Both the Reformers and
their Modern Devotees Emphasize the Doctrine of Predestination:
The traditional Reformed doctrine of
predestination, especially in the traditions that subscribe to the Westminster
Confession and Catechisms, is what is called “double predestination.” This doctrine states that before the creation
of the world God decided who would be saved and who would not be saved. From within the Reformed worldview this is
seen as a good thing. First, it means that, although God could have
just let all of us be damned, God is gracious enough to save some of us; this
shows God’s concern and love (unless you’re one of the damned). Second, it means that we don’t have to stay
up at night fretting about whether or not we’re saved. We don’t have to worry because we’re either
saved or not. It keeps us from trying to
earn it because it either is or it isn’t; we can’t change that. John Calvin said that if you are seriously
asking the question of whether or not you are saved then that’s a pretty good
sign that the Holy Spirit is working in your life, so in all likelihood you’re
good to go. Third, it answers that
vexing question: “Why do some people respond to the gospel and some
don’t?” It answers this by saying that
this happens because some are predestined by God to respond to the gospel and
some aren’t. You have to admit that
predestination gives good answers (as long as you’re not one of the damned). However, it raises just as many questions.
Before I get too deep in this I need to
say that predestination is unarguably biblical.
It is all over the place in both the Old Testament and New Testament, coming
from the mouth of Jesus and the pen of Paul.
Well then it’s settled!
Right? Well, not so much. The reason for this is that there are a good
number of Scripture passages that seem to contradict double predestination by claiming
that salvation is offered to all
people and any person is free to
accept salvation or reject it. So what
I’m saying is that predestination is unarguably biblical and the opposite of predestination seems to be unarguably biblical
as well. I haven’t even mentioned the fact that there are even a few
passages of Scripture that seem to say that Christ’s death on the cross will
bring salvation to everyone. This is a minority viewpoint called Christian
universalism, and this view was held by several of the “Church Fathers” of the
early centuries of the church.
So there
are three (actually there is a fourth one we don’t have time to discuss)
different views in the New Testament regarding who can be or will be
saved? The scandal! The statement I just made is unacceptable to
many Christians. To those who
hold the view that the Bible is completely inerrant and always
presents a consistent theology, this is a big problem. In my fallible personal opinion this way of
thinking (what Dr. Christian Smith calls Biblicism) paints its adherents into a
corner. You see, when faced with two
contradictory views, what they have to do is choose predestination or free will (we won’t deal with
universalism here) and then go about interpreting all the passages of Scripture
that contradict their viewpoint as not really contradicting their viewpoint at
all. “If you weren’t so ignorant, you’d
understand that this passage doesn’t mean what you think it means; it obviously means what I think it means.”
For instance, 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The
Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient
with you, not wanting you to perish, but all to come to repentance.” This quite clearly seems to support the free
will argument. However, in John Calvin’s
commentary on this verse he says, of course God wants everyone to be
saved. God reaches out the hand of
salvation to all… but he only grabs
the hand of those “whom he has chosen before the foundation of the world.” Wait a second here! If God is unwilling
to grab the hands of all who reach out to God then God doesn’t really want all
to be saved after all does He?
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism
and a big-time “free will” guy looks at a passage of Scripture like Ephesians 4:4-6
and does the same from his perspective. The
passage says this: “He chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world to be
holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his
children through Jesus Christ.” To this,
Wesley makes the point that of course God predestined… that everyone who would
come to faith through free will would be saved.
Hey, wait a second here! God knowing beforehand who will someday put
his or her faith in Jesus Christ by their own free will isn’t the same as God choosing who will. This passage says God chose and predestined,
not pre-knew. I’m sorry Rev. Wesley but
you didn’t answer the question that was asked; you answered the question you
wanted to answer.
So who
am I to disagree with John Calvin and John Wesley? Come on, it’s not like either one of them is
Jesus. And anyway, I’m just a guy with a
blog. Really I only say all this to communicate
to you that I disagree on the subject of predestination with those who want to
return to the ways of the Reformers not because I think predestination is wrong,
but because I think their emphasis on
predestination is wrong. You see, I
think the water on this topic is muddier than they’re letting on. They present predestination as being the
absolute truth, but I don’t think the complete biblical picture bears that out. Personally, I think the jury is hung on the
subject so it doesn’t make sense to me to be as adamant as they are about
double predestination, just as it doesn’t make sense to me to be as adamant as
their free will opponents are about their perspective, just as it doesn’t make
sense to me to be as adamant as the universalists are about everyone being
saved. Personally, I can’t determine
which one is correct so I refuse to carry the banner for any of them. This bothers a good many of them, but it doesn’t
bother me.
I’m not exactly sure how salvation works. I’m okay with that. I can still, however, enjoy the benefits of salvation. After all, I don’t understand how wireless Internet really works but I still enjoy it. Whether salvation is by predestination, free will, or universalism, I don’t really care. My faith is in God in Jesus Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit I’m doing my best to follow the Lord Jesus. God will have to work the rest out however God does that.
to be continued next week...
In Christ,
Everett
I’m not exactly sure how salvation works. I’m okay with that. I can still, however, enjoy the benefits of salvation. After all, I don’t understand how wireless Internet really works but I still enjoy it. Whether salvation is by predestination, free will, or universalism, I don’t really care. My faith is in God in Jesus Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit I’m doing my best to follow the Lord Jesus. God will have to work the rest out however God does that.
to be continued next week...
In Christ,
Everett
