Read a book the last couple of days called, 'The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God' (D A Carson). I disagreed with most of it. The book spoke about finding the balance between God's love, and God's sovereignty and God's wrath. It then went on to talk about the doctrine of election and how God has a special love for those he has elected.
Here's a thought I had. A Calvanist has to work hard to make sure we don't see God as 'too' loving. Why? If we see God as a God of love, unconditional love, and a God who never separates us from that love (Rom 8), then would such a God elect some for salvation and others not? Would such a loving God elect some people to go to hell? Or rather, to spend eternity without the presence of God? The Calvinist therefore cannot hold to such a high view of God being a loving Deity, because it really does not make sense to then say he predestines some for eternal wrath. That's not a loving God. Though, when we truly believe God IS a God of love, we understand the Arminian position a little better, and know God gives opportunity to respond by faith to the redemptive power of Christ. This fits better, because someone that loves us, invites us to love them back, and doesn't 'elect' us into that love, but allows us to choose whether to enter that love.
If you're standing at the bookshop wondering whether to buy, 'The difficult doctrine of the love of God', remember to chew over what you read. You just might find a few lumps not worth swallowing.
Share
It is logical to hold to the fact that God is a God of love and still acknowledge predestination. You see, God shows His love in the fact that "He chose to save any at all". If God, in His love, did not send Jesus to be our propitiation then it stands His Justice would have to be poured out on us who "are by nature children of wrath". He showed His love by sending His son, that those who believe may be saved. Because God is sovereign He has the right to do whatever He would with His own creation, if this offends your sensibility then i would have you take a look at your pride and ask yourself "who are you to shake your fist at God, you who are the created thing". It can never be said that God is responsible for sending people to hell, read A.W. Pinks "The sovereignty of God". If you are not a believer in Grace as a free gift of God through faith and not by works and take an arminian view then you are still trusting in yourself for salvation, an arminian view leaves the believer with no sense of security, they must by definition believe that a God who brought you to himself is not powerful enough to hold you to himself, IT means accepting Jesus sacrifice only saves you to that point but if you sin again you are right back to where you started, therefore, because you believe you are out of God grace once you have sinned again, you crucify Christ again every time you repent. The questions you have posed in this article a frequently asked and are no new line of thought, but they have biblical answers. No one of God's attributes can be magnified against the rest and to my logic the arminian view certainly does not magnify the Love of God in the believers eye. Your questions are valid questions but they have answers. thanks for the opportunity to comment, Danny Hindle
ReplyDelete