"Predestination?"
Hopefully we have now established firmly in our minds and our hearts the severity of our condition due to the ravages of sin. Likewise, since we have no inclination whatsoever to seek God, our ONLY possible hope rests with God. And God came to the rescue through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the lone remedy for our sin disease.
So what happens when God eventually opens our eyes to our sin and our need for a Savior? Here is where it gets kinda’ deep. Theologians differ on precisely how this works. Let me try to keep a complicated subject as simple as possible.
Today’s Reformed theologians generally tend to follow religious leaders of the 16th Century Protestant Reformation. They believe the condition of our souls are so depraved that we have no way to respond to God whatsoever. Therefore, God Himself must determine to save us and bring our souls back to life. He must supply us with the faith to believe. And anyone He moves upon in this manner by His Spirit cannot possibly resist His salvation.
Now this all makes sense and seems well and good until…until we ask the question, “What about those He does not enlighten…those He does not save?” Well, the answer is (for them), they are doomed to destruction. And this is where the logic falls short. These theologians believe those who are saved through Jesus Christ are the same souls God has previously chosen. The others are rightly doomed because of their guilt of sin, but God did not choose to save them. Many theologians, pastors, and teachers continue to teach this today.
Now I don’t know about you, but this conclusion blatantly stands against nearly ALL the remainder of Scriptures and the God revealed in the text. Granted, there are a few Scriptures that appear to support what is called “predestination” but many, many more including the overall theme of the entire Bible (in which God desires to save anyone) would stand in opposition to this. I cannot buy completely into it although certain points are valid.
Hopefully we have now established firmly in our minds and our hearts the severity of our condition due to the ravages of sin. Likewise, since we have no inclination whatsoever to seek God, our ONLY possible hope rests with God. And God came to the rescue through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the lone remedy for our sin disease.
So what happens when God eventually opens our eyes to our sin and our need for a Savior? Here is where it gets kinda’ deep. Theologians differ on precisely how this works. Let me try to keep a complicated subject as simple as possible.
Today’s Reformed theologians generally tend to follow religious leaders of the 16th Century Protestant Reformation. They believe the condition of our souls are so depraved that we have no way to respond to God whatsoever. Therefore, God Himself must determine to save us and bring our souls back to life. He must supply us with the faith to believe. And anyone He moves upon in this manner by His Spirit cannot possibly resist His salvation.
Now this all makes sense and seems well and good until…until we ask the question, “What about those He does not enlighten…those He does not save?” Well, the answer is (for them), they are doomed to destruction. And this is where the logic falls short. These theologians believe those who are saved through Jesus Christ are the same souls God has previously chosen. The others are rightly doomed because of their guilt of sin, but God did not choose to save them. Many theologians, pastors, and teachers continue to teach this today.
Now I don’t know about you, but this conclusion blatantly stands against nearly ALL the remainder of Scriptures and the God revealed in the text. Granted, there are a few Scriptures that appear to support what is called “predestination” but many, many more including the overall theme of the entire Bible (in which God desires to save anyone) would stand in opposition to this. I cannot buy completely into it although certain points are valid.
