I on the other hand am not a Calvinist. In fact quite the opposite is the case. Now I have crossed swords with some of the staunch Calvinists over whether mankind is predestined to salvation or are some of us predestined to salvation while everyone else is essentially predestined to eternal damnation?
You might be thinking that this is going to be another beat up on Calvinism but I would have to say that is not my intention on this occasion. Hopefully never again actually. For a while now I have been staying away from Church and seeking God over a number of issues. How to accommodate other Christians with different view points with out being tempted to go on a crusade over doctrines being one of them.
Another being, should you shake the dust of your sandals or not allow peoples purported heretical teachings to cross the threshold of your home. In other words are their terminal bottom lines on what people believe in God’s sight or are there simply more important fish to fry? Should we just bury the hatchet and focus on the important things like ministering to our brethren, feeding the poor and getting the gospel to the lost? The later being the decision that I have arrived at. However, I have one last opinion piece to share on how I see predestination in action before I finally move on to more important things in the service of Yahweh.
So in this vein I would share John 3: 16-18 with you. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Now my beloved brothers and sisters would say of this scripture that it does not imply Grace to all who would believe on Christ Jesus. That the word ‘World’ in verse 16, they would say, has a general meaning not a specific one and so does not mean the gospel is for all men. Further that verse 18 which says quite specifically that those who don’t believe are condemned implies that God is quite stern and that the wicked would seem to be predestined for damnation.
I believe that these verses are crucial and when taken with what is said earlier in Christ Jesus’s discussion with Nicodemus and show a much more loving perspective of God’s purpose to redeem fallen mankind from the disastrous fall in the Garden of Eden. You see Jesus outlined Yahweh’s wonderful plan to Nicodemus about salvation. He spoke of the need to be reborn of water and of the Spirit. He told of the Love of God for all the World, All Mankind. That God gave His only Son that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but inherit eternal life.
Now this implies that all of the World, all of Mankind, has a decision to make. To believe or not to believe on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Jesus states in verse 17 that He did not come to condemn the World but to save it. The gospel is to be heard by all men.
Now speaking of all the World which includes mankind and all of creation of which the apostle Paul tells us creation groans under the burden of sin (Romans 8: 19-23). He includes those who have attained salvation in that statement. So, if John 3:16 applies to the world, all of creation, then how does predestination apply to a rose bush for instance. It clearly groans under sin by carrying dangerous thorns on it that can be very poisonous. Is it predestined to salvation or damnation?
Ridiculous you say but is it? It would be if all of creation applied to all of life on Earth. It is true that all of creation groans under the burden of sin but it is mankind that caused the fall and it is through his redemption that as a whole that the rest of creation can be restored in the coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ. So the word World, in John 3:16. means all of mankind because mankind fell and only in his redemption can the rest of creation be restored as well. Thus the gospel is for everyone and that means that when exposed to the gospel that all of mankind has a decision to make. Everyone of us has to decide for eternal life in Christ Jesus or against it. Those who accept forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus will not perish and those who reject Christ Jesus will not only perish but as verse 18 states are condemned already for not believing on Him.
Given man’s depravity, you may ask, how then can he think of asking God to forgive His sins or not ask as the case may be? Well if God loves us enough to give His only Son, Jesus Christ, for us. Doesn’t it follow that he would make sure that mankind can respond to this incredible offer?
Now given that there are many scriptures that speak about predestination and that there are equally as many scriptures stating that the gospel is for all. Doesn’t it follow that if you completely disregard either group of scriptures that you will be only dealing with half of the story. One side stating that God has an almost legalistic roll in deciding who is justified by the salvation in Christ Jesus. Under the law as you will. The other side stating that God’s love is such for His fallen children that there is nothing that can prevent them finding salvation in Christ Jesus. If that is what they desire. Now under grace if you take my point. Together a comprehensive truth but taken separately only part of the trail that is the narrow way.
The story of salvation is closely connected to the question that Jesus answered in Matthew 22: 36 -40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Firstly we are to love the Lord our God, Yahweh, with all of out hearts, soul and mind. Secondly to love our neighbour as ourselves. Now I would say thirdly, to obey Paul in Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” and then Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Finally we need to remind ourselves of an important spiritual truth from Romans 8: 1- 4 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
To those who love God with all of their heart and love their neighbour as they love themselves. Who walk in the Spirit and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. We demonstrate the love which God has for all mankind. The love of God is manifest in us to all the World and we demonstrate it by obeying the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 19-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.?
Yahweh Elohim uses this gospel of salvation in Jesus of Nazareth, His only begotten Son. To draw all mankind close to the Saviour and I believe enables them to make a decision about whether to believe on Jesus or to reject Him. Those who believe are predestined and those who reject the gospel are dead, in their sins, already because of their unbelief. This is because of His love for all of mankind. No one is forced to believe on Christ Jesus any-more than they are forced to reject Christ Jesus. This is how I see in any-case,
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