This thread is the continuation of a discussion started on the “1844” thread in the articles section.
[quote author="Greg"]
If we are being honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that there are just some things we don’t understand, such as how God can choose some for eternal life while passing over others
[quote author="guibox"]
Though I don’t agree with this, if you do in fact believe that ‘God can choose some while passing over others’ then eternal torment becomes even MORE of a serious issue of the character of God! Comparing this to both death and eternal torment, that is the equivalent of saying, ‘I will choose who I am going to save from falling over the cliff’ to ‘I will choose who I am going to throw over the cliff’
I did not intend to start a whole new avenue of discussion in my reply to you as quoted above, but apparently that is what I’ve done. My only point was that God is sovereign and his choices are just. Stated another way, whatever he does by definition is right. In our human-centered way of thinking, we often see God through our human perspective and attempt to ascribe qualities to him that satisfy our human sense of right and wrong. But I’d like to suggest that this is exactly like the “lump of clay” of Romans 9 second-guessing the potter.
Scripture is replete with examples where God has chosen some (e.g. Israel, Noah, the 12 disciples, the apostle Paul, etc.) while resisting and even expressing wrath toward others. Thinking about this from our human perspective, we are quick to label God as unfair or unjust. But what does he owe us? He has already given everyone on this planet bountiful common graces—the rising and setting sun, the rain, the natural world, etc. “...he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45 ESV)
Like I said in my previous post, I do not claim to know why some people are born again and others are not. This is like asking which way the wind will blow next, an analogy used by Jesus himself when he was asked by Nicodemus how to be born again. “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:7-8 ESV)
If anything, these words should cause us to humbly acknowledge the gifts God has graciously bestowed on all of us (saved or unsaved) and the richness of the gift of his Son, who has paid a price for our sins that we deserved to pay. I cannot use the above texts to sit back smugly and point my finger at others who are not born again, rather, I intensify my efforts in prayer and proclaiming the gospel so that all who have ears to hear will hear.
Greg