I was wondering if anyone had any insight on them matter of election. Of course, I've heard from Bob George countless times his belief that predestination concerns Jews and Gentiles, not you's and me's. He always points to the book of Ephesians to explain predestination. However...I can't reconcile Romans chapter 9 with the belief that election only deals with the salvation of Jews and Gentiles. Also in Acts, the Spirit says: "And everyone who was appointed to Eternal Life, believed."
The idea that God chooses to harden some and save others doesn't sit well with me, but if it's the truth, then I can't do anything about it. But if Bob George is right, I would really love to hear the explanation of Romans chapter 9 and that verse I mentioned in Acts.
3 comments:
I'm not going to be dogmatic like Bob and if anyone disagrees, it won't hurt my feelings. :}
We all deserve destruction...every last one of us. God in His mercy provided a way for us to be made right with Him through His son Jesus. God could have made each one of us with the desire to choose to believe in Jesus, but by His will, chose to make those whom He knew wouldn't choose Him. Why? I think Paul tells us why in verse 23:
He did so to make known the riches of His glory
It isn't God's will that they should perish, but it is their disobedience that seals their fate and destines them for destruction...because Jesus is a "STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed." (1 Peter 2:8)
I love Bob to death, but he says many things that bug me. His chiding of those who study the Old Testament by asking, "What are you doing over there for?" bugs me. I agree that Christians shouldn't be under the old covenant, but I think there are many things to learn there. The entire Bible points to Christ and the Old Testament has many beautiful revelations of God's love.
Another thing he does is to stretch passages to mean something they don't mean in order to use them to preach against his pet peeves. One case in point is Hebrews 10. In context, verses 26 and 27 are referring to those who reject the sacrifice of Christ and go back to the sacrifice of bulls and goats. Bob teaches that as well, but then he stretches it to support his teaching that 1 John 1:9 isn't a "Christian bar of soap." I agree with his teaching about 1 John 1:9, but his use of Hebrews 10 to condemn those who believe in keeping "short accounts," goes too far...in my opinion.
In Christ,
Gary
Hey Gary,
Thanks for commenting on this...I agree with everything you mentioned here. The main thing that bugs me is when he seems to insinuate that people who don't understand the entire process of their salvation, aren't saved.
Other than that and his view of election, I think Bob is great and teaches the Gospel in all it's truth and glory. I love listening to his show every week day. I don't want to make Bob out to be a liar or anything. He teaches the scripture wonderfully.
'Predestination' doesn't bug me as it does to the Calvinists. I am not sure if I am over-simplifying this. To me, predestination (if it is other than Jew and Gentiles coming together in Christ) is nothing but God knowing in His foreknowledge who is going to receive LIFE and who is not. Christ's death was for ALL (that He reconciled the world unto Himself). Scripture is pretty clear on that. But it was a pre-requisite which made us capable of receiving LIFE in Christ. But God knew that it was a 'narrow path', He knew not all of us are going to receive life, but I don't think He 'predestined' few that they don't receive life at all. That would be very contrary to His true character.
This is more like a logical reasoning than being too dogmatic.
I do not see a problem in "And everyone who was appointed to Eternal Life, believed.". What's wrong in God knowing in advance that who is going to believe? To think that He appointed some to be believers and some to be unbelievers is to think that there is no free will.
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