(Note: I do not agree with all these that are listed)

Sola fide, Calvinism, forensic justification and imputation, once saved always saved, “free grace” theology, memorial/symbolic view of Communion, pre-tribulation rapture, etc.

My take:

1. Sola Fide (faith alone): Not a heresy.

Salvation is by faith alone because if it required literally any “work-ful” effort on man’s part whatsoever, then it would then technically become a merit-based salvation, which itself would allow for the possibility of someone to brag about having attained their salvation. This was not, is not, and will not be the case, *ever.* Why? Because bragging is a sin; it is a blemish, an imperfection. And we know that imperfection simply cannot be allowed to attain externality, period. This very reason is why Adam and Eve were booted from the garden after sinning. They, in their sinful state, would’ve technically been allowed to have thereafter eaten from the tree of life, the tree of sustained immortality. Now, imperfection cannot be allowed immortality. Why? Because, with regards to the very upholding of reality itself, that upholding cannot be allowed to be governed or co-governed by anything other than absolute perfection. Would you trust an iffy babysitter with your mod? No, you wouldn’t. You would only trust them with someone that you know for a fact would make sure that they were watched after as they should be watched after (in theory; I’m well aware of how imperfect the real world is. The point stands though). So, should all of existence be allowed to governed by an entity who has to share that governance with *anything* that is eternally imperfect? No. Imperfection will forever be a finite happenstance, as it should be. It is allowed to exist for a time, and then it will be destroyed after that time so that the eternal time thereafter can indeed be exclusively inhabited by that which is perfect. So, this is all to say that “faith alone” is indeed Scriptural based upon the *fact* that no one will be *able* to brag in *any* way about anything they may have done in order to have received their salvation. Sola Fide is entirely Scriptural and anything argument otherwise is nothing more than a fallacy that is simply unrecognized by the person making that argument. No rituals, no sacraments, no *”works”* whatsoever will play *any* part of getting *any* person into the Kingdom/Heaven.

1. Calvinism: Heresy

Calvinism supposed that those who will be saved were already pre-selected for salvation and will be saved regardless, and that any *other* person is, to put it bluntly, s.o.l. This is *incredibly* heretical. It can be made convincing, sure; but it remains a heresy. *All* people are presented with the wide path that leads to the wide gate and the narrow path that leads to the narrow gate. Calvinism supposes that people will be, in effect, *pushed* through one gate or the other. In that view, one can become a believer, hear about Calvinism, believe it, and then become lax in their faith, all the while believing that *”they’re good.”* It supposes that free will does not exist. This is simply wrong. All people will be given a fair chance to receive salvation. Calvinism says otherwise. If it were true, and people *weren’t* required to *choose* Christ in their hearts, then that would make all people *not* equal. There’s no way on Earth that our all-loving and *just* Creator would outright pull the rug out from under a number of people simply because they wouldn’t have been given the choice to choose their path and gate, be it wide or narrow. Calvinism is a heresy and should be abandoned.

1. Forensic justification and imputation: Delends.

Are we talking about this being the case during our earthly lives or afterwards?

If before: Heresy.

We are not righteous and Christ’s perfection is *not* imputed upon us during our earthly lives. We try to live as righteously as we can; but nothing we do in our earthly lives can *ever* amount to true righteousness. We are simply too sinful by nature.

If after: Not a heresy.

Upon death, we are no longer in or of an earthly, sinful existence. We are then made perfect by Christ. This cannot happen before death, for there’s is no possibility of perfect human living apart from Christ’s own earthly life. We are not able to be made perfect until we are washed clean of our sins by the blood of the lamb, which does not occur during our earthly lives.

1. “Once saved, always saved”: Heresy

This isn’t from Scripture and it does nothing but promote a lazy faith. If people who are weak of faith are led to believe that “they’re good” no matter what upon belief in Christ, then they will find themselves among the *foolish* virgins who are shut out when the Bridegroom returns for His bride. They will be among the Laodiceans, who were/are neither hot nor cold. Hot cooks and cold preserves. Lukewarm does *absolutely nothing.* It is worthless and gets vomited out from the body of Christ. People are saved if they hold onto Christ to the point of death. Tell me: does the parable of the sower line up with “Once saved, always saved,” or does it outright outline all the different types of “saved” people who perish, even though they technically believed? “Once saved, always saved” is a heresy and should be abandoned.

1. Free grace theology: Not a heresy, when the faith is indeed true.

This harkens back to point “4.” If someone’s faith is genuine, then yes, that faith is all they will need in order to be saved. They will not have to do anything to earn that salvation that is indeed given to believers through grace, for we simply cannot do anything to *merit* our own salvation in *any* way. This isn’t to say that believers can’t and won’t build with “gold, silver, and precious stones” after being saved; but that building will in now way contribute to their salvation. What they build is itself built upon that very salvation, it is built upon a foundation that only Christ could lay. That foundation is free to receive, and cannot be worked for in any way.

1. Memorial/symbolic view of Communion: Not a heresy.

This one doesn’t really need an explanation. After all “Do this in *remembrance* of Me.” Christ told us that the bread and the wine were symbols of His body and blood. Are we really supposed to believe that the bread turns into flesh once eaten and that the wine turns into blood upon drinking? Seriously?… It’s *painfully* clear that these are *symbols* of Christ’s great and ultimate sacrifice. Oy vey..

1. Pre-tribulation rapture: Not a heresy.

While I could site symbol upon symbol and passage upon passage from Scripture that all point to a pre-tribulation rapture, I will simply leave two sources. 1) r/PreTribulation, and 2) [Revelation 3:10](https://biblehub.com/revelation/3-10.htm). Alright regarding the verse, someone *please* tell me how on earth this could mean anything *other* than the fact that Christ will remove His bride right before things get nastier that’s they’ve ever been or will ever again be. Do you *really* think that Christ would allow His bride to be badly beaten before their wedding? For reals? I’m just happy to know that non-pre-tribbers the world over will be pleasantly surprised when they’re indeed taken up in the twinkling of an eye one day.

If I’ve swung and missed on any of these Protestant beliefs, please edify me. I’m not here to turn down being wrong. In fact, I welcome it, for I will be able to grow in my understanding of the Father’s Word.

Just because Protestants rightfully broke away from false teachings doesn’t mean that they themselves haven’t gotten a few things wrong since then.

So, what are y’all’s thoughts on all these. There will inevitably be disagreements with what I’ve written. If you disagree, please provide *sound* Scriptural proof against any view I currently hold.

Thank you all for your time.

(I’m too tired to spellcheck this, so forgive any typos)

tag: u/Lermak16