Tim Challies: Testimony—that’s a good Christian word, isn’t it? Each of us has a testimony, an account of how God extended his grace to us. And these testimonies are beautiful things, each one recounting the sovereign work of our great God. Now, much has been said about how we tend to prefer the testimonies that feature the most dramatic lows. We have all heard those tales that almost seem to revel in past sins more than feel regret for them. But we like those stories because we find a certain kind of thrill in hearing how someone turned away from a life of such egregious sin. I used to feel a little bit odd about telling others how I was saved. I was a good kid. I had opportunities to drink and do drugs, but just wasn’t interested. I didn’t ever steal anything beyond a few coins after running errands for my mother. There just isn’t a whole lot to tell. But the
Total depravity
Total Depravity Meets Common Grace
Cornelius Plantinga: If you put together the doctrines of common grace and total depravity, you’ll be in position to explain a remarkable fact: worldly people are often better than we expect, and church people are often worse. From Engaging God’s World pg. 60 (HT: Tullian Tchividjian)
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