ARE THERE THINGS WHICH GOD CANNOT DO? Yes. God cannot sin; God
cannot lie, God cannot change; and God cannot go against one of
His own attributes to satisfy another. What do I mean by that?
Two attributes of God are Love and Justice. Can God deny His
Love attribute to satisfy His Justice attribute - or can God
deny His Justice attribute to satisfy His Love attribute? No,
He cannot.
And, that is what Calvinist and Reform churches are suggesting when they teach Calvinist Predestination. What is Calvinist Predestination? It is that, before the Creation, God divided all people who would ever be born into two groups: the Elect and the Reprobate. The Elect are those who are destined for eternal life in God's presence - joy, peace, and eternal happiness. The Reprobate are those less fortunate who are destined for eternal hell, away from God's presence - pain, suffering, and eternal misery.
The obvious question arises - why would God create those who are Reprobate, just to cast them into eternal hell? Keep in mind that hell was created for Satan/Lucifer and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41). It was not meant for humans who are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Would God create people to be Reprobate just to fill the hell He set aside for Satan? Would He, before the Creation, condemn billions of souls to hell for no other reason than He is sovereign?
How does that fit with either God's attribute of Love or God's attribute of Justice? That is not God's perfect Love, nor is it God's perfect Justice.
Yet, the most common answer that those following the Calvinist and/or Reform theologies will give is, "God's sovereignty is supreme. In His sovereignty, He can do anything!"
No, that is not true. God cannot deny any of His attributes. God cannot deny His perfect Love, in favor of His perfect Justice. What kind of Justice would it be if He condemned billions of people to hell without any chance of being saved? If anyone today condemned millions of people to death without a just trial - would we not call that person another Hitler, another Mao or Stalin, another monster? And, our God is not a monster.
It seems to me that, in the case of Calvinist Predestination, "sovereignty" is a catch-all answer for any questions which cannot be answered directly from the Bible.
Consider this:
And, this:
The key phrase in the excerpt above is: ". . .Would a God of love allow people to go to hell?"
Yes, God will allow people, using their individual God-given gift of "free will" - to choose to deny Him and condemn themselves to hell. But, He prefers that all people use that gift to choose to follow Christ into eternal life (2 Peter 3:9).
And, finally, this:
On this last point I differ with the Blue Letter Bible writer, Don Stewart. I believe the Bible teaches that heaven and hell are actual places where believers and non-believers will live eternally. Where are they? The Bible does not tell us that. However, it does give us strong clues. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus Christ tells us of a physical place called Hades.
Hades was divided into two separate sections or compartments, Hades Paradise (Bosom of Abraham) and Hades Torment, with an impassable barrier between them. These were the temporary dwelling places for all who died before the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Upon death, believers went into Hades Paradise (Luke 16:22) - and non-believers went into Hades Torment (Luke 16:23, 28).
Jesus promised the repentant thief on the cross, ". . . today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Why Paradise and not heaven? Because Christ had not yet died, been buried, and resurrected again to make salvation and eternal life available to all who will receive His "paid in full" gift of salvation.
He died to take away the sins of the world (John 3:16) - and He resurrected to assure that all people will resurrect into immortal bodies to be like Him (1 John 3:2). The difference being that believers will resurrect into immortal bodies destined for eternal life in Christ (Matthew 26:34) - while non-believers will resurrect into immortal bodies destined for eternal punishment (Matthew 26:46).
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, ". . . I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Before He came, died, and was resurrected as our Sacrificial Lamb, no one went into heaven upon death. All went into Hades, either Paradise or Torment.
Yet, when Christ rose from the dead, He led those in Hades/Paradise into heaven. Since that moment, Hades/Paradise is closed and all believers who die now go directly into Heaven/Paradise.
Many will say that 1 Peter 3:18-20 tells us that Christ went into Hades to preach to those non-believers who died in Noah's Flood, thus giving them a second chance to repent and be saved. That cannot be, for the Bible clearly tells us, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Since 1 Peter 3:18-20 cannot be speaking of Christ offering a second chance for salvation to those lost in the Flood - nor to those souls who are already in Hades/Torment - who then did He address during those three days He was Hades? The obvious answer is that He was celebrating with those Old Testament saints who had been waiting for Him to come and finally lead them into their eternal heavenly home, as suggested in Ephesians 4:8.
In the following excerpt, Pastor Chuck Smith gives further thought on 1 Peter 3 and on Ephesians 4:8:
Moving on in our discussion of Calvinist Predestination, another question which I have yet to have a Calvinist/Reform Friend answer is, "If Calvinist Predestination is true, how do you know that YOU were selected by God, before the Creation, to be among the Elect?"
Many will say, "Well, I just feel it." - OR - "I just know it." No, that is putting salvation in your hands and basing it upon your feelings - not upon the Word of God.
There are only two ways that a person can know that he/she has salvation, eternal life in Christ, and KNOW it beyond all doubt.
The first way would be through a "special revelation" from God, i.e., that God actually spoke, orally, to you telling you that YOU HAVE eternal life. Has God spoken in this manner to you, telling you that YOU ARE among the Elect? If so, you will be the first that I have met who has received such a "special revelation."
OR, the way to know for sure, which is more Biblical and more logical - is that, through the God-given gift of "free will" - YOU have made a personal decision to believe and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In other words, that you have been born again as defined by Christ in John 3:3-5 and promised through the divine provision made possible by His death and resurrection (John 3:16).
A Scripture passage which is most frequently used to justify Calvinist Predestination is:
For some reason, they seem to skip over the initial phrase "For whom He foreknew" and go directly to "He also predestined."
When asked about the divine attributes of God, most believers will tell us: God is Omniscient (all knowing); God is Omnipotent (all powerful); God is Omnipresent (all places present).
One aspect of God's Omniscience is His foreknowledge, by which He "foreknew" before the Creation who would become Christian believers and who would deny and refuse the gift of eternal life purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Another Scripture passage which folks in the Calvinist or Reform theology churches will use to justify their interpretation of Predestination is:
There is no question that God chose all believers before the Creation. That is not in question. What is in question is - WHO did He choose? And, why were those people chosen to be the Elect - while others were allowed to be the Reprobate?
One of the key ingredients of Pastor Chuck Smith's success as a Pastor/Bible teachers was his innate ability to speak in plain old, get down with you, language. I don't think I ever heard him trying to sound like a great scholar. His heart was just in sharing the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in plain man-on-the-street language.
Below, Pastor Chuck explains Biblical Predestination and Election in simple easy to understand terms. I pray that it will help us all better understand why the Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
The Bible makes that promise more specific in John 3:14-16, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world (the world, not just a prechosen Elect) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
And, the Bible summarizes that teaching in John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Let's take a look at how Pastor Chuck explains Predestination, Foreknowledge, and Election:
In closing, can God condemn YOU to hell? No. That is a choice YOU have to make for yourself. However, as Pastor Chuck tells us - God "foreknew" before the Creation the choice you will make. And, that choice is what determines if you are among the Elect - or if you are among the Reprobate.
My Friend, you have until you breathe your last breath in this mortal body to choose to follow Christ. After that last breath - your eternal destiny is set in concrete. Based upon your choice, you will spend eternity in heaven with God - OR - in hell without God. Please choose wisely, for eternity is a very, very long (never ending) time.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
And, that is what Calvinist and Reform churches are suggesting when they teach Calvinist Predestination. What is Calvinist Predestination? It is that, before the Creation, God divided all people who would ever be born into two groups: the Elect and the Reprobate. The Elect are those who are destined for eternal life in God's presence - joy, peace, and eternal happiness. The Reprobate are those less fortunate who are destined for eternal hell, away from God's presence - pain, suffering, and eternal misery.
The obvious question arises - why would God create those who are Reprobate, just to cast them into eternal hell? Keep in mind that hell was created for Satan/Lucifer and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41). It was not meant for humans who are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Would God create people to be Reprobate just to fill the hell He set aside for Satan? Would He, before the Creation, condemn billions of souls to hell for no other reason than He is sovereign?
How does that fit with either God's attribute of Love or God's attribute of Justice? That is not God's perfect Love, nor is it God's perfect Justice.
Yet, the most common answer that those following the Calvinist and/or Reform theologies will give is, "God's sovereignty is supreme. In His sovereignty, He can do anything!"
No, that is not true. God cannot deny any of His attributes. God cannot deny His perfect Love, in favor of His perfect Justice. What kind of Justice would it be if He condemned billions of people to hell without any chance of being saved? If anyone today condemned millions of people to death without a just trial - would we not call that person another Hitler, another Mao or Stalin, another monster? And, our God is not a monster.
It seems to me that, in the case of Calvinist Predestination, "sovereignty" is a catch-all answer for any questions which cannot be answered directly from the Bible.
Consider this:
Why Did God Create Hell?
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/hell.cfm
Hell was created as a place of judgment for Satan and those (fallen angels) who followed him in their rebellion against God. The Bible says that the devil and (all) his angels will eventually be consigned to hell:
"And the devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).
Human beings, who are created in God's image, were not meant to spend eternity away from the presence of God. The place God created for them is heaven. Jesus spoke of this place that God has prepared for those who trust Him:
"In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2,3).
Hell was not created for humanity. But it is the destination for those (humans) who reject God's salvation in Jesus Christ.
And, this:
Why Would a God of Love Send People to Hell?
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/hell.cfm
Some people wonder how hell can be reconciled with a God of love. Why, they ask, would a God of love allow people to go to hell?
The answer to this question is that God is a God of holiness and justice, as well as a God of love. These moral attributes are complementary, not contradictory. When the laws of God are disobeyed there must be a judgment. God's laws demand that sin must be paid for. God can still love someone, but He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. This is the reason that Jesus Christ came to earth, to die for the sins of the world.
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
The emphasis should not be placed upon hell, but by (or on) the fact that God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to show His love for mankind:
"For when we were without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).
God has shown His love by sending His Son to die for our sins - to take our punishment - so that we could go to heaven. The judgment of hell is for those who refuse to accept God's love and forgiveness.
The key phrase in the excerpt above is: ". . .Would a God of love allow people to go to hell?"
Yes, God will allow people, using their individual God-given gift of "free will" - to choose to deny Him and condemn themselves to hell. But, He prefers that all people use that gift to choose to follow Christ into eternal life (2 Peter 3:9).
And, finally, this:
Will God Send People to Hell?
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/hell.cfm
The Bible speaks about a place of final judgment for those who do not believe in the salvation provided by Jesus Christ. This place is known as hell. It is not a geographical place, but a state of existence. Jesus spoke of it as a place of eternal punishment.
"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment..." (Matthew 25:46).
On this last point I differ with the Blue Letter Bible writer, Don Stewart. I believe the Bible teaches that heaven and hell are actual places where believers and non-believers will live eternally. Where are they? The Bible does not tell us that. However, it does give us strong clues. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus Christ tells us of a physical place called Hades.
Hades was divided into two separate sections or compartments, Hades Paradise (Bosom of Abraham) and Hades Torment, with an impassable barrier between them. These were the temporary dwelling places for all who died before the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Upon death, believers went into Hades Paradise (Luke 16:22) - and non-believers went into Hades Torment (Luke 16:23, 28).
Jesus promised the repentant thief on the cross, ". . . today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Why Paradise and not heaven? Because Christ had not yet died, been buried, and resurrected again to make salvation and eternal life available to all who will receive His "paid in full" gift of salvation.
He died to take away the sins of the world (John 3:16) - and He resurrected to assure that all people will resurrect into immortal bodies to be like Him (1 John 3:2). The difference being that believers will resurrect into immortal bodies destined for eternal life in Christ (Matthew 26:34) - while non-believers will resurrect into immortal bodies destined for eternal punishment (Matthew 26:46).
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, ". . . I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Before He came, died, and was resurrected as our Sacrificial Lamb, no one went into heaven upon death. All went into Hades, either Paradise or Torment.
Yet, when Christ rose from the dead, He led those in Hades/Paradise into heaven. Since that moment, Hades/Paradise is closed and all believers who die now go directly into Heaven/Paradise.
Ephesians 4:8-10, "Therefore He says: 'When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.' Now this, 'He ascended' what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things."
1 Peter 3:18-20, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."
Many will say that 1 Peter 3:18-20 tells us that Christ went into Hades to preach to those non-believers who died in Noah's Flood, thus giving them a second chance to repent and be saved. That cannot be, for the Bible clearly tells us, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
While the idea of a second chance for salvation is appealing, the Bible is clear that death is the end of all chances. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that we die, and then face judgment. So, as long as a person is alive, he has a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance to accept Christ and be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31).
Once a person dies, there are no more chances. The idea of purgatory, a place where people go after death to pay for their sins, has no biblical basis, but is rather a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. ("Will there be a second chance for salvation after death?" http://www.gotquestions.org/second-chance-salvation.html )
Since 1 Peter 3:18-20 cannot be speaking of Christ offering a second chance for salvation to those lost in the Flood - nor to those souls who are already in Hades/Torment - who then did He address during those three days He was Hades? The obvious answer is that He was celebrating with those Old Testament saints who had been waiting for Him to come and finally lead them into their eternal heavenly home, as suggested in Ephesians 4:8.
In the following excerpt, Pastor Chuck Smith gives further thought on 1 Peter 3 and on Ephesians 4:8:
Chuck Smith - C2000 Series on 1 Peter 3-5 (C2000 Series)
http://www.blbclassic.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=1&contentID=17404&commInfo=25&topic=1%20Peter&ar=1Pe_3_19
Jesus preached to the souls in prison. Now the prophecy concerning Jesus, in Isaiah 61, says, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach the good tidings to the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that are bound" (Isaiah 61:1).
What is he talking about? The prison was death by which men were bound. They were held captive (not being in the presence of God). Jesus came to open that prison for those that are bound, or to open up Hades (Paradise) for those people who were bound there, who died before Jesus (came and) died for our sins. So when He died, He descended into hell (Hades/Paradise). And He preached to those souls that were in prison. And when He ascended out of hell, He brought with Him those who had been captive.
Moving on in our discussion of Calvinist Predestination, another question which I have yet to have a Calvinist/Reform Friend answer is, "If Calvinist Predestination is true, how do you know that YOU were selected by God, before the Creation, to be among the Elect?"
Many will say, "Well, I just feel it." - OR - "I just know it." No, that is putting salvation in your hands and basing it upon your feelings - not upon the Word of God.
There are only two ways that a person can know that he/she has salvation, eternal life in Christ, and KNOW it beyond all doubt.
The first way would be through a "special revelation" from God, i.e., that God actually spoke, orally, to you telling you that YOU HAVE eternal life. Has God spoken in this manner to you, telling you that YOU ARE among the Elect? If so, you will be the first that I have met who has received such a "special revelation."
OR, the way to know for sure, which is more Biblical and more logical - is that, through the God-given gift of "free will" - YOU have made a personal decision to believe and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In other words, that you have been born again as defined by Christ in John 3:3-5 and promised through the divine provision made possible by His death and resurrection (John 3:16).
A Scripture passage which is most frequently used to justify Calvinist Predestination is:
Romans 8:29-31, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
For some reason, they seem to skip over the initial phrase "For whom He foreknew" and go directly to "He also predestined."
When asked about the divine attributes of God, most believers will tell us: God is Omniscient (all knowing); God is Omnipotent (all powerful); God is Omnipresent (all places present).
One aspect of God's Omniscience is His foreknowledge, by which He "foreknew" before the Creation who would become Christian believers and who would deny and refuse the gift of eternal life purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Which Words in the Bible Express the Omniscience of God?
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_360.cfm
There are a number of words in Scripture that express God's omniscience, that He knows everything. From them we gain insight into the knowledge of God.
Foreknowledge - He Knows What Will Happen
One key word is foreknowledge. This means that God knows everything that will happen before it occurs.
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30).
In the Book of Acts it states.
"This man (Jesus Christ) was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles) put him to death by nailing him to the cross" (Acts 2:23).
Peter wrote.
"Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance" (1 Peter 1:2).
Another Scripture passage which folks in the Calvinist or Reform theology churches will use to justify their interpretation of Predestination is:
Ephesians 1:3-6, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."
There is no question that God chose all believers before the Creation. That is not in question. What is in question is - WHO did He choose? And, why were those people chosen to be the Elect - while others were allowed to be the Reprobate?
One of the key ingredients of Pastor Chuck Smith's success as a Pastor/Bible teachers was his innate ability to speak in plain old, get down with you, language. I don't think I ever heard him trying to sound like a great scholar. His heart was just in sharing the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in plain man-on-the-street language.
Below, Pastor Chuck explains Biblical Predestination and Election in simple easy to understand terms. I pray that it will help us all better understand why the Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
The Bible makes that promise more specific in John 3:14-16, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world (the world, not just a prechosen Elect) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
And, the Bible summarizes that teaching in John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Let's take a look at how Pastor Chuck explains Predestination, Foreknowledge, and Election:
C2000 Series (Commentary) on Ephesians 1
Pastor Chuck Smith
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Eph/Eph_001.cfm
God didn't choose me after I decided to clean up my act and live for Him. God didn't say, "Oh, all right, I will choose him." God chose me before the foundations of the world. Now, that gives you the key into God's choices. Having chosen me before the foundation of the world indicates that He chose me according to His foreknowledge.
Because God knows all things, He will never learn anything new. If He can learn anything new, then He doesn't know all things. James said, "Known unto Him are all things from the beginning." So it is according to His foreknowledge, because He knew in advance. He chose me on the basis of His foreknowledge. . . .
The fact that God foreknows those that are going to be saved and chooses them does not preclude any man from coming, because the scripture says, "Whosoever will, may come and drink of the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). And not one person has ever come to God and been turned away by God. God (doesn't) says, "Well, let Me see. I'm sorry, your name is not on the list. Too bad. You seem like a very nice fellow. I would like to save you, but there was a slip up in the records some place. I guess you just can't make it."
Predestination, divine election never precludes any man. You say, "But I don't think I like that God can make those choices. Because, what if He didn't choose me?" How do you know He didn't choose you?
"Well, I am not a Christian." Why aren't you a Christian? "I don't want to be." Well then, maybe He didn't choose you (because of that) and it's sort of sad. But you can find out whether or not He (has) chosen you - by just accepting (and receiving) Jesus Christ.
And you will discover He chose you before the foundation of the world. You see, if there is any question in it, you can answer that question tonight. You can just say (pray), "Lord, come into my life. I am going to be a Christian. I am going to follow Jesus Christ."
And you will discover the minute that you do, that God (has) chosen you from the foundation of the world. He says, "I've been waiting for this. Great to have you on board; come on in." And then He'll tell you, "I chose you, (and) here you are. I knew exactly the time, and the whole situation. Here it is, you were chosen before the foundation of the world."
"Yea, but what if I don't want to come?" Well then, again I say, that's tough, but you can't blame God. God has opened the door for you. And God has given you the opportunity. And God has called you to come. But, though God has called you, still He has left the door open - so that it becomes your choice. God already knows the choice you are going to make. But you are the one who makes that choice. God in all of His wisdom knows the choices each person is going to make. But He doesn't make the choice for you. He only knows in advance that which you are going to choose.
In closing, can God condemn YOU to hell? No. That is a choice YOU have to make for yourself. However, as Pastor Chuck tells us - God "foreknew" before the Creation the choice you will make. And, that choice is what determines if you are among the Elect - or if you are among the Reprobate.
My Friend, you have until you breathe your last breath in this mortal body to choose to follow Christ. After that last breath - your eternal destiny is set in concrete. Based upon your choice, you will spend eternity in heaven with God - OR - in hell without God. Please choose wisely, for eternity is a very, very long (never ending) time.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment