Notice how the person starts this refutation out, by quoting peters words;
2 Pet 3:16 "as also in all Paul's letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction."
To cite this text in a partial fashion is just a tad bit disingenuous and very disrespectful on any Christians part, when refuting the doctrines of grace.we first need to realize that this text has an addition clause that spells disaster for all who utilize it, pay close attention to what peter actually states in this passage as it is vital to our discussion.
just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. -- 2 peter 3 :15-16
Here is the passage with the additional clause that was conveniently missed off of the quotation above. the major element missing is this "as they do with the rest of the scriptures" if your going make a charge based this text. make sure you do that in all aspects where do we misrepresent the bible on other key points such as Justification, the Trinity, sola Scripture, and many other areas
This is not a good place to start in a critique of the doctrines of grace.
Having said that now lets move on to the first major point that i want to address, that being Romans 8 :28 -30
Who is under consideration here?"those who love God" - not a few whom God loves"the called according to His purpose" - we are not called by a still, mysterious voice or by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit or by God Himself, but by the gospel (2 Thees. 2:14).Those who hear, believe and respond in obedience are referred to as "the called" (Gal. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:9).In Romans 8:29-30, we can see the unfolding of God's plan. God determined to send mankind a Savior to die for all men.He foreordained all of the events before they actually took place.In that sense, God predestinated our salvation. It wax not that He selected us individually to be saved or lost, but that those who accepted the gospel call would be saved.Those who answer that call are justified and glorified.
Before we take on some of these, we need to have a look at the verses in question;
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposeThe first thing we need to understand in this matter .. is how do we understand the first portion ... "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God" .... do we understand as to mean that man is the one who makes Gods purpose come into fruition as to say that God see man respond to the gospel through an act of looking into the future ideal, or that God chooses man based on his own purpose and will .. it is an eternal action that results in God alone being glorified in and through redeemed in Christs work
we need to understand our love for God did not come from our own willingness but from Gods work in regeneration -- those (the redeemed) are the ones who are called ..... in accordance to Gods purpose
to put this in other manner of speech those (the elect) can only love God with the love that is required because .. A) .. they have been regenerated, and B) have been redeemed by Christ .. God is the one who soveriegnly brings us to the place where we can show him this love
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren
Here we enter into what God has chosen to do ... the first part speaks to an eternal choice on Gods part "For those whom He foreknew" this is not speaking to the philosophical idea .. of looking into the future and choosing based on the "free choices of man" as it is so commonly assumed .. there is another way that speaks solely of God choice in the elect ... he chose to enter into a redeeming relationship with a group of people ... so the term "those" becomes a personal quality
those who are chosen are personal, not non personal ... are the same group to which Paul then describes as being conformed ... this is also personal ... it is not speaking to personal blessing but is speaking to a group of people ... so these people who are personally chosen ... are elected unto son ship, and conformed to the image of his son
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Continuing the flow of the presentation .. we now turn to four actions which describe an already finalized position of the believer(s) -- we know this from 2 points that present themselves in this verse.
1 -- the actions are in the past tense, 2 -- are in the active voice
on the first it is speak of these actions being in eternity past and also that they are presented as past action on our behalf .. so in form of speak .. the father is the object of these personal action, and the son is the subject of these actions .. and the believer is the result .. on the second Paul has the same group through out .. being the elect
then dealing with the actions ... the Father ... He predestined, He also called, like wise, He called, He also justified, and also He justified, He also glorified
a) Justification .. that God makes man right before him, so man is righteous and just not on account of anything he himself does, but in that which Christ does in his salvific work .. and man can not lose this justification since it is not his own
b) glorification ... this the end result of a believer who receive the full reward of eternal life .. that happen through sanctification
c) sanctification is the ongoing work of the spirit to conform us to the image of Christ our lord --- which is part n part with the act of renewing the heart of believer .. taking the heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh.
Above we have given a contextual exegesis of the text in question and we have given a rather in depth analysis of this. Revealing that the Calvinistic understanding to be the true understanding, with no questions raised
Now lets consider some of the points given by the writer.
3 "the called according to His purpose" - we are not called by a still, mysterious voice or by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit or by God Himself, but by the gospel (2 Thees. 2:14).4 Those who hear, believe and respond in obedience are referred to as "the called" (Gal. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:9).
As nice as this may sound the problems are abundant and growing. assuming that Gods purpose and the Gospel are one in the same is a far stretch, in reality Gods purposes are his own set standards such as our choosing being based on Gods own kindness, and based upon Christ obedience which is both eternal and as a human.
And to say that it is not based on the "direct operation of the Spirit or God himself" is to misunderstand the bible in totality. since the bible tells us that this just how one is brought out. drawn to the faith, via the regeneration of the spirit and the proclamation of the spirit
Even the foreign text from 2 Thessalonians 2 says this same truth, lets consider this for a moment;
But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, either by our message or by our letter. -- 2 Thessalonians 2 : 13 -15
Here is the full context that is referenced in point 3 but what is not spoken of is the words that lead onto the activity of preaching the gospel. First, we have the divine drawing of the one true God. Second, this choosing was carried out "borne" through the working of the spirit "regeneration" and belief in the truth. Third, this comes through either hearing the gospel by us or through reading and studying the bible in the spirit.
Therefore, the context is point to our Calvinistic understanding and not the non reformed understanding which is being forced into the text.
now the second point "those who hear, believe and respond in obedience.... are the called" this is not what the gospel states, the bible teaches this. the natural man, it is true that he can hear the word he does not have the capacity to understand the gospel until God grants him this ability.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him. --- Matthew 11:25-27
For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes;otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,understand with their heartsand turn back— and I would cure them.“But your eyes are blessed because they do see, and your ears because they do hear! For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them. Matthew 13:13 -17
The above passage make it clear that God has only give the ability to understand his ways to those of whom he has given to Christ. Christ says in these text that the father has kept these thing from the wise and revealed them to infants. and also, looking, they do not see. hearing they do not listen or understand. showing that the father supernaturally chose to to give many, but pass over others. this truth can be seen in john 6 :37 -39, 44 and 10:27-29,
Now lets move on to the next major point that i want to address, that being Ephesians 1:4-5,11
God has had an eternal plan in mind - a scheme of redemption for those who will accept it.Those who are chosen are those who are "in Him" (Christ) vs. 3-4We become God's children by our faith in and obedience to Christ's gospel (v. 5). God adopts us into His family upon our obedience (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:4-6).The counsel of God's will (v. 11) refers to His decision to send Jesus to redeem the obedient.Here is this persons summarisation of what this important passage teaches about God and his eternal choice. and in that manner he choose based on his own sovereign council and will, a number of these point are easily seen as being false.
Before we take on some of these, we need to have a look at the verses in question;
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved
Here Paul introduces another element of this predestined action to which "we" are the subject. meaning that we are the only thing in the picture that has any direct application to this personal action on Gods part "even as he chose us in him." we are the one predestined in Christ for adoption and blessings .. the blessings are not predestined to an unknown faceless crowd, we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world
In these verses we have a greater implication as to the true meaning of the passage .. we start with this little part "In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ." before we get to this i believe Paul here is making a second mention of predestination in manner of Romans 8 : 28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." at this point i feel that the terms in love and foreknow carry the same biblical understand when it is shown with this context it is.
again we have a personal application and a fulfillment in this verse, "us for adoption as sons" the us reveal a personal application to this blessing or position to which the blessings come through .. we have been bestowed blessings as the adopted son in Christ --- "according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace" ... this refers to the glory of God being demonstrated in the union of sinners to him through Christ
again the blessing are only to be given to us due the faithfulness of the Lord .. he is the one who makes these blessings come to us
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will
Now we come to another key verse " In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."
In and through Jesus we his chosen, the elect have obtained an inheritance. this is something which is left to us due to a promise it is a gift, which Jesus has guarantees us in his work as the messiah
and all things are given in accordance to the counsel of his will.
but we are the subject to which have been predestined for this object of greatness
Above we have given a contextual exegesis of the text in question and we have given a rather in depth analysis of this. revealing that the Calvinistic understanding to be the true understanding, with no questions raised
Now lets consider some of the points given by the writer.
3.We become God's children by our faith in and obedience to Christ's gospel (v. 5). God adopts us into His family upon our obedience (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:4-6).4. The counsel of God's will (v. 11) refers to His decision to send Jesus to redeem the obedient.
In understanding this passage we must see how this person has twisted its meaning. we see a prime example in the way he chooses to make his case. by saying "we become Gods children by our faith and obedience to Christ's gospel. so he is saying our relationship with God is based on our own act of obedience, the passage does not teach this. in fact, the bible bible nowhere makes such a claim
first of all, we become children of God through the adoption of the spirit, not based on our obedience. this is nothing more than a false idea called works righteousness. it is clear that each believe is chosen by God before creation even the text states this and we are given to Christ by the father as a demonstration of his love for the son
Second, If it was true that our obedience counts towards our becoming Gods children then why does the bible tell us that the unregenerate person can not please God
For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.-- Romans 8 :5- 8
In this section we have to note the last verses and how they remove any consideration to human ability. in fact, the word "cannot" is one of the strongest Greek terms, which indicates the negation of man ability in the context. it is "ou dynatai."
there has been a strong rise of people who do not wish to allow the bible to speak for itself. but who would rather speak for it and say it is only speaking of the fact that men can not earn their way .
But this is the consistent testimony of scripture, that man can not understand the the gospel until God has opened him up to it, john 6 :44, acts 16 11-15
So the reality is that we can only be obedient after the Spirit of God has renewed us unto repentance and divine saving faith which produces obedience in a persons heart and soul. this is seen in the fruit that faith produces "works of righteousness"
This acts is known as regeneration of the Spirit, where one is converted from a dead sinner to a alive saint
As for the second point, "The counsel of God's will (v. 11) refers to His decision to send Jesus to redeem the obedient." in light of the above passage which is describing the unregenerated mind, how can one be obedient to the gospel. this is simply no way he can. and if they were already obedient to God why do they need to be redeemed. the point in being redeemed is that he redeemed those who were once disobedient.
also when did God decided to send Christ, was it before man was created as the bible clearly tell us or was it after man was created meaning his decisions are based on man actions
Even Paul makes the point that human acts did not determine Gods choice, notice his words;
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.Here Paul basically tells us God's choice in election is not based on human will but based on his own determination which is in accord to his will and council, and is founded upon the work of one person the Lord Jesus Christ which his obedience from eternity and in humanity
For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
this passage plainly teaches that all human forms of work whether in reality or foreseeable are not in the equation
Also worthy of noting is the following fact about this passage. the statement "and this is not from yourselves" refers back to the previous 3 stated acts, which indicate that the grace, the saving and the faith are all divine in origin.
Conclusion
So we see another attack on the reformed doctrine of predestination is found to be of no basis upon the strong testimony of scripture, which has been exegetically proven to be the case. what do we learn from this examination.
the non - reformed position can not defend itself from scriptures, but is based on assertion and philosophical notions.and we see that the Calvinistic reformed position is once again vindicated of all charges, and shown to be scripturally ascertained and proven.
