If He can do this, why does He not move . . Answers I escaped with only minor injuries from a bad car wreck a few months ago. What then shall we say? Often when that happens, we need to step back and look at the problem from a different angle. Reddit, Inc. 2023. Send it to us at [emailprotected] or JCN, P.O. I've been studying theology for many years, and I still can't come up with any Never forget: Because of Christ we have hope. Must Watch - Why Does God Save Some But Not Others? - YouTube 3Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.. (See Ecclesiastes 9: 10). heart out of the biblical teaching. People dig in their heels and end up repeating themselves as they try to convince each other that they're right. He will not save those who reject His Son, Jesus Christ, but everyone has a choice. I know of no more difficult a theological question to deal with than this one. Or consider Romans 3:25-26: This was to show Gods righteousness. Father, thank You that You have chosen me to know You. When I was teaching Bible and Greek at Bethel College from 1974 to 1980, virtually every class brought up the problems of the sovereignty of God vis--vis the will of man. Clint Archer, who pastors Hillcrest Baptist Church in Durban, South Africa, which is an Evangelical Reformed Baptist Church, said the question has come up when discussing the topic of salvation. Is God biased? Is it fair to save only some? - Christian Answers Network Permissions Local: 704-401-2432 Changes will take effect once you reload the page. His point is that when God chooses one over another it is not because that one deserves greater blessings. He saves you FOR GOD so that your life will be lived for Him. But listen: She is in heaven now and all her pain and weakness are gone. (Part I). ), Service Times, Directions, Map, & Covid Protocols, Tim Keller on the Love of God in the Gospel, The Masters Questions to His Questioners, Trinitarian Theology for the Nourishment of Your Soul, Extraordinary Request and Ordinary Things in Ordinary Ways in Ordinary Places, An Extraordinary Request and Ordinary Things in Ordinary Ways. Whoa, thats a big claim. I think God knew from all eternity that man would Why Does God Save Some People and not Others? - qwertysonic Help me to understand if there is sin in my life from which I need to repent to draw nearer to You. I could say the reason I responded was that I was more righteous This, of course, touches immediately on the very difficult and controversial When Paul refers five verses later, in verse 22, to Gods desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, [enduring] with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, thats exactly what he has just done with Pharaoh in verse 17. After enduring much suffering, Job struggled to understand why these things were happening to him. This was the longest and hardest I've prayed continuously. Praise then erupts in the throne room of God. Text and audio are available. The film raises big questions, like why does God save some and not others, and what are we supposed to be praying for anyway? Return to homepage. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. I will say in passing, as we skate over the surface What does God have to do with a person coming to faith? now = new Date Those are usually the two reasons people give for saying, No, you shouldnt use Romans 9 to talk about individual election or predestination.. Justice, it is said, demands that all should have an equal opportunity; that all should have, by nature or from grace, power to secure their own salvation. Revelation 20:2 says that Satan will be bound during the 1,000 years. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Predestination - Does God Pick Some and Not Others? Called to Communion - Why Does God Save Some & Not Others? So, in the spring of 1979, I asked for a sabbatical. Were not especially savable or lovable. Please enable scripts and reload this page. In regards to children Psalm 127:3, 5 says that children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.. What about Israel, though? You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. All rights reserved. Unfortunately, that is where many people end the discussion. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. "Are there sins that undermine your salvation when they reach a particular level of frequency? Solicitation Disclosure Statement What does Jesus becoming man, becoming Immanuel God With Us have to do with our making disciples of all nations? and his omniscience is as eternal as he is. Free will does not makes sense in these scenarios, so I dont see how that can really work for a sickness or an illness. She has been healed completely and forever! to honor Jesus. Help me know You more and more closely. some measure of intelligence and some measure of humility, most of which would He set a perfect example in remaining fully submitted to the Father. So whats he saying? He may answer or He may not. Maybe, theres help in looking at other choices that God has made in Scripture. Those who then follow Satan will be destroyed with him in what the Bible calls, second death.It will be a death from which there will be no more opportunity for life. The point of evangelism is not primarily to save our neighbors from hell. fall, that man would rebel against him, and he also knew that he was going to It is not. That modification leaves out the main point of the incarnation, the main point of the cross, the main point of the resurrection. Calling God 'Father' is problematic, says Archbishop of York . Now in the Greek it is just if, but what if is okay because we should answer the what if question by saying, Well, no legitimate objection can be raised. Ill come back to that. God simply decided to have mercy on him and through him, show mercy to the world. And Revelation 5 is not alone in this regard. Why did God call him and not someone else? To each one of these persons' God predestined them to salvation. So tooa small child who has good parents learns to trust them. But He doesnt stop there. There are great Hey all, first post here. "The former, His expressed will for us, He doesn't always get; but the latter, His ordained plan for the world, He certainly will accomplish. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or badin order that Gods purposein election might stand:not by works but by him who callsshe was told, The older will serve the younger. Just as it is written: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. people in Christ; our salvation is rooted and grounded in Jesus. The Gospel is God-centered, not Man-centered. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707. I understand your hurt, but I want to assure you that God understands your hurt even more than you do and wants to surround you with His love and compassion during this difficult time. No one is too far gone to be beyond hope. Archer pointed to several important Bible verses on his blogearlier this week, such as 1 Timothy 2:3-4, which reads " God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.". I dont think Romans 9 is up for grabs though. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Free will does not makes sense in these scenarios, so I don't see how that can really work for a sickness or an illness. Only sinners are in need of It explains the wonderful text in John 3:16. What was there in you that caused you Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. If you are praying to God, He hears you. If you are someday blessed with the joy that children bring, you can trust that God has only blessings in store for them. And if so, when is that? that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Redemption is to show GODs righteousness. I've never thought about questions like this before. Your question could appear in a future issue of JCN. Or consider the closing words of Romans 11, as Paul wraps up the great doctrinal section of his letter: From him and through him and to him are all things, to him be the glory forever! He is the center. How do you need to live? Does God Choose Some To Be Saved And Others To Be Lost? All Rights Reserved, We are not to Imagine that Our Lives must be Changed Before Trusting in Christ, How Faith Helps Against the Fear of Man: Explored in Fifteen Aspects, A Morning Prayer, to be Used in Private Families, Salvation Perspectives: Contrasting Legalism, Antinomianism, and the Biblical Gospel through Prayer, The Saint's Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (eBook), The Best Match: The Souls Espousal to Christ (eBook), Pursuing Intellectual Growth for Gods Glory, Mercy Magnified: Sermons on the Penitent Prodigal (eBook), Toe the Government Line or Lose Your Kids, Christians Who Feel They Dont Need Church Anymore, 7 Reasons Why Mormonism and Christianity Are Not the Same. I ask that about Why does God save some but not others? Its the problem within Israel. Click on the image above for the video of this article or keep reading below for the text version. They say that God saved It is good to seek to understand why God may not be answering our prayers and to test ourselves and our motives as to whether we are submitted to His will in righteous prayer andtrusting Him or demanding our own outcome. (Romans 9:2223), Aaron is asking, Do the words what if at the beginning of verse 22 mean that God could act this way, but doesnt act this way? Thats what hes just asking. The word people is clearly implied its right to include that word in our English versions. When did God decide to give us eternal life? His ways are so far above ours that we cannot hope to fully understand our all-powerful, eternal, all knowing God. same moment -- did not respond to it? that concept and rightly so. Is your faith in Him? By Billy Graham Vessels of Destruction | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at "In its place we are left with a myriad of questions like these: Precisely what do you need to believe (and not believe) in order to be saved? Understanding The Law What Does It Mean Today? In fact, the story of the apostle Paul's conversion should bring us hope that nobody in our . The point of missions is not primarily to save people groups from hell. In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, God explains His choice in this way: The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. say that either. Get new journal Tables of Contents sent right to your email inbox, Articles in PubMed by JUDITH ALLEN SHELLY, Articles in Google Scholar by JUDITH ALLEN SHELLY, Other articles in this journal by JUDITH ALLEN SHELLY. Copyright Click on the different category headings to find out more. What Should I Expect From Myself in 2021? There wasnt a democratic vote. These are biblical words. If you are not yet ransomed: Yes, He offers to save you from hell. It was Pharaohs choice to respond as he did. Is God unjust? Keep Gods Commandments and Hold to the Testimony of Christ, Prayer Suggestions / Requests (random order), Prayer Suggestions / Requests (sequential order), Focused Ministries Understanding Hebrew Roots. When the Scripture speaks about God's electing people, God speaks of electing His only Son died on the cross for us. The incarnation, the cross, and the resurrection are primarily about GOD. Why Does God Save Anyone? - Desiring God Community Church God does not save everyone because it is not His will to save everyone. Are There Some People God Will Not Save? - What Christians Want To Know 14 Ways that God is Far More Excellent than Men Why does God save some people and not others? (Romans 9:17) Everything God does is meant to accomplish an eventual blessing. But let me ask you a question: Where is your little niece now? Deists make the same objections against the divine authority of the Bible. Yahweh had His own reasons. Some day in heaven well understand, but in the meantime we can only look to Him in faith and trust. The presenting issue is precisely that some Jews not the people as a whole have fallen. Our deepest, truest joy does not flow from completed degrees or flourishing ministries, but from the God who saved us. Why would God save some people from Covid and not save the millions that died? We wonder if God is going to destroy His creation altogether this time. . On the other hand, the experience of every believer is a witness to him that it is of God and not of himself that he is in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30); every believer knows that if God had left him to himself he would have continued in unbelief and sin. We are the love gifts that the Father gives to the Son so that the Son, Some say that God foresees the choices of people. That sounds pretty good, doesnt it? sovereign work of redemption and uses the terms predestination and election. your express consent. His free will was never violated. But for many many other kids they just die when a life threatening incident happens Why Does God Save Some People and not Others? For the creation was made subject to frailty, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Romans 8:19-21, There is a natural desire in the human heart for a time of blessing, prosperity, and peace. On what basis But in this very moment, the vessels of mercy (Im talking now to our listeners) are everyone and anyone who calls on the name of the Lord. When Paul says, What if God, desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, well, hes restating the very thing that he just said he did in regard to Pharaoh in verses 17 and 18. No, for Paul begins by saying, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he goes on to say that this redemption is to the praise of his glory.. Sometimes we are just too short-sighted to appreciate what God is doing. not by works but by him who callsshe was told, The older will serve the younger.. [Objection]: If all men are dead in sin, destitute of the power to restore themselves to life, then not only is it unjust that they should be condemned, but it is also incompatible with the divine rectitude that God should exert his almighty power in the regeneration of some, while He leaves others to perish. Some believe it's "unfair for those not chosen" and that those who are chosen seem like "robots without free will, and that takes away our responsibility and lays it squarely on God," some would tell him. 39And He went a little beyondthem,and fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:23). may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed 2022 Christian Questions. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Have you ever found yourself in an argument that never seemed to go anywhere? Paul says, I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. Here is what the sentence says: What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? know that. On the surface that's certainly a legitimate answer because we They only maintain that they are not peculiar to their system; and they rest content with the solution of them given in the Scriptures. We are Your chosen people. Or 'If God wills it, then I shall go to such and such a city,'" he added. Do We Have Free Will? - Reformation 21 - Alliance of Confessing That appears to be the case with an understanding . Just as were hoping for a reason, he adds that he does this for His own purposes. We are all sinners and no one is more deserving than another. Discover more about the Catholic faith with Dr. David Anders. Jobs friends and wife, which he is allowed to keep, seem to be more a curse than a blessing. I am a Christian, but I am having doubts. To help us see why God saves anyone, Im going to quote those words incorrectly. I've been studying theology for many years, and I still can't come up with any exhaustive reason to explain why God would save me, or anyone else for that matter. In this Sundays sermon, we will consider the link between the baby born in the manger and the call to missions. It is really that simple. Then, why did God save THEIR'S and not MINE? I have to admit it's hard not to feel bitter. . And you too can be saved FOR GOD. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. It is wholly and completely the grace of God, not just that you were chosen, but that you were then called, and then compelled to respond, and then saved and once . God does not interfere with free will. Why Does God Protect Some and Not Others? But we later discover that God did something radical. Pauls overall point in this section is that God is just in having mercy on whom he will (Romans 9:14). He saves you FOR GOD - so that your life will be lived for Him. February 16, 2012 "When" is a time word, and the Bible uses words like that. to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without I was reading Romans 9 today and came across what is known to be a very hard-to-swallow passage and doctrine. The choices described in Romans 9 are not that one will live and be blessed while the other dies. Its the lostness of individuals that creates the problem its not imposed on this chapter. #biblestudy #scripturestudy #mercy #devotional #bibledevotional #scripturedevotional#wordfromGod#Godsvoice#preaching#sermon #gospel #truth This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. However, that modification leaves out the most important part of our redemption. document.write(theYear) find its ultimate roots in the grace of God. Why can living like a Christian be so frustrating? Clint Archer, who pastors Hillcrest Baptist Church in Durban, South Africa, which is an Evangelical Reformed Baptist Church, said the question has come up when discussing the topic of salvation. The Bible teaches that man was created holy; that by his voluntary transgression of the divine law he apostatized from God; that in consequence of this apostasy all men come into the world in a state of spiritual death, both guilty and polluted; that God exercises no influence to lead them into sin, but on the contrary, by his truth, his providence, and by his Spirit exerts all that influence over them which should induce rational beings to repent and seek his pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace; that all those who sincerely and faithfully seek reconciliation with God in the way of his appointment He actually saves; that of his sovereign grace He, in the exercise of his mighty power, renews and sanctifies a multitude which no man can number, who would otherwise have continued in their sins. The plagues were a difficult time. Now why does God exercise his freedom in choosing one and not another? I have a question. Why God intervenes to save one and not another, when all are equally undeserving; why the things of God are revealed unto babes while hidden from the wise and prudent, can only be answered in the language of our Lord, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:26. At the end of the 1,000 years Satan will be let loose from his prison for a final testing of mankind. Is it fair to save only some? Seeking to explain how it is accurate to say that God "desires all to be saved," he positioned that God does not always get what He wants. God forbid that I ever say that on the Judgment Day. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Son. With these representations of the Scriptures everything within the sphere of our knowledge agrees. Ultimately, the resolution is powerful, affirming the power of God and the beauty of community, in ways that differentiate the film from others to which it has been compared, like Heaven is Real or 60 Minutes in Heaven . He chose us and drew us to faith, and so everything about our salvation is a gift from God. Being heir to the promise means that thosein Christwill be used by God to fulfill His plan of blessing all the families of the earth. There are Israelites who are perishing, and Paul solves the problem theologically by saying, Gods word to Israel has not fallen because not all Israel is Israel.. At the same time, the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 9:20-23 suggest that God makes "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction," he noted. We prayed and prayed for my little niece's leukemia to go away, but God didn't heal her and she died. Click here to Listen Live Mondays 8PM Eastern COMING UP NEXT: Is the Jewish Nation Really Gods Chosen Nation? God Reveals Himself Through The Holy Trinity, The Great Commission Make Disciples Of All The Nations, The Great Commission Personal Discipleship Plan. Here is how it really reads, with the previously left out words in bold: Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10). It is also plain that the different anti-Augustinian systems afford no real relief from these difficulties. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. It is primarily about bringing glory to God. Why Does God Save Some but Not Others? - thecryofgod.blogspot.com Liberal, feminist clergy support Stephen Cottrell's comments while others say he is taking his 'cue from culture rather than . Answer No, it is impossible for someone to be saved without being elected by God to salvation. This leads John to weep. Text CQREWIND to 22828. In his absolute, glorious freedom Ill have mercy on whom I have mercy; Ill be gracious to whom Ill be gracious he makes known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy. Why Does God Choose Some and Not Others? | Desiring God Many people are confused about when and why God does miracles or answers prayers. God spared your life for a reason - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association "God states that he desires for you not to gossip, lust, covet, be impatient, lose your temper, be discontent with your finances, etc. Let me show our listeners from Romans 9:23 how I approached the chapter, and I think theyll see it. me think is this: You and I are saved not only because of God's concern for
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