Not unto us, O LORD,
not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
because of Your mercy,
because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
'So where is their God?'
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 115:1-3
Unfortunately, some recommend that the subject of
Predestination be not mentioned or at least hardly ever, in fact they would
recommend that there be no questions regarding Predestination or election. It
is just to think that the mysteries of God should be treated in moderation, but
these objectors go to far in this measure of moderation, therefore by their
silence they have little influence over the mind that does not need to curbed.
To maintain legitimacy in our search for knowledge we must return to the word
of God for in His word are to be found the principles that furnish us with
right rules leading to understanding. It is Scripture that teaches us for it is
the school of the Holy Spirit and all that Scripture teaches is useful and
necessary, nothing within Scripture is to be omitted, everything taught is of
great importance for our knowledge. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight
is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm
1:1–2). God’s word is where our understanding finds the truth and by
studying His word and meditating on His word we show that we are wise men and
just: “Give instruction to the wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a
just man, and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:9). Our meditation
and study should be with a humble heart, eager to learn, and that which learn
by studying His word is to be taught by God: “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and
lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies” (Psalm 27:11). It is God
who teaches, therefore, it is what is delivered to us in Scripture on the
subject of Predestination and election that is truth, yet, we must be wary of keeping
this knowledge to ourselves or we would deprive them, the objectors, of the blessings of God.
Further, we might come to scoff by our silence, at the Spirit that from inquiry. Wherever God leads, follow; wherever God
ends, stop, cease from desiring to be wise. Even though there is danger on
account of our study so that we should turn our minds away from the words of what He would
give what should be suppressed. Unlock your minds, your ears, to all the words
of God and do this in moderation, that is, wherever the Lord shuts our mouths
the enquirer will desist
God, we hold in mind that God is in control and teaches us that which He
reveals, and holds silent those He desires to keep secret: “It is the glory
of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter”
(Proverbs 25:2). God does not hide all things and the Scripture quoted from
Proverbs 25:2 reminds us that there are things in which we must search out. We
are not to become apathetic, or modest, that would lead to brutish ignorance,
rather God speaks: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those
things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do
all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). God exhorts His children to
study the doctrine of the law and this by His heavenly decree, this brings
pleasure to God, yet He has established boundaries as it is not lawful for man
to pry into the secret things of God.
Many men
object, or cavil, even sneer at the doctrine of Predestination and election. If
it is allowed that their objections cause a person to tremble then we will have
this same fright with all other doctrines or articles of faith, due to the fact
those that object to the doctrine of Predestination and election also object to
most articles of faith with blasphemy. Those rebellious men reveal their
insolence even when they hear of the Trinity, that God is in three persons all
of the same essence, One God. Furthermore, even if the Trinity is accepted they
cavil at the fact that God foresaw everything when He created man, and all that
would happen to man. Many theologians and pastors teach and preach that the
world is old, and object when it is pointed out to them that the world is
little more than 5,000 years old, that the world was made in six days and God rested
on the seventh. No matter what is said to these scoffers that will pacify them
that they will not assail with derision. There is nothing for true Christians
to say in regard to the divinity of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit; to
quell their blasphemies, and further, there is no need to pass over the
creation of the world in silence. The truth of God is too powerful so that we
must dread the slanders of the ungodly. False apostles attempted to defame and
accuse Paul, but were unable, event to make Paul ashamed of the Gospel. Some
would attempt to speak of the dangers of the doctrine of Predestination and
election so that they would shake our faith, and bring trepidation to the
heart. While we refute the charge of those objectors we must never forget that
we are not to scrutinize the secret things of God, yet, we are not to overlook
that which has been revealed to us. We do this scrutinizing by the word of God,
carefully, softly, due to our weakness. We are not to be as those who would
bury all mention of this doctrine of Predestination and election so that minds
would not be troubled so they cloak their objections, not in black or white,
they color them gray, this is arrogance and by this they indirectly charge God
with a want of due consideration because He did not foresee a danger that they
provide from their imaginations. If one causes obloquy on the doctrine of
Predestination and election they openly bring a charge against God for being so
inconsiderate to allow something to escape from Him that is injurious to the
Church.
Tomorrows blog will include the Scriptures pointing to the verses that speak of Predestination and election. It is Scripture we seek, and this study is showing the difference between two opposing theologies, and one main difference is that John Calvin includes Scripture for his theology and Jacobus Arminius does not use Scripture to secure his presuppositions. This is important and must be examined for it is our faith and the exercise of our faith that is at stake.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence
in man. It is better to trust
in the LORD that to put
confidence in princes.
Psalm 118:8-9
God Hears Prayers
Richard L. Crumb
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