I hear the cry of many Arminians today within the church who say things like "Calvinism is very dangerous" or "The God of Calvinism scares me". Well "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10) so maybe they are on the right track, or maybe not. But you know what really scares me? It scares me to think that people are comforted by the idea that there is a god in Heaven who is dependent upon man for anything, that terrifies me. Most Arminians never seem to struggle with all five points of Calvinism but mainly just the .U. in T.U.L.I.P. which stands for Unconditional Election which basically means that God chooses who He will have saved and that men don't chose God without God first choosing them.
Now I find comfort in this doctrine where others chose to find fear, why? It's simple! You see I am the father of a 25 year old son who has rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ and at this very moment he is lost and headed to Hell. You say what's comforting about that? Well you see I am not depending upon my son to make that choice but rather I am trusting in the providential work of God that it is in His plans to bring about salvation for my son from eternity past (at least that's my prayer). You see for me to have hope in some superficial program to help my son feel more comfortable in church and somehow induce him to come to Christ really doesn't give me much hope of him ever coming to a saving faith. Nor am I convinced that the mental capacity of most evangelicals today are articulate enough to convince my son of his need of salvation and to believe the truth of the gospel, that you see I am trusting the Lord to do by the work of His Holy Spirit and He has chosen the foolishness by which He will do this work and it is by the preaching of the Gospel (Romans 1:16).
You see I find no comfort in the free-willers doctrine because then I am left to trust my son to make the right decision, and I find no comfort trusting him to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ on his own. But oh what comfort I do find in God's sovereign election to save hell-bound sinners by choosing them to be born again. Glory be to God!
"Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but none to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do his good pleasure" —George Whitefield
1 comment:
I know where you're coming from, John. I have two sons in the same boat. My daughter was given the gift of faith about two years ago. I am trusting our graciuos Lord to do the same with my sons, because I have no confidence in them "coming to Christ" on their own. My comfort is in knowing, as Proverbs 16:9 states, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Our God is Sovereign!
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