Perhaps the most often used passages to support Calvinism, other than parts of Romans, have to do with Pharoah and Judas. While the whole of Scripture is to be given great weight in our theology both of these men played pivotal roles in the most meaningfully unique and celebrated events of history; the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bongage and the deliverance of man from the bondage of sin.
Without question, both these men were essential to God's purpose and plan, and discounting how God set their hearts at odds with His would be perilous to our theology as a whole. Disregarding the historical context of these men would be egregious as well, and while God is unchanging the manner in which He deals with Pharoah/Judas during these monumental events may or may not be hard and fast rules for how he now works in the life of my child or my next door neighbor. I haven't figured all that out to the point where the rest of my theology hinges on it.
Having said that, I went to bed last night thinking of the many parables of Jesus, and before drifting off I thought of how many spoke to a generous extending of grace and how it was man's response that limited the effectual application of grace.
Just to mention a few: a man threw a party, invited his friends, they found other things more important to do, so the servants went to the highways and hedges and compelled them to come that his house may be full.
A sower went forth sowing seed, casting broadly, some fell on the hard road, some the rocky soil, some among thorns, some on good soil. The seed was generously sown, but the condition of the soil determined its ability to take root.
5 virgins had oil in their lamps while 5 others were not ready for the bridegroom and missed out when he came.
I also think of Christ being despised and rejected. I think of the man who came to Jesus (rich young ruler) who went away sorrowing, clinging to his possessions. Again and again, we see God extending hope, grace, salvation, yet many miss/reject Him.
One answer is that that's exactly what God purposed for them. God may have hardened the soil/hearts, but the seed was the same. The invitation was the same for those who came to the party and those who sent regrets.
For me I fail to find justice in pre-ordaining some to pay a price that has already been sufficiently paid in Christ. I don't find love in putting that which people need the most just beyond their reach, creating them with such a great need and witholding the fix from them. Yes, I have my preconceived notions; we all do, but the coldness, the sterility, the fatalism that I find inherit in 5 points unnerves me. I also understand that God doesn't have to run His plans by me for approval or understanding.
Ultimately, I rest in the fact that His ways are higher than ours, and our disagreement here is a healthy debate. Healthy in the sense that it keeps us in pursuit of Him and in unity with one another.
4 comments:
I guess I'll try a response, as I'm sick of trying the PRF and seeing nothing new.
There is plenty to make one scratch one's head, that's for sure. If we're honest, this level of inquiry sometimes makes us ask, "Is any of this for real?" Either that, or we're just not inquiring. I admit, I read this the other day and it made some sense to me. It is a quote from Albert Einstein.
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own."
I have to admit, I agree. It is hard to reconcile a God who creates then judges His own creation based on merit. I understand human beings do that, we must do that, but to suggest that God operates in such a way when it is God who did the creating, God who perpetuates the creation, and God with the power to alter the creation, is unjust. Maybe the best way to present my thoughts is a dialogue.
Dude 1: I find this election doctrine unjust.
Dude 2: Why is that?
D1: Because all should have a choice.
D2: Question...
D1: Yes?
D2: Who made you?
D1: God
D2: Who gave you your intellect? Your descernment? Your ability to choose? Wisdom?
D1: God
D2: Would you say that some have choose God and others don't?
D1: Yes
D2: And how are these decisions made?
D1: Um...
D2: So if the decision for God is made and through the capacity of understanding, whatever you want that to be, that which God has given, doesn't it follow that in your world, God gives us a certain capacity and to some he gives enough understanding to choose Christ and to others, he doesn't, wouldn't that be so?
And so on and so forth. My overall point is this, IF you assume a creator, it is to me less fair, to then base the ultimate fate of the creation on their free choices. It is like a carpenter who builds a chair and the chair falls apart. Only the insane person blames the chair.
I am reminded that I am to "not lean on my own understanding," but to trust Him, yet in my understanding I see inherent in Calvanism a robotic fatalism.
The chair analogy was a good one, but I find the conclusion to be just the opposite of yours. That we are devoid of free-will, completely programmed either at birth or through ongoing puppeteering to bring honor or dishonor to ourselves and to God and at death to be judged for it is as you said the insanity of the creator of said chair blaming the chair for being poorly crafted.
Biblical commands to repent from sin, to flee fornication, to resist the devil, to overcome evil, to pray for enemies, to love our neighbor, and to love the Lord in this worldview seem as absurd as me telling my dog to mew like a cat... and then beating him for not doing that which was impossible for him to do.
However, choose you this day, fear the Lord, believe, trust, obey, and follow Me all imply that the onus is on me. I have a choice to make, and by choosing the narrow path, I may not find a crowd, but I will find life, and life more abundant.
In no way am I negating the work of the Holy Spirit, but I am saying that the Spirit can be quenched and I can through the gift of a limited free-will, defy God's desire for me.
I've got to post something lighter...
OK, still learning here....but....there is a difference....a big one, I think, in single and double predestination. But what I want to ask is this....
Jeebs....do we agree that a person must be regenerate, moved by the Holy Spirit or whatever one likes to call it, in order to gain salvation? If we agree, are you saying that all people have this happen to them at sometime in their life and either act or don't act on it. (again, asking for my knowledge)
I don't pretend to have any of this figured out....in fact I have very little figured out.....of anything...but I do have to say that looking at the landscape Calvinism makes some sense to me at least on a few levels.....I know a difference is seen between foreknowledge and predestination and I think this is a catching point to many....but to me Calvinism has a very high view of God....which is appealing to me...in so much as it puts Him in control rather than me, being that I am irrational, illogical and over emotional as a human.
Don't get me wrong...I have more questions than answers....many more....but I do enjoy these debates.
.....and we do need to post some lighter stuff....Toom has attempted and we have all failed him in response.
I almost posted Knowshon's letter to student affairs from 2006. That was funny.
As to your concerns, I reiterate, as an omnipotent being, is it more fair to choose or to allow the ill-equipped to choose? I didn't want to have to do this but you've left me no choice. That's right, Romans 9 ... What can I tell you, I didn't write it!
14What shall we say then?(W) Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses,(X) "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,(Y) "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For(Z) who can resist his will?" 20But who are you, O man,(AA) to answer back to God?(AB) Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21(AC) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump(AD) one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience(AE) vessels of wrath(AF) prepared for destruction, 23in order to make known(AG) the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he(AH) has prepared beforehand for glory—
And if we see robotic fatalism in that, well, we need to ask the Lord for a greater measure of understanding, rather than plead a case that our understanding of justice is correct over His.
And CT, I can guarantee Jeebs does NOT believe regeneration must precede salvation.
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