Originally Posted by Robin
The wonder is not so much that God has shown mercy to some and justice to the rest. The real wonder is that He shows mercy to anyone at all! For the elect are no less deserving of His just wrath than the non-elect. The fact that any rebel justly deserving hell is spared from it by the sacrifice of the only righteous One who ever lived is spectacular proof of God's infinite mercy in spite of the fact that such mercy is not given to all rebels.
AMEN! If someone wishes to emphasize the love, mercy and grace of God it isn't going to be accomplished by making such universal but particular. In a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon he mentioned that a woman approached him after a service and asked how it was possible that God hated Esau. His reply was that her question wasn't really that difficult to answer. The real question should have been, how could God love Jacob? One has to ponder with awe how it is that Adam and Eve weren't immediately cast into hell. Why was Noah and his family spared from the flood and the rest of the entire world perished? Far too many are like poor Abraham who argued with God when he was told that Sodom and Gomorrah was going to be destroyed. God's answer should put our thinking on the right path. It is utterly impossible to comprehend the holiness of God nor the depth of depravity of man.

In regard to the atonement, again... How is it possible that God determined to save a particular people from the fallen race of Adam, but the Son voluntarily atoned for every man, woman and child? And what of the Holy Spirit? Does He dispense a universal 'prevenient grace' to be in accord with the Son? Or, does He side with the Father and only effectually call the elect? scratch1

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simul iustus et peccator

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