Churchwork
12-14-2008, 05:09 PM
God solemnly warns man, "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death...doth not he that pondereth the heart consider...and shall not he render to every man according to his works" (Prov. 24.11-12). Surely God's standard is higher than our standard, so if this is expected of us, what about God?
Jesus said, "it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt. 18.14). These "little ones" grow into adults, Is it then that God is pleased to damn many whom He formerly loved? But Calvinistic predestination refers to the ultimate torment even of children.
White informs us, "Why is one man raised to eternal life and another left to eternal destruction...? It is 'according to the kind intention of His will.'" So it is God's kindness that causes Him to damn so many! We are offended for our loving God!
How those whom the omnipotent God has "excluded from access to life" (Calvin's Institutes) could be responsible for their own doom and could be the beneficiaries of His infinite love is incomprehensible.
It is as if God ha thrown into the ocean billions of people whom He has so created that they cannot swim a stroke. He "mercifully" rescues some of them and leaves the rest to drown in eternal death. How could anyone say to those whom God created to drown, "It is your own fault!"? How can Calvin (and Calvinists today) say it is "wickedness" and "imprecation" to say that the non-elect cannot believe the gospel because God has excluded them from faith, when, in fact, that is exactly what Calvinism teaches? It is outrageous that those whom God foreordains to eternal doom are not only to blame for their fate but are the objects of His love, mercy, and grace! What love is this?!
All Scripture contradicts the false doctrine that God would withhold mercy from anyone. In fact, God is "ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Neh. 9.17). Paul said God has found "all the world...guilty" (Rom. 3.19) and has "concluded them all [Jew and Gentile] in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all" (Rom. 11.32). All upon whom God is determined to have mercy are all who are guilty of unbelief must be the whole world of sinners. God's mercy extends to all. Believe it.
Such mercy is misleading if God intends to only pardon an elect group and predestine the rest (or simply left them) to eternal torment! God is "ever [always to all] merciful" (Ps. 37.26). How then can a "gracious and merciful God" (Neh. 9.31) limit God's grace and mercy to a select group-a lower standard of mercy than He expects for us. The Apostle James points out such hypocrisy: "naked, and destitute of daily food...be ye warned and filled" and then failing to meet his need (James 2.15-16). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," but withhold the faith without which they cannot believe and be saved? Is this really God of the Bible, or a God that Calvin borrowed from Augustine?
If our Father is merciful to only the elect, we could neglect helping multitudes and claim that so doing reveals how merciful we are! But "blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matt. 5.7). God's mercy is infinite, extending to all mankind without discrimination. "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever..." (Ps. 89.1).
The non-Calvinist believes that God offers salvation to all without discrimination, but He cannot make anyone believe, for that would violate their free will and eliminate love. Those who will spend an eternity eternity in the Lake of Fire will be there because of their own choice and won't be able to blame God.
Whether God loves all, is merciful to all, and provides salvation to all to accept or reject, is the real issue. The answer to this more than obvious.
Jesus said, "it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt. 18.14). These "little ones" grow into adults, Is it then that God is pleased to damn many whom He formerly loved? But Calvinistic predestination refers to the ultimate torment even of children.
White informs us, "Why is one man raised to eternal life and another left to eternal destruction...? It is 'according to the kind intention of His will.'" So it is God's kindness that causes Him to damn so many! We are offended for our loving God!
How those whom the omnipotent God has "excluded from access to life" (Calvin's Institutes) could be responsible for their own doom and could be the beneficiaries of His infinite love is incomprehensible.
It is as if God ha thrown into the ocean billions of people whom He has so created that they cannot swim a stroke. He "mercifully" rescues some of them and leaves the rest to drown in eternal death. How could anyone say to those whom God created to drown, "It is your own fault!"? How can Calvin (and Calvinists today) say it is "wickedness" and "imprecation" to say that the non-elect cannot believe the gospel because God has excluded them from faith, when, in fact, that is exactly what Calvinism teaches? It is outrageous that those whom God foreordains to eternal doom are not only to blame for their fate but are the objects of His love, mercy, and grace! What love is this?!
All Scripture contradicts the false doctrine that God would withhold mercy from anyone. In fact, God is "ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Neh. 9.17). Paul said God has found "all the world...guilty" (Rom. 3.19) and has "concluded them all [Jew and Gentile] in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all" (Rom. 11.32). All upon whom God is determined to have mercy are all who are guilty of unbelief must be the whole world of sinners. God's mercy extends to all. Believe it.
Such mercy is misleading if God intends to only pardon an elect group and predestine the rest (or simply left them) to eternal torment! God is "ever [always to all] merciful" (Ps. 37.26). How then can a "gracious and merciful God" (Neh. 9.31) limit God's grace and mercy to a select group-a lower standard of mercy than He expects for us. The Apostle James points out such hypocrisy: "naked, and destitute of daily food...be ye warned and filled" and then failing to meet his need (James 2.15-16). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," but withhold the faith without which they cannot believe and be saved? Is this really God of the Bible, or a God that Calvin borrowed from Augustine?
If our Father is merciful to only the elect, we could neglect helping multitudes and claim that so doing reveals how merciful we are! But "blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matt. 5.7). God's mercy is infinite, extending to all mankind without discrimination. "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever..." (Ps. 89.1).
The non-Calvinist believes that God offers salvation to all without discrimination, but He cannot make anyone believe, for that would violate their free will and eliminate love. Those who will spend an eternity eternity in the Lake of Fire will be there because of their own choice and won't be able to blame God.
Whether God loves all, is merciful to all, and provides salvation to all to accept or reject, is the real issue. The answer to this more than obvious.