WELCOME TO THIS SITE!
I would like to welcome you to this site. What is it about? It is about the truth of God's sovereign grace and His mercy, as revealed in and by the Lord Jesus Christ and His truth contained for us in the pages of the Bible, especially the New Testament. "Grace" is a very important subject in scripture and it is one that is only marginally understood (I believe) by many sincere and professing Christians. What do I mean by this? As each article on this site will help to convey (I trust), I mean that believing God had to provide the occassion or opportunity for salvation is one thing, but understanding the truth that the reason why we who now believe do so is only because it was "given" to us to "see" (to perceive, recognize, discern and understand) that the "gospel is the power of God for salvation for to all who believe", is quite another! What we now see as our very life-line to forgiveness and eternal life, those who do not believe see it as mere "foolishness". Of this there is no doubt.
The question though ... the real question is WHY? Why do some see in the gospel, the very power of God to save them from a Christless eternity and Divine wrath, while others see mere myth, fable or hype? Why do some see Jesus as the most precious, beautiful and necessary gift God could have given to us, while others see Him as merely a "good moral teacher", "a prophet" or a devil? Why do some behold in the gospel the very love and justice of God poignantly and profoundly revealed in and by the cross of Jesus Christ, and others see mere nonesene? To what do we who now believe attribute our faith to? To ourselves? Our own wisdom, willpower or works? Or to the sovereign-grace of God alone?
Are we who believe and are saved in some way "better" than our fellows? Are we "smarter"? More "diligent"? Somehow, more "righteous"? Are we perhaps more "spiritual" than our fellows who do not believe? Are these the reasons for why we now believe and are saved? Did God save us because of some "righteousness" we possessed inside? Were we perhaps more humble? Penitent? Sincere? Or more devout than others who have not come to Christ's cross seeking His grace and forgiveness? Is it some quality of "goodness" which He saw in us who are now believers, and that is why He saved us? If so, how can we possibly escape the conclusion that by our own admission then, we believe that we, in effect saved ourselves?
An Inescapable Conclusion:
If we believe God provided merely the option of salvation to us, but that it was we ourselves who had the "good sense" to choose to accept it, then in point of fact, we attribute our salvation as much to some "good" quality in us, as to God and His grace. If we believe that God makes it possible for all alike without exception to be saved, providing each person with equal opportunity and ability to accept the gospel, but that the decision to do so, is in the final analysis up to ourselves alone, then there is no possible way to escape the conclusion that we believe we in effect save ourselves!
I assure the reader, these are not "questions to no avail". They are not merely "academic" and without practical relevance to our walk with our holy and sovereign Lord. As I have come to see these past 11 years (see the article "Why Sovereign Grace"? for the background to this), they are foundational and essential for us who believe! If we would see God rightly, then and only then will be able to see ourselves rightly in His light, for as the Psalmist said, "In Your light, we see light." I believe that the only correct answer to all the afore-mentioned questions is BY GRACE ALONE! The moment we venture past this all-important truth and begin to credit ourselves to any degree, we begin to "fall into the same condemnation of the devil" - which was by PRIDE.
I believe very seriously in and about the grace of God, and I believe that God takes the issue of CREDIT - who gets it, for what as well as why, very, very seriously! So ought we who profess to believe in Him, seek to study and obey His word and honour Him in and by our lives. To that end, this site is dedicated.
Aware as I am of perhaps a multitude of other sites dedicated to this same truth, by very gifted and sincere men and women of great Christian faith, conviction and character, (perhaps far more so in all these than myself), and mindful of my own limitations as a person, a pastor and a propagator of God's truth, still I believe I am "called" to communicate this truth any and every way I can. I do not believe I am merely "regurgitating" what others have said. Certainly great themes and truths have "universal" ways to express them, and I am deeply indebted to and grateful for the writings of a host of others in this regard. But I do believe I have some fresh things to say, in some fresh particulars, which perhaps bring more clarity to this issue than others may have done. So I welcome you to this site and want to welcome any comments, feedback and considerations you may have. I welcome all sincere dialogue on this subject or any posted herein now or in the days to come. May God be glorified and blessed and may all who seek to know Him find greater help and clarity for themselves, as we together look into His timeless word.
Solomon said, "He who answers a matter before he hears it, to him it is folly and shame." Therefore, I trust that the reader will read well and with care as the argument I present unfolds, one section at a time.
As the reader looks into each article, I trust they will find a truly biblically sound, intellectually satisfying, spiritually edifying, Christ-centred, God-exalting, man-abasing, grace-esteeming, pride-humbling testimony to God and His supremely unique and matchless grace!
To that end I commit this site and all that is contained in it!
In His grace,
John M. Platanitis (c) 2007