PART 1-THE FALSE TEACHING THAT GOD ORDAINS THE WICKED TO PERISH IS JOHN CALVINS LIE AND TWISTING AND PERVERTING OF GODS WORDS! 15. But since an objection is often founded on a few passages of Scripture, in which God seems to deny that the wicked perish through his ordination, except in so far as they spontaneously bring death upon themselves in opposition to his warning, let us briefly explain these passages, and demonstrate that they are not adverse to the above view. One of the passages adduced is, have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways and live? (Ezek. 18: 23.) If we are to extend this to the whole human race, why are not the very many whose minds might be more easily bent to obey urged to repentance, rather than those who by his invitations become daily more and more hardened? Our Lord declares that the preaching of the gospel and miracles would have produced more fruit among the people of Nineveh and Sodom than in Judea, (Matth. 13: 23.) How comes its then, that if God would have all to be saved he does not open a door of repentance for the wretched, who would more readily have received grace? Hence we may see that the passage is violently wrested, if the will of God, which the prophet mentions, is opposed to his eternal counsel, by which he separated the elect from the reprobate. Now, if the genuine meaning of the prophet is inquired into, it will be found that he only means to give the hope of pardon to them who repent. The sum is, that God is undoubtedly ready to pardon whenever the sinner turns. Therefore, he does not will his death, in so far as he wills repentance. But experience shows that this will, for the repentance of those whom he invites to himself, is not such as to make him touch all their hearts. Still, it cannot be said that he acts deceitfully; for though the external word only renders, those who hear its and do not obey it, inexcusable, it is still truly regarded as an evidence of the grace by which he reconciles men to himself. Let us therefore hold the doctrine of the prophet, that God has no pleasure in the death of the sinner; that the godly may feel confident that whenever they repent God is ready to pardon them; and that the wicked may feel that their guilt is doubled, when they respond not to the great mercy and condescension of God. The mercy of God, therefore will ever be ready to meet the penitent; but all the prophets, and apostles, and Ezekiel himself, clearly tell us who they are to whom repentance is given. 16. The second passage adduced is that in which Paul says that God will have all men to be saved, (1 Tim. 2: 4.) Though the reason here differs from the former, they have somewhat in common. I answer, first, That the mode in which God thus wills is plain from the context; for Paul connects two things, a will to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. If by this they will have it to be fixed by the eternal counsel of God that they are to receive the doctrine of salvation, what is meant by Moses in these words, What nation is there so great, who has God so nigh unto them? (Deut. 4: 7.) How comes it that many nations are deprived of that light of the Gospel which others enjoy? How comes it that the pure knowledge of the doctrine of godliness has never reached some, and others have scarcely tasted some obscure rudiments of it? It will now be easy to extract the purport of Pauls statement. He had commanded Timothy that prayers should be regularly offered up in the church for kings and princes; but as it seemed somewhat absurd that prayer should be offered up for a class of men who were almost hopeless, (all of them being not only aliens from the body of Christ, but doing their utmost to overthrow his kingdom,) he adds, that it was acceptable to God, who will have all men to be saved. By this he assuredly means nothing more than that the way of salvation was not shut against any order of men; that, on the contrary, he had manifested his mercy in such a way, that he would have none debarred from it. Other passages do not declare what God has, in his secret judgment, determined with regard to all, but declare that pardon is prepared for all sinners who only turn to seek after it. For if they persist in urging the words, God has concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all, (Rom. 11: 32,) I will, on the contrary, urge what is elsewhere written, Our God is in the heavens: he has done whatsoever he has pleased, (Ps. 115: 3.) we must, therefore, expound the passage so as to reconcile it with another, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy, (Exod. 33: 19.) He who selects those whom he is to visit in mercy does not impart it to all. But since it clearly appears that he is there speaking not of individuals, but of orders of men, let us have done with a longer discussion. At the same time, we ought to observe, that Paul does not assert what God does always, everywhere, and in all circumstances, but leaves it free to him to make kings and magistrates partakers of heavenly doctrine, though in their blindness they rage against it. A stronger objection seems to be founded on the passage in Peter; the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, (2 Pet. 3: 9.) But the solution of the difficulty is to be found in the second branch of the sentence, for his will that they should come to repentance cannot be used in any other sense than that which is uniformly employed. Conversion is undoubtedly in the hand of God, whether he designs to convert all can be learned from himself, when he promises that he will give some a heart of flesh, and leave to others a heart of stone, (Ezek. 36: 26.) It is true, that if he were not disposed to receive those who implore his mercy, it could not have been said, Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts, (Zech. 1: 3;) but I hold that no man approaches God unless previously influenced from above. And if repentance were placed at the will of man, Paul would not say, If God per adventure will give them repentance, (2 Tim. 2: 25.) Nay, did not God at the very time when he is verbally exhorting all to repentance, influence the elect by the secret movement of his Spirit, Jeremiah would not say, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, (Jer. 31: 18.) 17. But if it is so, (you will say,) little faith can be put in the Gospel promises, which, in testifying concerning the will of God, declare that he wills what is contrary to his inviolable decree. Not at all; for however universal the promises of salvation may be, there is no discrepancy between them and the predestination of the reprobate, provided we attend to their effect. We know that the promises are effectual only when we receive them in faith, but, on the contrary, when faith is made void, the promise is of no effect. If this is the nature of the promises, let us now see whether there be any inconsistency between the two things, viz., that God, by an eternal decree, fixed the number of those whom he is pleased to embrace in love, and on whom he is pleased to display his wrath, and that he offers salvation indiscriminately to all. I hold that they are perfectly consistent, for all that is meant by the promise is, just that his mercy is offered to all who desire and implore it, and this none do, save those whom he has enlightened. Moreover, he enlightens those whom he has predestinated to salvation. Thus the truth of the promises remains firm and unshaken, so that it cannot be said there is any disagreement between the eternal election of God and the testimony of his grace which he offers to believers. But why does he mention all men? Namely that the consciences of the righteous may rest the more secure when they understand that there is no difference between sinners, provided they have faith, and that the ungodly may not be able to allege that they have not an asylum to which they may retake themselves from the bondage of sin, while they ungratefully reject the offer which is made to them. Therefore, since by the Gospel the mercy of God is offered to both, it is faith, in other words, the illumination of God, which distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked, the former feeling the efficacy of the Gospel, the latter obtaining no benefit from it. Illumination itself has eternal election for its rule. Another passage quoted is the lamentation of our Savior, O Jerusalem Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matth. 23: 37;) but it gives them no support. I admit that here Christ speaks not only in the character of man, but upbraids them with having, in every age, rejected his grace. But this will of God, of which we speak, must be defined. For it is well known what exertions the Lord made to retain that people, and how perversely from the highest to the lowest they followed their own wayward desires, and refused to be gathered together. But it does not follow that by the wickedness of men the counsel of God was frustrated. They object that nothing is less accordant with the nature of God than that he should have a double will. This I concede, provided they are sound interpreters. But why do they not attend to the many passages in which God clothes himself with human affections, and descends beneath his proper majesty? He says, I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, (Isa. 65: 1,) exerting himself early and late to bring them back. Were they to apply these qualities without regarding the figure, many unnecessary disputes would arise which are quashed by the simple solution, that what is human is here transferred to God. Indeed, the solution which we have given elsewhere (see Book 1, c. 18, sec. 3; and Book 3, c. 20, sec. 43) is amply sufficient, viz., that though to our apprehension the will of God is manifold, yet he does not in himself will opposites, but, according to his manifold wisdom, (so Paul styles it, Eph. 3: 10,) transcends our senses, until such time as it shall be given us to know how he mysteriously wills what now seems to be adverse to his will. They also amuse themselves with the cavil, that since God is the Father of all, it is unjust to discard any one before he has by his misconduct merited such a punishment. As if the kindness of God did not extend even to dogs and swine. But if we confine our view to the human race, let them tell why God selected one people for himself and became their father, and why, from that one people, he plucked only a small number as if they were the flower. But those who thus charge God are so blinded by their love of evil speaking, that they consider not that as God maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, (Matth. 5: 45,) so the inheritance is treasured up for a few to whom it shall one day be said, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom, &c., (Matth. 25: 34.) They object, moreover, that God does not hate any of the things which he has made. This I concede, but it does not affect the doctrine which I maintain, that the reprobate are hateful to God, and that with perfect justice, since those destitute of his Spirit cannot produce any thing that does not deserve cursing. They add, that there is no distinction of Jew and Gentile, and that, therefore, the grace of God is held forth to all indiscriminately: true, provided they admit (as Paul declares) that God calls as well Jews as Gentiles, according to his good pleasure, without being astricted to any. This disposes of their gloss upon another passage, God has concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all, (Rom. 11: 32;) in other words, he wills that all who are saved should ascribe their salvation to his mercy, although the blessing of salvation is not common to all. Finally, after all that has been adduced on this side and on that, let it be our conclusion to feel overawed with Paul at the great depth, and iftongues will still murmur, let us not be ashamed to join in his exclamation, Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replies against God? (Rom. 9: 20.) Truly does Augustine maintain that it is perverse to measure divine by the standard of human justice, (De Praedest. et Gra. c. 2.) JOHN CALVIN, THE INSTITUTES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION ________________________________________ 1. Calvin is wrong to interpret EZEKIEL 18:23 as Let us therefore hold the doctrine of the prophet, that God has no pleasure in the death of the sinner; that the godly may feel confident that whenever they repent God is ready to pardon them; and that the wicked may feel that their guilt is doubled, when they respond not to the great mercy and condescension of God. The mercy of God, therefore will ever be ready to meet the penitent; but all the prophets, and apostles, and Ezekiel himself, clearly tell us who they are to whom repentance is given. a.CALVIN IS WRONG in the first place because God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked because he would like them to repent and return to the Lord. The holy Scripture is pointedly clear in JEREMIAH 3:11-14, [11] And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.[12] Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.[13] Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.[14] Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: b. CALVIN IS WRONG in the second place because God is pleading for His people to repent and for them to return unto the LORD in JEREMIAH 2:1-9 when He told prophet JEREMIAH : [1] Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,[2] Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.[3] Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.[4] Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:[5] Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain ? [6] Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?[7] And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.[8] The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.[9] Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your childrens children will I plead. JEREMIAH 2:1-9 c.CALVIN IS WRONG to teach that God has an eternal counsel for the wicked to perish because there is none in the Scripture that can be cited as Gods will but only in the twisted interpretation of the Protestant theologian that frontally contradicts Gods precious and inerrant words. JEREMIAH 18:11-17 [1] The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,[2] Arise, and go down to the potters house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.[3] Then I went down to the potters house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.[4] And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.[5] Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,[6] O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potters hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.[7] At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;[8] If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.[9] And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;[10] If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.[11] Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.[12] And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.[13] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.[14] Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?[15] Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;[16] To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.[17] I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.[18] Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.[19] Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.[20] Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.[21] Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.[22] Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.[23] Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger. d. CALVIN IS WRONG to teach that God ordains people to damnation because the book of JEREMIAH disproves this wicked and false teaching of a theologian that blasphemes the character of a merciful and loving God to the wicked. For about 40 years of prophet Jeremiahs ministry God was pleading fr his people to repent because God loves His chosen people including of course the remnant. Although God knows His chosen people that they will not repent still He sent Jeremiah the prophet to reveal the will of God and His love and faithfulness to the covenant with their fathers of old. JEREMIAH 24:1-10 [1] The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.[2] One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.[3] Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.[4] Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,[5] Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.[6] For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.[7] And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.[8] And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:[9] And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.[10] And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers. JEREMIAH 24:1-10 e. CALVIN WRONG to teach that God only pardons those who will repent to prove his wicked teaching that wicked people are indeed ordained and elected by the Lord to perdition and damnation. The point that God wrote the book of JEREMIAH is to display and reveal Gods character as a faithful God to His covenant with the fathers of the chosen people of God. JEREMIAH 11:9-10; 31:1-7 [9] And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. [10] They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. [11] Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. JEREMIAH 11:9-10 [1] At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. [2] Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. [3] The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. [4] Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. [5] Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. [6] For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. [7] For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. JEREMIAH 31: 1-7 TO BE CONTINUED AS PART 2
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 15:14:27 +0000
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