Arguments Against Predestination and Election
For those readers who are not familiar with the doctrine of Predestination and election, it is the teaching where God before time began decided of His own initiative to chose those whom He wanted to be recipients of His saving grace for His own glory. Paul in Ephesians 1:4 said those who have been chosen were chosen before the foundation of the world.
Well, obviously if there are those who are chosen, then there are those who were not chosen. This is where the tension begins when dealing with this contentious yet Biblical doctrine. Those who militate against this doctrine will continue to cry out, "Why would God chose some and not all? That's not fair!" Since when do we believe we have the right to determine for God what is and what is not fair? God never needs our approval or denial to do anything.
Romans 9:20-21 says, "But who are you O man to reply back to God? Will the thing formed say to Him that formed it why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Bottom line, God does whatever He wants with human beings because He made us. He is the Potter and we are the clay.
Romans 9:20-21 says, "But who are you O man to reply back to God? Will the thing formed say to Him that formed it why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Bottom line, God does whatever He wants with human beings because He made us. He is the Potter and we are the clay.
Be careful. If someone desires fairness from God, that means you will receive justice. Divine justice for the wicked is equal to God's judgment.
Election is not fair because
It appears God is a respecter of persons. For most, it is emotionally unfair for a loving God to choose some individuals for His kingdom and pass by others. God is never a respecter of persons. The reason why this is true is because the ones chosen have done nothing to merit the grace of God in deciding to choose them. God chose whom He wanted because it pleased Him to do so. Nothing more. God did not look down the corridors of time into the future to see what man would do and then elect them based on His prior knowledge of what He knew they would do. If He chose based on that premise, God would be choosing us after we chose Him in eternity past. God does not respond to a pre-incarnate faith and repentance because they do not exist.
Another issue that arises is the fact if God has chosen the elect for salvation does that mean He has chosen the non-elect for damnation? In other words, is predestination double? Are some predetermined for salvation, and are others predetermined for damnation? The best way the writer knows how to answer that question is this: God knows in advance who will never believe in Jesus so they are already condemned because they will never believe in the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). We do not know who the non-elect and the elect are, that is why we must preach the gospel to all people. It is not that the non-elect cannot choose to believe; nothing or no one is preventing them. They do not want to repent because they love darkness rather than light and their ways are evil (John 3:19). God does not seal their doom before they are born, they seal their own doom when they refuse to believe in Christ.
God is active in salvation, He is passive in reprobation. In other words, when God redeems a life, God chooses that person before the foundation of the world. God is reactive to the sinner who rejects Him in judgment.
An important truth to remember is this: No is saved before they are born (the elect). And no one is damned before they are born (the non-elect). One person receives saving grace from God whereas the other person receives divine justice from the same God. Why? Because the Lord is sovereign and He does whatever He wants to do (Psalm 115:3).
We must remember that all men are guilty of sin before God and are deserving of God's wrath elect and non-elect alike. It is God's divine prerogative to save some and punish others. Election is God's transcending love on lost sinners to save them since we cannot obtain salvation through human achievement. If election did not exist, the Father never would have sent Christ to die for sinners so that many could be saved.
But Christ died for the sins of everyone!
This is where we enter into the nature of the atonement. What is the atonement? It is the act of where Christ shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins. Most Christians say that Jesus died for the sins of everyone who will ever live - this is what scholars call unlimited atonement. The minority report says Christ died only for the elect that the Father chose before the foundation of the world for Christ to come and redeem - this is what scholars call limited atonement. The latter view is held by those who hold to a reformed view of Biblical theology; or what many would call Calvinists. For the record, the reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) did not invent limited atonement.
If Jesus died for everyone, that means He paid the price in full for their sins. If everyone's sin debt is paid, then that means all will go to heaven and no one will go to hell. But wait a minute! The Bible clearly teaches that many people will die in their sins if they do not believe (John 8:24). So tell me, how effective is an atonement that forgives sins of all but does not guarantee the salvation of all? If all the sins of all people for all time are paid in full yet many die in unbelief, what type of atonement is that and how were their sins paid for? The response this writer gives may offend and produce shock value to the reader but here it is: I would argue that those who die and perish had none of their sins paid for. Why? Because they will pay the price for their own sins eternally in hell. There is never a double payment for sins taught in the Bible. It does not make sense nor is it fair for Jesus to die for the sins of those who die in sin. Why would God the Father who knows all things before they happen send His only Begotten Son who He loves on a recovery mission that was doomed for failure before the foundation of the world? What you have is only a potential atonement and not an actual one. Why do I say that? Because the plan of redemption becomes a partnership instead of a monergistic work of God. God did His part, and now He is waiting for the sinner to pickup the Paton and activate the deal; that is repent, believe and become saved.
Here is another question the writer needs to present. Which is more loving of God, to send Christ to die for everyone because that is what is fair in the eyes of man yet guarantee the salvation of no one, because He is waiting for a spiritually dead unregenerate person in their sins to activate their own salvation when they're unable and unwilling to, or for Christ to die for those whom the Father gave to Him and actually save all of them (John 6:37)?
This is why predestination and divine election are essential. In order for man to become really saved, God must guarantee it. He did that before the world began. God did not send Christ to die for all men as an expression of His love hoping that sinful man would have the willingness to believe on his own. God knew from before the beginning that evil men would not trust Christ so He predetermined a plan of intervention that would bring about a transformation in man's soul so that when the gospel is preached those chosen would repent, believe and be saved. So you see, God's love is what compelled Him to extend mercy to save an innumerable amount of souls throughout history.
How is the gospel offer valid to those who are non-elect since they will never believe?
Once again, we do not know whom God has chosen, and whom He has not. That is why we must declare the truth to all people. You see we are all on an even playing field when it comes to sin; we are all guilty before God. Everyone needs the truth. What one does with it is their choice. Here is the big question that needs to be answered, is the word of God in the life of the person who rejects it effective? In other words, when a person rejects the truth, did the word of God return void (Isaiah 55:11)? The answer is no. Why? God's word always accomplishes its intended purpose - even in the life of those who reject it. How? When God's truth is rejected, the result is that it exposes a person's rebellion, unbelief, degeneration which results in righteous judgment. The word of God accomplished its work, albeit negatively in that person. So, the gospel is a valid offer even for those who reject it. It is the only truth that can save or condemn a person and the rule all men must be judged by.
Finally, when dealing with divine election we must remember this maxim in scripture, God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and compassion on whom He will have compassion (Exodus 33:19). What God does for one person He does NOT have to do for another - that is His divine privilege. No one can judge and inprison God by corrupt human fairness. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His way past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever, Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
But Christ died for the sins of everyone!
This is where we enter into the nature of the atonement. What is the atonement? It is the act of where Christ shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins. Most Christians say that Jesus died for the sins of everyone who will ever live - this is what scholars call unlimited atonement. The minority report says Christ died only for the elect that the Father chose before the foundation of the world for Christ to come and redeem - this is what scholars call limited atonement. The latter view is held by those who hold to a reformed view of Biblical theology; or what many would call Calvinists. For the record, the reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) did not invent limited atonement.
If Jesus died for everyone, that means He paid the price in full for their sins. If everyone's sin debt is paid, then that means all will go to heaven and no one will go to hell. But wait a minute! The Bible clearly teaches that many people will die in their sins if they do not believe (John 8:24). So tell me, how effective is an atonement that forgives sins of all but does not guarantee the salvation of all? If all the sins of all people for all time are paid in full yet many die in unbelief, what type of atonement is that and how were their sins paid for? The response this writer gives may offend and produce shock value to the reader but here it is: I would argue that those who die and perish had none of their sins paid for. Why? Because they will pay the price for their own sins eternally in hell. There is never a double payment for sins taught in the Bible. It does not make sense nor is it fair for Jesus to die for the sins of those who die in sin. Why would God the Father who knows all things before they happen send His only Begotten Son who He loves on a recovery mission that was doomed for failure before the foundation of the world? What you have is only a potential atonement and not an actual one. Why do I say that? Because the plan of redemption becomes a partnership instead of a monergistic work of God. God did His part, and now He is waiting for the sinner to pickup the Paton and activate the deal; that is repent, believe and become saved.
Here is another question the writer needs to present. Which is more loving of God, to send Christ to die for everyone because that is what is fair in the eyes of man yet guarantee the salvation of no one, because He is waiting for a spiritually dead unregenerate person in their sins to activate their own salvation when they're unable and unwilling to, or for Christ to die for those whom the Father gave to Him and actually save all of them (John 6:37)?
This is why predestination and divine election are essential. In order for man to become really saved, God must guarantee it. He did that before the world began. God did not send Christ to die for all men as an expression of His love hoping that sinful man would have the willingness to believe on his own. God knew from before the beginning that evil men would not trust Christ so He predetermined a plan of intervention that would bring about a transformation in man's soul so that when the gospel is preached those chosen would repent, believe and be saved. So you see, God's love is what compelled Him to extend mercy to save an innumerable amount of souls throughout history.
How is the gospel offer valid to those who are non-elect since they will never believe?
Once again, we do not know whom God has chosen, and whom He has not. That is why we must declare the truth to all people. You see we are all on an even playing field when it comes to sin; we are all guilty before God. Everyone needs the truth. What one does with it is their choice. Here is the big question that needs to be answered, is the word of God in the life of the person who rejects it effective? In other words, when a person rejects the truth, did the word of God return void (Isaiah 55:11)? The answer is no. Why? God's word always accomplishes its intended purpose - even in the life of those who reject it. How? When God's truth is rejected, the result is that it exposes a person's rebellion, unbelief, degeneration which results in righteous judgment. The word of God accomplished its work, albeit negatively in that person. So, the gospel is a valid offer even for those who reject it. It is the only truth that can save or condemn a person and the rule all men must be judged by.
Finally, when dealing with divine election we must remember this maxim in scripture, God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and compassion on whom He will have compassion (Exodus 33:19). What God does for one person He does NOT have to do for another - that is His divine privilege. No one can judge and inprison God by corrupt human fairness. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His way past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever, Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
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