlds. >It is by virtue of this eternal union that they come >into the world . . . > at such a time, > at such a place, > from such parents, > under such circumstances, as God has appointed. > >It is by virtue of this eternal union that the circumstances >of their lives are ordained. By virtue of this eternal union >they are preserved in Christ before they are effectually >called. > >They cannot die until God has brought about a vital >union with Christ. > >Whatever sickness they may pass through, whatever >injuries they may be exposed to, whatever perils assault >them on sea or land; die they will not, die they cannot, >until God's purposes are executed in bringing them into >a vital union with the Son of His love. > >Thus, this eternal union watched over every circumstance >of their birth, watched over their childhood, watched over >their manhood, watched over them until the appointed >time and spot, when "the God of all grace," according to >His eternal purpose, was pleased to quicken their souls, >and thus bring about an experimental union with the Lord >of life and glory. > > >"James W. Allen" <jallen@...> wrote: >Hello, Chad. You and I have had this discussion elsewhere, I know. I am >sorry to find so little charity in you toward great men of God with whom >you >disagree. > >On the substance of the issue, I will be happy to address matters privately >with folks who are interested. The subject is easy to research, a simple >Google search for "infant salvation" will bring you to Spurgeon, Boettner, >John Piper, Warfield, Hodge, and a multitude of other sources holding and >supporting the majority view. Anyone who is interested in learning from >those who have gone before and considering their thoughts in grace may >easily do so, whether or not they ultimately adopt the views of those >brethren. > >My reason for writing before is well illustrated in your post. I cannot >understand the spirit that drives you to insult and deride your brothers in >Christ, merely because of a disagreement over such a doctrine. > >I would not, for any purpose, insult a Warfield, a Spurgeon, a Piper, a >Hodge, by asserting that their theology was the result of a "sentimental >cramp." I see no reason to assume the worst of someone merely because I >disagree with them. To say that David's reference is the "only reference" >is >a mere conclusory thrust with which no one who has written on the matter >agrees. Many texts are relevant, although, as you know, I also do not see >any one text as determinative to any of the five views. > >This tendency to deride those with whom we disagree is the great curse of >discussion lists in general and, unfortunately, a common indictment of >Christians of all ages. To disagree reasonably and charitably, and to deem >others worthy of more honor than ourselves, is of the warp and woof of our >faith and duty. The fact that someone lived long ago does not make our duty >less, the fact that they disagree with us does not make our duty void. > > >James W. Allen >jallen@... > > >--------------------------------- >Do you Yahoo!? >Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! >-- >Read the Sound of Grace pages at >http://www.soundofgrace.com > >To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: soundofgrace-unsubscribe@... > >To view our online archive go to our web page at >http://www.associate.com/groups/soundofgrace > > > _________________________________________________________________ Check out the coupons and bargains on MSN Offers! http://shopping.msn.com/softcontent/softcontent.aspx?scmId=1418