The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Election a hurdle?!?!

Well, that is certainly a relief to read. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I hope you are getting what I've tried to impress upon you re: the REAL issue that really bugs people isn't so much Unconditional Election but rather the doctrine of Total Depravity, which lies at the root of most all these types of complaints.

1) God doesn't "force" anyone to do anything, either good or bad and especially in regard to someone loving Him. We could also turn that around and ask, how is it even feasible that some depraved sinner could get a thrice-holy God to love them? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratchchin.gif" alt="" /> Since ALL are under condemnation, surely God's wrath must be appeased before even He could love anyone, no? Well, the "Good News" is that His wrath has been appeased by Christ's propitiation which was offered in behalf of all those for whom the Father gave Him. Isn't that marvelous? God appeased His own wrath by sacrificing Himself. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/drop.gif" alt="" /> God's election of certain sinners was done with a view to them being "in Christ" (Eph 1:4-13). If God loved everyone equally, then ALL would be saved for God's love isn't like our human sentimentality but rather it is active; i.e., it procures that which it is put upon.

2) If it were not for God's Unconditional Election which includes the actual salvation of the objects of it through means, then no one would give a hoot about God, Christ or salvation never mind loving God and rendering obedience to Him as LORD. Because ALL are born dead in sins, the only possible way that anyone CAN love God, never mind will to love God is if they are regenerated (aka: born again). This new birth is also part of God's election in Christ whereby the Spirit of God recreates (resurrects) the dead soul and thus enables a sinner to see themselves for who they are and to see God for Who He is. Out of that new nature flows a love for God and thus as the sinner loved sin and hated God by nature, so the regenerated sinner hates sin and loves God most naturally and most freely. So again, no one is "forced" to love God. But no one is capable of loving God unless God loves Him first. (1Jh 4:19; 15:16; Rom 3:11; Eph 1:3-5; 4:17-19)

3) Lastly, there is no such animal as "free-will" as taught by semi-Pelagianism/Arminianism. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/igiveup.gif" alt="" /> A naturally born sinner is without doubt "free" to do that which is accord with his nature. And the nature being corrupt, depraved, sinful can only choose to sin. Thus a sinner is free to sin to his heart's content according to the dictates of his nature. Loving God, believing on Christ and/or striving after righteousness is NOT something which a sinful nature desires. So again, unless and until a man's nature is changed, he cannot do what these people say they should be allowed to do... to make a "free-will" decision for Christ. Dead people are incapable of making choices concerning life. It took the sovereign life-giving word of God incarnate to resurrect Lazarus from the tomb before he was capable of walking from it. And this is where these people you meet err. They simply refuse to accept the biblical teaching that the natural man is DEAD. Thus, they believe men can cooperate with God in their salvation by contributing to it through their "free-will" choices. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/nope.gif" alt="" />

Okay.... enough! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/giggle.gif" alt="" />

Here's a few more salient articles which you will definitely benefit from:

1) Presbyterian Doctrine of Total Depravity, by Thomas Gregory

2) Total Depravity, by Rev. Gordon Girod

3) The Sinfulness of Man's Natural State, by Thomas Boston

4) Free-Will a Slave, by Charles Spurgeon (one of my favorite sermons by Spurgeon)

5) There Are Only Two Religions in the World, by John Reisinger

In His grace,