sjreeves@eedsp.gatech.edu (Stan Reeves) (08/12/89)
Just a comment about Lance's questions before I get into my main subject. He asks two questions in light of the predestination issue: 1) Why evangelize? and 2) Why live for God? OFM's comments were excellent, and I have no desire to take away from his answers. However, I'd like to add one more thought. Let's not lose sight of the fact that we are under obligation to God, not b/c we always see the reasonableness of his ways, but b/c he has commanded us to do certain things. We may think it unreasonable that God doesn't take us directly to heaven when we're saved, but we labor on, knowing that God's wisdom is better than ours. The same should be true in regard to Lance's questions above. Even if we are never able to reconcile the biblical concept of predestination with our responsibility, we should not reject it on that count. We have a clear responsibility to evangelize and live for God, so we can be sure that that is the wisest course, whether we understand its connnection to predestination or not! Now, on to the topic at hand. I feel that the predestination issue needs to be balanced by more emphasis on the mystery involved. I want to introduce this emphasis by quoting from some venerable predestinarian sources. First, John Calvin (Inst. III. xxi. 1): Human curiosity renders the discussion of predestination, already somewhat difficult of itself, very confusing and even dangerous. No restraints can hold it back from wandering in forbidden bypaths and thrusting upward to the heights. If allowed, it will leave no secret to God that it will not search out and unravel. Since we see so many on all sides rushing into this audacity and impudence, among them certain men not otherwise bad, they should in due season be reminded of the measure of their duty in this regard. First, then, let them remember that when they inquire into predestination they are penetrating the sacred precincts of divine wisdom. If anyone with carefree assurance breaks into this place, he will not succeed in satisfying his curiosity and he will enter a labyrinth from which he can find no exit. [Is this the recursive loop that OFM warned us about? :-) ] For it is not right for man unrestrainedly to search out things that the Lord has willed to be hid in himself, and to unfold from eternity itself the sublimest wisdom, which he would have us revere but not understand[,] that through this also he should fill us with wonder. He has set forth by his Word the secrets of his will that he has decided to reveal to us. These he decided to reveal in so far as he foresaw that they would concern us and benefit us. One more, the Westminster Confession of Faith (III. viii.): The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men, attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation [calling], be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. There you have it. These warning are not meant to stifle all discussion on predestination. They are meant to teach us a proper humility in doing so. On one hand, the proponent of this doctrine must not act as though he has all the answers, b/c by its very nature the doctrine is surrounded by mystery. On the other hand, the one who questions this doctrine must not assume that the lack of an answer to all his questions invalidates the doctrine itself. Stan Reeves