September 27, 2010
FB reminds me of this exchange that took
place nine years ago. A Professor of Theology asked, somewhat rhetorically,
based on his teaching that God sincerely offers eternal salvation to those dead
in trespasses and sins.
John 3:10 KJV — Jesus answered and said unto
him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Offering salvation - obviously to those
without salvation, therefore still in their native state of sin and death - is
like offering food to the dead, no matter how sincerely and earnestly and
passionately and zealously offered.
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Prof Morrow inquired:
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I
have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Romans
10:18-21 (KJV)
Was God insincere when he stretched forth his
hand to this disobedient people? Why would God stretch forth his hand to those
he knew would reject him?
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Prof. Morrow, that's an interesting question. What was God sincerely doing? Was He offering salvation to those who were dead in trespasses and sins, or was He rebuking His stiff-necked and disobedient people?
But I don't know what exactly the difficulty is.
If there is any, I don't see it yet.
Maybe the difficulty arises because we don't
rightly divide the word of truth.
I take it as an established truth that God
NEVER hold forth eternal salvation conditioned upon man's obedience or
acceptance. This fable is plainly contrary to His moral character, contrary to His revelation,
contrary to reason and common sense, etc.
I believe what is involved here is the
temporal salvation of God's people which demands and requires the obedience of
God's people. It has nothing to do with their eternal salvation - being saved
from the eternal condemnation due to their sins. It has to do with their
deliverance from the judgment threatened against them for their unbelief and
disobedience. God is dealing with His people, whom He has made His own by free
and sovereign grace, for their unbelief and disobedience.
This is confirmed because, in the previous
verses, the Apostle Paul is also speaking of the temporal salvation that comes to
those who do believe the gospel. Believing the gospel truth will save GOD'S
CHILDREN and will bring them much deliverance, temporal salvation.
Eternal salvation came through Christ's
finished work alone, and is applied FREELY by the Spirit alone... all completed by
free grace alone. Temporal salvation - related to our well-being as God's
children - is conditioned upon our obedience to the gospel. IF YOU APPRECIATE THIS
BIT, MUCH CONFUSION WOULD NOT ARISE.
After I have read enough of the Bible for
myself, the FALSITY of the new school Calvinistic doctrine of the perseverance of
the saints in a life of faith and obedience and holiness to the end of their
life becomes SO PLAIN! There is no such thing in the Scriptures.
God, Himself said, "MY PEOPLE ARE BENT
ON BACKSLIDING!"
Remember this:
Isaiah 1:18-20 KJV
18 Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall
eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be
devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
It is all about temporal salvation: eating
the good of the land, or suffering temporal judgement of being devoured.
God would be VERY insincere if He is holding
forth eternal salvation to those whom He knew very well had absolutely no
capability to receive it; in fact, positively hostile towards God in their inward
man. In reality, it would amount to a cruel and injurious mocking and taunting them.
But that is not true when God called His
people to turn from their evil ways. They are able to, they have an obligation
too; in this, they were able to exercise a choice... but they disobeyed.
Disobedience would bring severe punishment here in the present life.
God did stretch forth His hand to His people,
calling them to turn from their waywardness, sending them prophets after
prophets... but they rejected God's Fatherly call to make amends.
They suffered for their disobedience throughout their history!
