If you click on this picture, you will see this is the last page of a paper written by a very good friend of mine. He has even been known to post here on occasion (for some reason, that other guy is too busy to post). Please notice the large amount of red ink spilled on this last page. Do not worry about the grade. He received an "A". However, if you read it, you will see an interesting response by the Professor.The paper is entitled, "Theological Study Concerning Predestination". Please read carefully the Professor's questions. He asks, "If Calvin's position on Predestination is correct, then why preach the Gospel? The saved will be saved. The lost cannot be saved."
Whenever I read things like this, I am convinced that just because a man has a doctorate or teaches as a professor at a college does not mean he necessarily reads the other side's viewpoint. Calvinism, after all, has been around for quite some time. Surely a learned scholar would be able to have done a little research that gave us the Reformation and even much of our heritage as Americans. Nevertheless, let me attempt to answer the question.
Rom 10:14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
Calvinists believe not only Sola Scriptura but Tota Scriptura. All of Scripture is God-breathed. We learn that God not only unites a people with Christ from eternity past by electing a people by His sovereign grace, He also determines the means by which they will come. All things are in God's hands.
The Professor also cites two passages of Scripture which the writer of this paper and myself have dealt with so many times, we could probably answer his objections in our sleep. This last objection is interesting. He says:
"If Calvin is correct, then all who perish never had a chance to begin with. Is that what you tell the unbeliever- 'I'm sorry, but God has decided you are going to hell and there is nothing you can do.'"
Does anyone believe in Original Sin anymore? Chance? Man doesn't need a chance. He needs Eternal Life to be bestowed upon him by God's Grace. Men don't raise themselves from the dead. God does. Man needs resurrection!
It sounds to me that this man thinks it is unfair for God to condemn sinners for their sin. Is God obligated to free men from their sin so they may be able to make some free-will decision for Christ or hell?
Man is a sinner. God is not obligated to save any wicked rebellious sinner. Tota Scriptura teaches that God has elected a people from every nation, tribe, family and language. However, this elect (to my knowledge) has nothing to signify (yellow stripes in their hair?) them from the reprobate (those whom God will leave in their sin). God has commanded that the Gospel be proclaimed to everyone under the sun. For some, this Good News is a sweet fragrance. For others, this Good News is a stench of sewer gas. As Paul says:
2Co 2:16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.
The command by the preacher is simple. "Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." All the believing ones will never perish. If one goes to his grave rejecting Christ, should we tell him, "Hey, Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?" I wonder what the Professor would say?
2 comments:
You forgot to mention that not one objection he raised came REMOTELY CLOSE to interacting with the thesis and propositions in any one of the 14 pages in the paper. Can you imagine my fury if I hadn't received and A?
I really wish there was something in the paper that the Professor interacted with. But I find this typical. Instead of dealing with the exegetical issues raised in your paper, they run away.
When I raised this issue (the John 6 text) with one pastor used an excuse to me by saying he is not an extemporaneous speaker. A Pastor! A man who is to guard the flock could not deal with a text that he had preached to a congregation. He was not able to interact with me on something he had studied in over 15 months.
This is typical behavior by those who claim to be Biblicists...whatever that may mean.
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