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Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE in the context of redemption; they DON'T coalesce. |
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/2199139693499
November 13,
2011 ·
"Let us confess freely and humbly that none of us understand completely how divine sovereignty and human responsibility coalesce. " (a learned theologian in USA - Dr Timothy George)
The notion is SILLY
at best... on two counts.
First, of course, none of us would claim to understand COMPLETELY any doctrinal subject. To claim so is to claim to be Divine.
However, to imply
that just because we cannot understand completely on any subject gives us
license to ignore the VAST difference that we know already exist is to deny the
truths already understood.
Second, divine
sovereignty and human responsibility in the CONTEXT of redemption DO NOT
coalesce! Repeat, they DO NOT coalesce.
It is when we think that they do coalesce in any sense that has SPAWNED the horrid error of SYNERGISM that
so marked new school calvinistic theology.
It is at this precise point that men think that they do coalesce, which has REPUDIATED the biblical truth of MONERGISM
that so marked the old school Pauline theology.
In the context of
redemption, divine sovereignty is restricted to the ETERNAL SALVATION of
condemned sinners - which is by the free and sovereign grace of God alone... in
predestining, electing, justifying, regenerating, preserving, and glorifying
each and every elect WITHOUT any human instrumentality.
In the context of
redemption, human responsibility is restricted to the TEMPORAL SALVATION of
God's children, which is fully conditioned upon the obedience of God's
children (those elect already regenerated and destined for eternal glory) to
the will of their Father in their life here and now. God holds His children
responsible to work out their OWN salvation for their well being as God's
children.
Sing F Lau
John the Baptist's
ministry is described thus:
76 And thou, child,
shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face
of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge
of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the
tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to
them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into
the way of peace.
- To give knowledge
of salvation unto His people...
- To give light to
them that sit in darkness...
- To give light to
them that in the shadow of death...
- To guide our feet
into the way of peace...
Those that sit in the
shadow of death are NOT the same as those that are in the state of death!
One can only give
knowledge to God's redeemed people... those that are spiritually alive!
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned."
One can only give
light to those who are alive but are in the darkness of ignorance... ignorance
that can cause them destruction in this life.
Whoever is sent to guide the feet of the dead into the way of peace?
John was sent to guide the
feet of God's people into the way of peace.
Jerry Chapin
"How beautiful upon
the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth
peace: that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that
sayeth unto Zion, Thy God reigneth."
