God chooses

I have recently enjoyed some lively discussion on the concept of God's free will and man's. The debate comes down to this: In the end, who is sovereign: God or me? You may not like to see it that plainly, but that's the debate. Did Jesus die just hoping that someone would trust him alone, or did he know who his atoning work would justify? I will make a few brief comments here and then copy a note I wrote to a friend after that.

Objection #1: "If God chooses then there is no reason for World Missions."
This argument says, "Hey, if they are going to get saved no matter what then I have no motivation to go." To that I say "Huh?" Motivation #1: God told us to go! Motivation #2: It's not just wishful thinking to think there are people in Genovia who will come to Christ (if I work hard enough and say all the right things)--no! God has WILLED that people of every tribe and tongue come to him. I go tell them in faith, not in my flesh. The great motivation to GO commit our lives to missions is that God has chosen some of every tribe and nation. Woooooo.

Objection #2: "If God chooses then why pray?"
This argument goes like this: "Since God has chosen those who will be saved and it is determined, why pray?" To that I say, "Huh??" If God allows uncle Jimmy to be sovereign over his salvation (by having the final say regarding if he is going to come to Christ or not), then I'd see your logic. Since Jimmy has "free will" and will ultimately decide to choose to follow God or not--don't pray. The logic: "God will not act decisively in any way to save Jimmy." Therefore, your logic is correct: pray to Jimmy not for him. But if God can act decisively and save jimmy, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! God is sovereign. Woooooo.

Okay, here is my response to my amazing friend. Feel free to comment.

Hi Aaron, great note, and great thoughts. I'm not fond of everything he does, but RC Sproul has a great synopsis of this concept in "Grace Unknown." I'm editing this note as I go to make it fit--sorry for my brevity . . . 1. Though God is not "willing" that any should perish, that does not mean that he has chosen everyone to be saved. There are different meanings to the word "willing." The first is God's determined will (like "every knee WILL bow")--this is a fact. The second is God prescriptive will (God wills that none should bear false witness--but we ALL do). The third, and I believe the meaning Peter has in mind has to do with his desires. God doesn't WANT anyone to go to hell, but that doesn't mean he has chosen everyone. For instance, you don't WANT your amazing new baby to face pain and wars and disease, but you know she will. 2. God himself tells us that the majority of people will not come to be with Him in heaven--which rules out universalism. Jesus said in Matthew that "many" walk the broad road to destruction, but "few" will walk the narrow way to life. "Many" will say to him "Lord, Lord," and he will reply "Depart from me."

3. As you are implying, if we accept the concept of a limited atonement, we aren't saying that Jesus' atonement was not SUFFICIENT for every sin of all time (of course it IS!), but that it is not EFFICIENT (or intended) to cover every sin of all time. In the end, limited atonement simply teaches that Jesus did not die in vain, merely hoping that someone would believe, instead, he knew going in that his atoning work would accomplish exactly what he intended it to accomplish. 4. About works, we must work. No one can say that Christ has made him or her alive but not work--otherwise, James says, their faith is dead and useless. So here we simply come to a logical sequence. The only sequence that makes sense is God quickens (gives spiritual life), we respond with faith and subsequent works. The great illustration: (Ephesians 2 and) Lazarus. What did he contribute to his "life"? Nothing but his corpse (which God supplied). How did he come to life? Obeying the voice he heard AFTER HE ALREADY WAS MADE ALIVE.

5. Logical contradictions. Since it is ALL of grace and all who are genuinely saved MUST work, we are here at an impasse that none of my college profs or favorite philosophers want to rest. I take great delight to rest here. These two concepts are not resolved in Scripture, nor in any writings from the dawn of time until this one (and I won't even try). And we simply accept that they are both true: it is all of God' grace and we must work if our faith is genuine. In closing, let me encourage you to re-consider one phrase you used above. You said some are destined to heaven and some to hell. Let us remember together that we have all first chosen hell. We have gravely and selfishly rebelled against God in his heaven with our selfish and hateful ways. From the outset we have all chosen to hate God and to be doomed with Satan to everlasting judgment. So for each person who receives grace upon grace to understand and repent from his self-destructive shadow of a life, all the glory goes to Christ. He has graciously chosen to redeem SOME, and that is the fuel for my undying passion and love for him! I can love him only because he first loved me. I love wrestling these things with you! Jon