Comments on: Why are some saved, and not others?

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:51:07 +0000

This is a fascinating question. What is the “human” sin that has the power or capability to deny the salvation that Jesus offers to everybody? The sin against the Holy Spirit which is unbelief. I was looking for an example of this unbelief that you could provide in discussing the faith with somebody. What distinguishes that particular sin?

Thanks,

Brian

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:46:59 +0000

The answer this takes in some evangelical circles tends to be categorically opposite to the Lutheran approach. This is because Lutherans teach that we do not decide to get saved but we can decide to fall away, whereas it is popular in many evangelical churches to hold to both “decision theology” and “once saved, always saved” — the opposite paradox. So these churches often explain the crux theologorum by asserting both man’s free will in salvation as well as God’s sovereign election. They might say something like, “It’s not explainable, but we choose God *and* he has chosen us from all eternity.” Lutherans do not consider this to be a biblically feasible paradox because, as far as we’re concerned, it’s like saying, “We’re saved through faith alone *and* through faith plus works.” Just like that “End runs around the cross” post previously made, we have to look at the issue of election in terms of our justification in Christ and his cross, not in speculations about our own strength of conviction or God’s hidden will and purposes in election.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:14:45 +0000

‘I understand that God chose those for salvation before the very foundation of the world.’

I wonder if we struggle with issues like this because we are only able to visualize time linearly while for an eternal being all time may be present. If we were able to comprehend time in an eternal sense, would we still deal with predestination and related questions in the same way?

By: Stuart

Stuart — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:31:50 +0000

I cross-posted this one, hope that's OK:- Why are some saved, and not others?

By: Stuart

Stuart — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:23:25 +0000

I noted once when reading Spurgeon that he opted not to get too drawn on the ‘crux theologorum’. he stated that there are areas of God’s work, that are simply mysterious and that the human mind, on this side of eternity, simply can’t fully grasp, but suffice it to say that predestination and free-will travel in parallel and meet at the thone of God in eternity.