Being a man, I have the inherent tendency to not see that which is directly in front of my face. My wife gets annoyed when she sends me to find something, she even will tell me where it is, and yet a large percentage of the time I come back sheepishly declaring "I can't find it." She'll take me by the hand, lead me to exactly where she said it was, and magically pull whatever it was I was sent to find from the very place she said it was. "But it wasn't there!!!" I would protest. Of course it was, I just didn't see it. As my father used to like to say "It was too close to your face." Often I feel the same way about people that don't see God. He's right in front of their faces, but they can't see Him. Why?
Reformed theology believes that we cannot see God, for we suppress the truth, swallow the lie, and seek not after Him, for we hate Him (Romans 1:21-23, John 15:18). We, in our natural, fallen condition would never choose to follow or love God. It requires a miraculous work of God to change the hearts of His elect, to give them the gift of faith in order for them to choose to follow Christ. God, in His sovereignty has given us the will to choose Him, for we could not choose Him prior to that due to our enslavement to sin. This has been called by some 'irresistible grace'. Some have tried to equate this doctrine with God dragging sinners kicking and screaming into heaven. This of course is categorically wrong. As the picture used above has done, it has confused our stance before and after grace applied. In the poster is the picture of cyborgs. The author of this poster believes that as we are transformed we become cyborgs (of a sort). What he/she has failed to understand is that THAT is our condition BEFORE conversion (a slave to sin), and it is only after regeneration that we become free to choose to follow Christ or to sin (which all people, even after conversion, still struggle with). I have attempted to use parables to describe this phenomenon to unbelievers and I can't do it justice. I cannot describe the overwhelming joy of seeing God for who He is and loving Him for it. Before coming to Christ, I would curse God for His holiness, His law, His goodness. Now, I praise Him for those very things that I had before hated. Before conversion, I couldn't run away fast enough from Him, now I cannot but run to Him. What changed? This is a difficult question to answer from an Arminian perspective, as inevitably they have to admit that they have played a role in choosing and loving God prior to conversion (as opposed to the clear teaching of Paul in Romans 3:9-18). As a reformer, I have no other opinion to offer other than in His saving grace and plan, He saved me, He opened my eyes and gave me faith in order for me to see Him as He is and love Him for it. I played no role in this, for it was His work. His grace is truly irresistible, for I cannot get enough of Him. Thanks be to Him who gave me grace.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI read often, and consider your thoughts a great deal. Ponder in my heart is the biblical expression, I believe. Your statement "it is only after regeneration that we become free to choose to follow Christ or to sin" calls for comment.
That is the very thing that I argue! "free to choose" One chooses to follow God's laws, or not, otherwise we are simply puppets on a string. Did God direct, lead, make, inspire me to sin?? No. He created me to live in a sinful world, where I would be tempted by evil, where my humanness would want to do evil. He gives me his Spirit of influence and counsel, who will keep me from sin if I listen, but ultimately I choose to put my hand to the flame.
What changed? The love for a God who is so good and perfect, he loved me first, gave me his Spirit, redeemed my sinful heart, and teaches me to WANT to do good. He gives me strength to make good choices. He does not demand of me, force me, put me on strings to follow his whim.
I absolutely agree that he opened my eyes. He gave me faith. "He who has eyes to see..." However, if I have choice inside of faith, why wouldn't I have choice outside of faith?
Once I am truly repentant, truly loving and following him, I don't believe for a second he would let me go. He would pursue me to the ends of the earth, just as he does any unbeliever. ("God desires that all should come to him") However, if I continue to want to sin, to choose my sin over him, how can I be close to him? How is that faith?
So many of the things you and I discuss are very similar. I enjoy digging in, and talking about these things, as the word says "iron sharpens iron". It's good to debate, because it forces me to evaluate my own convictions, and seek his counsel on issues.
love to all,
T
Hi T, thanks for the comments. I want to take your inquiry seriously and will endeavor to answer honestly and faithfully from the Word.
ReplyDeleteWhen we read Romans 3:11-18 Paul repeats OT verses from Psalms and Jeremiah. If we look carefully at the language, Paul uses universal language that expressly condemns all humanity in our sinfulness, unable and unwilling to seek after God. It is only by the gift of faith that we are saved. We are given the gift of faith, we haven't earned it by choosing God. Ephesians 2:1-10 also speaks clearly about this.
We are all called to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, but because of our slavery to sin ("bondage of the will" as Martin Luther put it) and love of our sin, we will not choose Him. Only by the gift of the Holy Spirit by His choosing (John 3:5-8; 17:9) can we freely choose Him. As the illustration above mentions, we are not the cyborgs AFTER conversion, but BEFORE conversion.
God does not ever lead you to sin, you have that innate ability all on your own. What is different is that you (as a Christian) are now truly free to choose Him when confronted with a situation that you could sin. He does not give everyone the Spirit of influence and council, only those that are His have the Holy Spirit. He has written His law on our hearts (conscience) so all know what is right and wrong (even prior to conversion, Romans 2:15).
You wouldn't have choice outside the faith because unregenerate people don't search after God, they are bound by sin. God does not pursue unbelievers to the ends of the earth, He pursues His sheep (big difference). He takes no delight in the death of the wicked, but they will glorify Him in their day of Justice. We must remember that God offers 2 good things, either mercy (via faith in Christ) or justice (via breaking the law apart from Christ).
Please read over the scriptures I referenced and ask how those scriptures possibly fit with true "freedom of the will."
Thanks T. Talk soon.