MUSINGS ON THEOLOGY AND PREDESTINATION, PART FIVE
Continued from Part Four
Two aspects of our salvation cannot be reconciled or comprehended by our finite mind – God’s eternal election and Man’s responsibility.
The Bible teaches that man is born spiritually dead. That is biblical (Eph. 2). Exactly, what does this mean? The text does not explain the meaning of “dead.” Does this mean that he has no living, relationship with God, no spiritual life, no hope of life eternal? Clearly this is taught in the Bible (Romans 3:9-18; Ephesians 4:17-19). Does Ephesians 2 mean that man has no consciousness of God, no sense of right and wrong given by God, no spiritual sensitivities? Clearly this is not true (Romans 2:12-16).
Does the spiritual deadness of mankind mean that man is unable in any way to respond to the gospel until he is regenerated first by God? How do we logically put together this conundrum concerning God’s sovereign election, and mankind’s spiritual deadness with human responsibility to repent and believe the gospel?
Today we speak of the sun rising and setting, not simply because this is traditional but because this is the way it appears to our eyes; even though we know that the earth moves around the sun, not the other way around. In the same manner we may speak of man’s activities which lead to his salvation – indeed, they are commanded in Scripture – even while we understand that behind all of our turning, God is sovereignly working out his eternal purposes.
Ravi Zacharias, the brilliant apologist, makes various comments in his book, “Walking from East to West.” “But my hungers went unfulfilled until I FOUND HIM.” Is this semi-pelagian? Can a man find God or does God find him. He states, “I was very clear in my mind as I left the hospital with my mother that I had MADE A COMMITMENT to Christ. It was the most striking and MOST NOBLE-MINDED DECISION I HAD EVER MADE. My life now belonged to Jesus Christ.” Is the plea for people to “decide” for Christ semi-pelagian? Can those who believe in election and innate spiritual deadness of natural man call invite people to decide for Christ? When Ravi spoke to a hostile crowd, they quieted down and began to listen. “When I gave the invitation at the end, the response was overwhelming – nearly one hundred in that audience of just over two hundred RESPONDED TO THE INVITATION to turn their lives over to Christ.”
Is this unbiblical talk? Not in my book. We speak in human terms – choosing and deciding. At the same time we recognize that only God can bring new life to this person. Let us not become unbalanced by neglecting either the divine work of God in salvation or the human responsibility God has placed in our hands.
A critic of D.L. Moody cornered him, finding fault with Moody in his evangelistic crusades and altar calls. Moody responded, “And what is your method of evangelism?” The critic stuttered and replied that he had no method. “In that case, Moody said, “I like my method better than yours.”
Continued in Part Six
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Theology of Predestination, Part Four
MUSINGS ON THEOLOGY AND PREDESTINATION, PART FOUR
Continued from Part Three
This mystery of our salvation pertains to the so-called “order of salvation.”
Those in the Reformed camp believe that the steps leading to our salvation proceed in this order:
1) election, 2) predestination, 3) gospel call, 4) effectual (or inner) call, 5) regeneration, 6) conversion (including both faith and repentance), 7) justification, 8) sanctification, 9) glorification.
Those in the Arminian camp have a different order: 1) outward call, 2) faith, 3) election based on God’s foreknowledge that a sinner would believe the outward call of the gospel, 4) repentance, 5) regeneration, 6) justification, 7) perseverance, 8) glorification.
The only place in the Bible that I know of where there is an “order of salvation” explicitly enunciated is in Romans 8:28-30. The biblical order is this: 1) divine foreknowledge, 2) predestined, 3) called, 4) justified, 5) glorified. “Foreknowledge” is the key. Clearly, this is not a foreknowledge that a person would believe. Nowhere does the text teach this. Election is not based on God’s foreknowledge about anything in the person. God foreknows a person, and he does this in the sense that he sets his preferential love upon him (Rom. 11:2). Election proceeds from God’s foreknowledge of the person – his preferential love and choice of the person.
Having come to this personal conclusion, you might say this puts me into the Reformed camp. True, but not fully. I prefer to leave mystery where the Bible has mystery. The Bible teaches, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31). From this text I gather that in order to be saved you must believe. That is what Scripture says. Can a person be saved without being regenerated or born again? Can a person be saved without believing? Faith in Christ is required before salvation is granted according to the text.
We are told, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rom. 10:14,15). Clearly, man is not a puppet. Man has a responsibility.
I am well aware of the arguments made in defense of the Reformed position of the order of salvation but they depend on logical deduction not explicit biblical teaching.
I would prefer to emphasize what Scripture clearly teaches and joyfully embrace the mysteries which the Word of God reveals. As someone has said, on this side of the Pearly Gates we see a welcoming sign into heaven, “Whosoever will to the Lord may come.” That is biblical (Rev. 22:17). But on the inside of the Pearly Gates is this inscription, “You did not choose me but I chose you.” This is also biblical (Jh. 15:16).
Continued in Part Five
Continued from Part Three
This mystery of our salvation pertains to the so-called “order of salvation.”
Those in the Reformed camp believe that the steps leading to our salvation proceed in this order:
1) election, 2) predestination, 3) gospel call, 4) effectual (or inner) call, 5) regeneration, 6) conversion (including both faith and repentance), 7) justification, 8) sanctification, 9) glorification.
Those in the Arminian camp have a different order: 1) outward call, 2) faith, 3) election based on God’s foreknowledge that a sinner would believe the outward call of the gospel, 4) repentance, 5) regeneration, 6) justification, 7) perseverance, 8) glorification.
The only place in the Bible that I know of where there is an “order of salvation” explicitly enunciated is in Romans 8:28-30. The biblical order is this: 1) divine foreknowledge, 2) predestined, 3) called, 4) justified, 5) glorified. “Foreknowledge” is the key. Clearly, this is not a foreknowledge that a person would believe. Nowhere does the text teach this. Election is not based on God’s foreknowledge about anything in the person. God foreknows a person, and he does this in the sense that he sets his preferential love upon him (Rom. 11:2). Election proceeds from God’s foreknowledge of the person – his preferential love and choice of the person.
Having come to this personal conclusion, you might say this puts me into the Reformed camp. True, but not fully. I prefer to leave mystery where the Bible has mystery. The Bible teaches, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31). From this text I gather that in order to be saved you must believe. That is what Scripture says. Can a person be saved without being regenerated or born again? Can a person be saved without believing? Faith in Christ is required before salvation is granted according to the text.
We are told, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rom. 10:14,15). Clearly, man is not a puppet. Man has a responsibility.
I am well aware of the arguments made in defense of the Reformed position of the order of salvation but they depend on logical deduction not explicit biblical teaching.
I would prefer to emphasize what Scripture clearly teaches and joyfully embrace the mysteries which the Word of God reveals. As someone has said, on this side of the Pearly Gates we see a welcoming sign into heaven, “Whosoever will to the Lord may come.” That is biblical (Rev. 22:17). But on the inside of the Pearly Gates is this inscription, “You did not choose me but I chose you.” This is also biblical (Jh. 15:16).
Continued in Part Five
Theology of Predestination, Part Three
MUSINGS ON THEOLOGY AND PREDESTINATION, PART THREE
Continuation of Part Two
I find the truth of the Incarnation (which I discussed in Part Two) to be analogous to our Salvation.
Our salvation includes the Divine work of grace and our Human responsibility to respond to the gospel with repentance and faith, and to evangelize the lost. The two may appear to be contradictory but I embrace them both because God teaches this in his Word.
After many years of reading the Bible over and over again, I have concluded fully and unequivocally that God has chosen his people, he has predestined his elect, not on the basis of foreknowing what anyone would do, whether they would believe or not. God has truly chosen before the foundation of the world those whom he would save for reasons known to himself alone (Jh. 6:44; 10:26; Rom. 8:28-3). This foreknowledge of God by which God’s people are elect (I Pet. 1:1,2), is not a passive, intellectual knowledge beforehand of what we would do. God’s foreknowledge is active, favoring the object with love and care (Acts 2:23; Rom. 11:2). This is the Divine side of our salvation; God’s predetermined election of his people.
At the same time Scripture teaches that men and women have a responsibility to repent, believe, obey and turn to the Lord. They are not puppets. We are commanded to pray for the conversion of the lost, to witness and evangelize.
Let’s think of the ministry of Paul. He did not approach evangelism with a detached, passive attitude, as if the elect would be saved with or without his effort. He felt “unceasing anguish” for his lost Jewish brethren because they were lost (Rom. 9:2). He toiled and labored with sleepless nights and hunger (II Cor. 6:4f). Paul affirmed, “I have become all things to all men so that BY ALL MEANS I might save some.” Think of it! Paul used ALL MEANS to bring people to Christ. He strategized on how best to evangelize and decided that he should preach the gospel only in those cities with Jewish synagogues where he found the most responsive hearers.
How can we then put these two biblical truths together? On the one hand, God and God alone predestines those who will be saved. No one can be saved unless God chooses them and elects them and no one who is not elect will be saved. On the other hand, man must turn to God, repent of his sin, believe in Christ, confess with his mouth and obey the Word of God. How do we reconcile this paradoxical teaching of Scripture of God’s election and human responsibility to repent and believe?
When we become unbalanced, we over emphasize either the Divine or the Human. Those who focus on God’s election fear the use of all kinds of means – altar calls, evangelistic crusades, passionate persuasion to receive Christ. Those who over emphasize the Human erroneously think they can usher men and women into the Kingdom through many persuasive means, that salvation depends on them. In my book, both are wrong.
To be continued in Part Four
Continuation of Part Two
I find the truth of the Incarnation (which I discussed in Part Two) to be analogous to our Salvation.
Our salvation includes the Divine work of grace and our Human responsibility to respond to the gospel with repentance and faith, and to evangelize the lost. The two may appear to be contradictory but I embrace them both because God teaches this in his Word.
After many years of reading the Bible over and over again, I have concluded fully and unequivocally that God has chosen his people, he has predestined his elect, not on the basis of foreknowing what anyone would do, whether they would believe or not. God has truly chosen before the foundation of the world those whom he would save for reasons known to himself alone (Jh. 6:44; 10:26; Rom. 8:28-3). This foreknowledge of God by which God’s people are elect (I Pet. 1:1,2), is not a passive, intellectual knowledge beforehand of what we would do. God’s foreknowledge is active, favoring the object with love and care (Acts 2:23; Rom. 11:2). This is the Divine side of our salvation; God’s predetermined election of his people.
At the same time Scripture teaches that men and women have a responsibility to repent, believe, obey and turn to the Lord. They are not puppets. We are commanded to pray for the conversion of the lost, to witness and evangelize.
Let’s think of the ministry of Paul. He did not approach evangelism with a detached, passive attitude, as if the elect would be saved with or without his effort. He felt “unceasing anguish” for his lost Jewish brethren because they were lost (Rom. 9:2). He toiled and labored with sleepless nights and hunger (II Cor. 6:4f). Paul affirmed, “I have become all things to all men so that BY ALL MEANS I might save some.” Think of it! Paul used ALL MEANS to bring people to Christ. He strategized on how best to evangelize and decided that he should preach the gospel only in those cities with Jewish synagogues where he found the most responsive hearers.
How can we then put these two biblical truths together? On the one hand, God and God alone predestines those who will be saved. No one can be saved unless God chooses them and elects them and no one who is not elect will be saved. On the other hand, man must turn to God, repent of his sin, believe in Christ, confess with his mouth and obey the Word of God. How do we reconcile this paradoxical teaching of Scripture of God’s election and human responsibility to repent and believe?
When we become unbalanced, we over emphasize either the Divine or the Human. Those who focus on God’s election fear the use of all kinds of means – altar calls, evangelistic crusades, passionate persuasion to receive Christ. Those who over emphasize the Human erroneously think they can usher men and women into the Kingdom through many persuasive means, that salvation depends on them. In my book, both are wrong.
To be continued in Part Four
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