Because clearly, the so-called believer remains under the condemnation of the law as justification is defined by perfect law-keeping. Hence, a perpetual imputation of perfect law-keeping must be attained through church ritual to remain saved. In contrast, justification is defined by the new birth and having God’s seed within us…that’s what makes us rightous. And no, that doesn’t mean the law has no use in our sanctification. And no, it doesn’t mean there are no consequences for unrightous acts. However, in all of this, we are dealt with as children, not like those who are under law.
Having been in that realm so long I know Calvinists would feel insulted and deny they reject the new birth. Some make a big deal about “regeneration before faith” and all that stuff. Some Calvinists more than others get hung up on that. Some of that stuff is smokescreen stuff. But one way you know in terms of fruit of their rejection is they are embarrassed by terms like “new birth/reborn born again”. They prefer to use terms like “conversion.” I adopted that vernacular too. The endless Bible study application is “you can’t rely on yourself” because you only know how to sin in your own strength/ or you are being works based. The possibility you have a new nature is not really considered (except to realise you know the Saviour and know you are a sinner), and that you are released to serve a new King, and become his servant rather than sin’s servant. The latter might be more acknowledged but the former isn’t thus you are back to “you can’t rely on your strength.
But, the freedom to serve a new king is this: “a lifestyle of repentance.” The way you “serve” is to realize more and more and more how far away you are from God so that Jesus’ work of the cross will be more and more glorified. Works of the new nature as a way to glorify God are excluded because we are not able to please God through works because the definition of good works is perfect law-keeping. So, when I began my research journey into Protestantism, I kept saying to myself, “It seems like they are denying the new birth.” I thought it to be such an outrageous accusation that I withheld judgement on that for two years. Finally, I accumulated enough evidence to make the charge. Particularly, the theological think tank of New Calvinism, the Australian Forum, published articles stating it outright. This is because the Augustinian soteriology is based on Platonism which is antithetical to the biblical new birth idea. The result was the protestant Reformation sparked entirely by Thomism infiltrating the Catholic Church.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
“… because you are ALWAYs (in this lifetime) deemed to be a sinner saved by grace …”
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Because clearly, the so-called believer remains under the condemnation of the law as justification is defined by perfect law-keeping. Hence, a perpetual imputation of perfect law-keeping must be attained through church ritual to remain saved. In contrast, justification is defined by the new birth and having God’s seed within us…that’s what makes us rightous. And no, that doesn’t mean the law has no use in our sanctification. And no, it doesn’t mean there are no consequences for unrightous acts. However, in all of this, we are dealt with as children, not like those who are under law.
LikeLike
Having been in that realm so long I know Calvinists would feel insulted and deny they reject the new birth. Some make a big deal about “regeneration before faith” and all that stuff. Some Calvinists more than others get hung up on that. Some of that stuff is smokescreen stuff. But one way you know in terms of fruit of their rejection is they are embarrassed by terms like “new birth/reborn born again”. They prefer to use terms like “conversion.” I adopted that vernacular too. The endless Bible study application is “you can’t rely on yourself” because you only know how to sin in your own strength/ or you are being works based. The possibility you have a new nature is not really considered (except to realise you know the Saviour and know you are a sinner), and that you are released to serve a new King, and become his servant rather than sin’s servant. The latter might be more acknowledged but the former isn’t thus you are back to “you can’t rely on your strength.
LikeLike
But, the freedom to serve a new king is this: “a lifestyle of repentance.” The way you “serve” is to realize more and more and more how far away you are from God so that Jesus’ work of the cross will be more and more glorified. Works of the new nature as a way to glorify God are excluded because we are not able to please God through works because the definition of good works is perfect law-keeping. So, when I began my research journey into Protestantism, I kept saying to myself, “It seems like they are denying the new birth.” I thought it to be such an outrageous accusation that I withheld judgement on that for two years. Finally, I accumulated enough evidence to make the charge. Particularly, the theological think tank of New Calvinism, the Australian Forum, published articles stating it outright. This is because the Augustinian soteriology is based on Platonism which is antithetical to the biblical new birth idea. The result was the protestant Reformation sparked entirely by Thomism infiltrating the Catholic Church.
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