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Do you think a clear, definitive message (short of direct revelation) is still realistic expectation? If you don't receive one, what next?
I can't figure out how it's "unrealistic"--plenty of things are clear in the Bible, why not this?
Nothing. I'm not going to bother.
Never heard of "The Indigo Girls".
There's also plenty of "tensions" (dare I say, "contradictions"?) in the Bible too. If it weren't so, discussion boards like this one wouldn't have as much traffic, though they'd be a lot calmer. You've touched on a few here that frequently come up and never really get resolved: The role of works vs. faith in both initial justification and in ongoing growth, eternal security or lack thereof, the role of the love of God and the fear of the Lord...
Yeah, I find "He who waters others will himself be watered" true--I hope that by sharing what I know, maybe the answer will pop up.
A speculation I have on this is that an important part of this question has to do with fear: how does God relate to me? Should I be afraid?
I have found it helpful to understand good works not as something I need to do to keep my salvation, but rather part of my ongoing education as God grows me into whatever it is he intends for me to be. (1 John 3:2.)
Kind of related to the slave vs. son and fear scripture, I want to relate a story from my youth. When you're a child, you obey your parents because you're afraid of getting spanked. You try to meet your parents' expectations in school because you don't want to get grounded. There came a time in my teens when my mother's health started failing, and I realized that a spanking didn't hurt, but disappointing the ones who loved me did. And that made a world of difference. Later, I had a similar experience with God.
On paper, as I tried explaining, from one angle, at least, I have to agree with this perspective.
It's because you don't understand what constitutes the Good News. If you're motivated check out the ReDiscovering God link in my signature below, you'll probably discover things you didn't know.
It seems like that is correct.
It says "tickets no longer available". I can't see the message.
Right, but what happens if I do not do my part?
To say "what we do is receive" is a good point, because Revelation says if we do not watch and pray we will not be able to maintain our garments (our garments are our good deeds according to Rev 19), and, without the garments, we will be "ashamed" (Rv 16), as the Laodiceans were "naked" (had no good deeds), so, one could argue, "It's not your good deeds, it's your prayer that enables your deeds".
Yes, they had "true faith", and yet were "carnal". which means "unspiritual"--this means they were "sinful", as Paul points, out over and over, in the letter, and this fact was why Paul warned them, in response to their sinful behavior, "the unrighteous do not inherit the Kingdom".
Actually, Paul says to "eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially to prophesy", so there's nothing wrong with that.
We're both right here: Paul tells the Corinthians to "purge out the old leaven, for you are unleavened"--in other words, "you are not acting like who you truly are", so, yes, it is possible to be "actually a saint", but acting like a sinner, so as to warrant the warning, "the unrighteous will not inherit God's Kingdom", as he also warns in Ro 8:12,13 "if you walk after the flesh you will die [as he had previously covered: Adam died for sinning, and we were dead in sins and trespasses] but if by the Spirit your mortify the deeds of the flesh you will live".
One last clarification (since you seem to want to move on): I'm not "Reformed" (ie, Monergist).
