What a grand mother hen!“O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not” (Matt. 23:37).
This is so often quoted to prove that Christ, since “He is the same yesterday, today, and for ever”, still vehemently desires to effect the salvation of sinners, and to this end He tries to gather them to Himself through striving with them by His Spirit, but that many are unwilling to be saved, and therefore resist the Spirit, and are thus lost and go to hell.
If that be the case, then what a pathetic and impotent Savior! And that's what Satan would want people to believe concerning Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God... His purpose to save His people is frustrated by men!
Hen gathers her chicks, but Christ is prevented from gathering His people?
But prevented in what sense?
The children of Jerusalem referred to by Christ ARE His people, those that have been regenerated and given eternal life. They are His, He has effectually called them unto eternal life. No one can hinder the effectual calling of an elect unto eternal life. But many can hinder children of God from professing Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
BUT they are prevented from coming to Him outwardly, i.e. professing Him as their Lord and Saviour publicly.
The religious leaders threatened them with all sorts of things from openly professing Christ. And it was a weighty and costly matter to those Jews to be expelled and ostracized from their Jewish community. It was a burden many cannot bear.
Joh 12:42 "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue."
The elitist calvinists will WRITE OFF such children of God as unregenerated cowards! They proclaim that there can be no such among God's children.
In every generation, many of God's children are not converted through the gospel ministry!
Abe
He says, "thy children..." not "my children." This is a commentary from an old strict/particular baptist manual of faith...
"So, conversion is conditioned on freewill and the sovereignty of man now. This presents God as a frustrated beggar that cannot accomplish His own works of grace. This is what the Pelagians teach. It is synergism divorced from sovereign grace.
Joh 12:42 "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue."
read the last 2 verses of John 2. Not all "believers" were true converts and regenerate children.
I can't find your view among the old school baptists. Only the conditional time-salvation Primitives. Even this view is not among all Primitives. But, its easy to spot out when one denies God's absolute sovereignty over all things and starts teaching a freewill and synergism time-salvation.
Sing F Lau
Abe, be careful NOT to impute to me thing I have not said. I suggest that you refrain. I do rejected your "So..." It may be your sincere conclusion, but that is not my belief.
"Thy children" because they were under the religious jurisdiction of those religious leaders. Why would Christ want to gather them if they were not His redeemed people?
Joh 12:42 "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue."
The passage say "among the chief rulers also MANY believed on Christ." I take for granted that as many as believed on Jesus Christ DID SO because of the eternal life wrought in them.
Were the chief rulers' public profession of Christ hindered because of the fear of men? Yes, or no?
Was God's sovereignty frustrated here at all? It most certainly was IF - IF - IF divine sovereignty INDEED guarantees and ensures that each and every one of His children (sentient ones only, it sounds stupid to even qualify, as though the gospel ministry is intended for the non-sentient among God's children) is converted, make public profession of faith through the gospel ministry!
Is it to deny God's sovereignty to note the PLAIN FACT recorded here in John 12:42 - that some who believe in Jesus Christ DID NOT make public profession of faith in Christ, i.e. they were not converted?
Does God's sovereignty guarantee the conversion of every regenerated elect? Yes?
Also, does God's sovereignty also guarantee that each regenerate elect become a reformed calvinist? Are believers of Jesus Christ among the Arminians God's children then? And what about believers who are neither reformed nor arminians?
I remind you that the divine sovereignty is a double-edged sword. Be careful with it - it cuts both ways. So, handle it with great care!
Just what exactly do you want to make divine sovereignty to guarantee?
John 2:24-25 DO NOT say that Jesus did not commit himself to them BECAUSE "Not all "believers" were true converts and regenerate children." That is what you say! You assume that are the reasons!
Abe
Brother Sing, many of your questions and statements are irrelevant to the scripture and have no place in discerning doctrine from error.
Sing F Lau
That's a neat way of answering questions that exposes the irrationality and inconsistencies of one's interpretation.
