Here is the promised sequel-two months later! Well, you can't whip up an entry like this in a day. In the previous post, we addressed the issue of predestination and its biblical, logical and word-for-word support. Last time I wrote in a wholly positive perspective; this time I will evaluate the other side and some potentially challenging verses. I will begin this post by iterating the conclusion in my previous post and continuing from there.
"This verse leaves no doubt in my mind about the truth of predestination."
Still, what of the challenging verses? What is their message? Do they contradict it? Well, we all know that the Bible, the Word of God, does not contradict itself, so what is the explanation? The verses that I am referencing are these:
1 Timothy 2:3b-2:4 (English Standard Version)
...God our Savior, who desires(A) all people to be saved and(B) to come to(C) the knowledge of the truth.
Cross references:
- 1 Timothy 2:4 : 1 Timothy 4:10; Ezek 18:23, 32
- 1 Timothy 2:4 : 2 Tim 3:7
- 1 Timothy 2:4 : 2 Tim 2:25; Titus 1:1; Heb 10:26
It is my belief that this verse clearly states that God wants all people to be saved. So how does this statement affect the foundation supporting predestination? Does it support or strike it? Let us look at two ways one could interpret this statement in opposition to predestination:
a. God wants all people to be saved (true), and therefore will eventually save all people. Wait; hold it. Rewind. Let us peer closer....If all of this were true, everyone would rest in the assurance that they would go to Heaven, regardless of what sins were committed on earth. This would lead to endeavoring to have the best time of your life (whatever that means....), with no striving after what is good, right and true. The most evil murderer and blasphemer would be automatically saved along with the sweetest and most gentle child. I believe that God's character in Scripture forbids such a world. It would be abhorrent, and an abomination to God.
b. Another way one might interpret this verse is to say that because God desires all to be saved, He does not ordain who will be saved from the beginning. In other words, this idea implies that God basically acts on a whim and saves whomever He feels like saving, whenever He feels like saving.
I believed that both of those explanations were wrong, yet I wanted to know how these verses fit with predestination. Still, I couldn't think of a convincing explanation, so I asked my elder and pastor. My pastor used the very applicable example of a parent. As a parent, you desire to give and do good things for your children, but you also have to discipline them, don't you? Do parents enjoy disciplining their children? No, of course not. Yet they must, or the other children will assume that their wrong behavior is acceptable.
My point is simply this: with no guide, we shall fall into our own pits, and with no example of the consequences of horrid behavior, we shall continue to do it. I believe that those who have not and are not to be saved are that example. A passage from Romans 9 comes to mind (Please stay with me; I know this is a rather long passage that you can't really skim.):
Romans 9:10-24 (English Standard Version)
10And not only so, but(A) also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of(B) Him who calls— 12she was told,(C) "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written,(D) "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
I call your attention to the first section of verse eleven: Esau and Jacob had done nothing; had not even entered this world yet, but God ordained them for His 'purpose of election'. Sound familiar? Let's keep reading....
14What shall we say then?(E) Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For He says to Moses,(F) "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,[a] but on God, who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,(G) "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.
Throughout this section of the passage, I noticed the recurrence of God ordaining people to certain purposes for His glorification. Not a hint of them making decisions against His will, or doing something righteous out of their own will (verse 16) even the powerful and feared Pharaoh of Egypt . Now to the key questions:
19You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For(H) who can resist His will?" 20But who are you, O man,(I) to answer back to God?(J) Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21(K) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump(L) 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(M) vessels of wrath(N) prepared for destruction, 23in order to make known(O) the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he(P) has prepared beforehand for glory— 24even us whom he(Q) has called,(R) not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
Do you see, my friends? Do you see how many answers He has provided for us in this particular section? God has made an example of 'vessels of wrath' who are 'prepared for destruction', in order that we, the blessed 'vessels of mercy', would receive and understand fully the gargantuan sacrifice Jesus made for us, and the eternal, magnificent glory for which we are being prepared.
Footnotes:
- Romans 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs
Cross references:
- Romans 9:10 : Gen 25:21
- Romans 9:11 : Romans 4:17; Romans 8:28
- Romans 9:12 : Gen 25:23
- Romans 9:13 : Mal 1:2, 3
- Romans 9:14 : Deut 32:4; 2 Chr 19:7; Job 8:3; 34:10; Psalm 92:15
- Romans 9:15 : Exodus 33:19
- Romans 9:17 : Exodus 9:16
- Romans 9:19 : 2 Chr 20:6; Job 9:12; Dan 4:35
- Romans 9:20 : Job 33:13
- Romans 9:20 : Isa 29:16; 45:9
- Romans 9:21 : Isa 64:8; Jer 18:6
- Romans 9:21 : 2 Tim 2:20
- Romans 9:22 : Romans 9:21, 23; Acts 9:15
- Romans 9:22 : Prov 16:4; 1 Pet 2:8
- Romans 9:23 : Eph 3:16; Romans 2:4
- Romans 9:23 : Romans 8:29
- Romans 9:24 : Romans 8:28
- Romans 9:24 : Romans 3:29
Even one of the most frequently quoted verses in scripture, John 3:16, could be misunderstood to mean that we are able to believe of our own accord.
John 3:16 (English Standard Version)
For God So Loved the World
16"ForA) God so lovedB) the world,C) that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should notD) perish but have eternal life.
Cross references:
This verse is saying that GOD has given us the gift of being able to believe--to have faith. It is not saying that we have the ability to choose to be saved. I have spent multiple paragraphs on how that view is wrong. I think I have fully explained my viewpoint on this, but really, why is it so important? Well, to understand that, we must look at the alternative.
Imagine, just for a moment, the scenario of the world if we could choose to be saved; if our free will was what it is commonly misunderstood to be: essentially the control of our own lives. In all honesty, how inclined do you think you would be to Christianity? If you had even a cursory knowledge of what it meant to become a Christian, would you be willing? Every day, we are required to make what to us seems like a lot of effort. We must sacrifice our stubborn will, our self-centered desires, our pride and self-pity. When our feathers are ruffled or we are truly wronged, we must sacrifice the resentment and bitterness which swells up inside of us and forgive. More than that, we must forget and put it behind us, as GOD does our sins.
I don't know where your heart is, but I know that even these few requisites are extremely difficult for me. The truth is, we humans do not want to "make every effort", we do not want to sacrifice our desires; we want our own way! Our innate sin nature is repulsed by such actions as cheerful obedience and unquestioned authority. It is satisfied only when we are truly "our own boss". But, as we know, the Christian life is NOT about getting your own way! So, truthfully, if the decision was left to me, I would not choose to be a Christian. I would be enveloped in the false lie of humanism. If we were given total control over our own lives we would make a pretty dreadful mess of things. We cannot even keep track of mundane things like keys and appointments, let alone our souls! You may think that I am making light of this, but in truth I am not. We are dependent beings, no matter how self-sufficient we think we are.
This is why having the proper view of faith is important-because we are able to boast in ourselves otherwise! If we believe that we, foolish sheep that we are, can choose to be saved, then (at the heart of it) we are putting ourselves above GOD-even in this seemingly small way.
My main object in this post is simply this; there are only two ways that I can find of looking at this issue.
1. Either I believe that I am given the gift of faith by GOD alone,
2. Or I believe that I can choose for myself.
If the first, I acknowledge my total depravity and dependence on GOD. If the second, I state that I can refuse GOD, and that He owes me something.
I bring this entry to a close with a request: to please consider what I have written; this is an incredibly important issue. Whether you agree with me or not, please feel free to post your thoughts below; I am quite willing to discuss!
By His Grace and For His Glory,
~Mariel~
P.S. Stay tuned for the third part of this series: Free Will vs. Predestination pt. 3: "Free Will: Control or Choice?"
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Sep. 3, 2009 - Untitled Comment
I'm sorry it's been such a long time, I'm afraid my inclination to return comments has dwindled to nearly nothing. :-/
Anyway, I have missed you and I was really excited to hear from you! How are you doing?
This is a very well-put-together post, and very thought-through. I can tell you spent a lot of time on it. It's also a fascinating concept, and I admire your choice to write about it! :) I agree with many of the points you made, although I'd never quite thought about it before. Thanks for giving me something to chew on.
I hope you're doing well! I miss hearing from you. ;)
Love,
~Kylie