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by __id_2618 » Sat May 10, 2008 6:16 pm
I am not talking about ultimate or final salvation. Perserverance of the saints is not in my frame of reference for my question. Nor am I talking about false converts. Am I clear on this? I am not talking about final glorification in the physical kingdom of God. What I am talking about is us going through the process of being saved and sanctified, which takes place once we have been saved. Why do many geniune believers struggle with sin, slowly grow in the faith and bear very little fruit?
Isaiah 1:2-4
"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward."
In this text God calls these people His children, and even says that He personally raised them. Should we suppose God did not give the necessary grace that would enable them to remain with Him in obedience and thus keep them from forsaking Him? Most Christians would view God as a good Father, and would think that He would give His children all the necessary things to persevere in faith, sanctification and love. In fact, most Christians really do believe their Father is faithful, and that he will not let them be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that they may be able to endure it. This is what the Scripture says, and God's Faithfulness hangs upon it.
Isaiah 5:4
"What could have been done more to my vineyard (Israel), that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?"
Was God being sincere when He lamented that He did all He could do to produce good fruit in Israel? If He was sincere, why was His provision of grace intentionally not effectual? This is exactly what I am talking about. Calvinism says God's grace for the relatively few unbelievers chosen for eternal life is effectual to bring them to faith. Why then is His grace for those who have been brought to faith not effectual to produce fruit, sanctification and maturity? It would seem to follow that God would continue to work in an effectual way to produce fruit, sanctification/holiness and maturity if He has indeed worked in an effectual way to bring sinners to faith. But even this is questioned by those who aren't trained to believe in Calvinism.
Jeremiah 13:15-17,
“Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings the darkness…But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.”
With regards to this passage, Walls and Dongell make the following observation,
“Knowing that Judah did not turn and listen, the Calvinist concludes that God had already chosen to withhold his transforming grace from them, though he could easily have granted it. So while the text seems to identify Judah’s pride as the root cause of punishment, the Calvinist instead concludes that Judah’s ability to repent depends on God’s eternally fixed plan. Again, although the text seems to identify salvation as God’s deepest desire, the Calvinist must conclude that at a deeper level God never intended to bestow transforming grace on Jeremiah’s hearers. In other words, the true intentions of God cannot be discerned from his words.” [Why I Am Not A Calvinist, pg. 57- emphasis in original]
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