I was recently asked to explain the doctrine of election. And once again, at the conclusion of my explanation, people looked at me as if I were speaking Swahili. That’s the way it always is when I am asked to explain the infinite mind of God. So then I was asked, “Why didn’t God choose everyone to be saved?” And once again I reached into my deep reservoir of wisdom and replied, “I don’t know. But I do know this— He got more glory for His own name by doing it the way He did it.”
I went on to say, “Let me ask you something—does God ever make a mistake? Is God ever wrong? Of course, not. So, whatever He does fits into his character. And if it’s hard for us to understand, that’s our problem, not God's!”
You may be wondering why God did it the way He did. I wish I could explain it once and for all so that all of us could get the picture. All I know is that all humanity born in Adam are born with the sin nature and doomed to an eternity in hell. This is where the grace of God intercedes and some are saved and some are not.
Herein lies the rub—salvation is by the elect, predestined, purpose of God. Damnation is by the unbelief of men. Now you may ask, “Holland, how do you resolve that?” and my answer is, “I don’t resolve that! I can’t resolve that. But, I know God is perfect and He resolves it perfectly and that’s the best we can do with it.”
2 comments:
I'm somewhat taken back by what you've written. From everything I read in your blog, I would have not have thought of you as a Calvinist. Are you saying that there are people that God will not save if they call upon Him?
Thanks for your question--and it's a good one. Well, there’s a clear answer to that in John 6:37. “All that the Father gives shall come to me”--that’s the sovereign God in action. And then Jesus says, “And him that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out.” Yes, God answers every salvation prayer.
Consider I Timothy 1:16: “Nevertheless,” Paul says, “…for this cause I obtain mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering.” Paul says, “You know why I think one reason why he saved me? Just to show everybody how patient He is, that He would save somebody going around killing Christians.” That ought to give you an idea of whom He’ll save. And be reminded that if the apostle Paul, who spent his career hating Jesus Christ and killing Christians was saved, let that be a good example as to whom God will save. Nobody but nobody under any circumstance gets turned down if they call upon God for salvation.
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