CALVINISM IS RIGHT ABOUT UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION—where the nation of Israel is concerned but wrong on the election and salvation of the individual sinner. Without national election of the seed line there could be no salvation, for the Redeemer, the GOD-MAN, must come into the human race at God’s time in order for a suitable substitute to be offered and the wages of sin not only be met but absolute justification assured.
GOD is not only Holy, Righteous and Just, His very nature is Love. His Holiness demands total separation from sin, His Righteousness obligates a suitable fellow to meet it, His Love demands a willing acceptance of His gift. God’s Love is never depicted in scripture as first making a sinner willing to receive it, then bestowing favor upon the one forced to receive or made willing to receive it. A robotic or mechanical relationship between two can not be love but a mere arrangement that is domination–whether among men or between God and man. Love does not allow one to force or coerce another to.correspond to it.
EVEN among men, a forced relationship is contrary to reason and conscience. The argument that man is so depraved in his natural state that he can not respond to anything higher than beastly lusts is contrary to the Bible, experience, and history. The grossest imperfection does not obliterate moral ability no matter how low the morals are claimed to be. Fallen man can still accuse and excuse himself and others. (Romans 2:15) “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Matthew 11:21) The Lord gave enough light to Tyre and Sidon that they COULD have repented but not so much that they WOULD repent, although He definitely could have forced them to do so. The lack of Bible repentance and belief is totally laid to a free decision, not to the absence of a forced and coerced election or the total inability of man.
IN every case in the Bible, the lack of repentance and salvation of a man is laid on the doorstep of his refusal and never to the lack of God’s election. Of course Calvinism interprets all reference to the depravity of man as absolute and total, ignoring references to any moral ability of man.
GOD’S election is based in Christ and those in Christ are there due to God’s FOREKNOWLEDGE of their acceptance of Christ and not to an arbitrary election to put them into compliance. To every man enough light is given to accept or reject God: “That (Christ) was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9)
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29) In
THERE is a difference between the election of Israel above all others and the election of an individual in salvation. There is also a difference between salvation outside the Body of Christ and salvation of those in the Body of Christ. This is why God gave through Paul two specific instructions not given by any other Bible writer: “COMPARE” and “DIVIDE”
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
COMPARING spiritual things with spiritual things means there are critical differences between spiritual things that must be examined. It is the investigation and examination between good and good as well as bad and good. Such comparison is possible only by a regenerated man and when he wills to be enabled by the Holy Spirit.
