Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A Thorny and Contentious Subject

Erik Raymond:
I know the doctrine of predestination can be a thorny and contentious subject. Often times this is because it betrays popular conceptions about God and ourselves.

It is important to keep in mind that the Apostle tells us that this predestination of believers by God was done “in love” (Eph. 1.4). Whatever else follows must coming from this doctrinal spicket: God’s work of predestination is a loving work of predestination.

This morning my heart was arrested as I sat and chewed on various implications of this fact. Consider that if God had not decided, before the foundation of the world, to lavish you with his electing love then you would have remained in the throngs of self-love. Put it another way, if God did not so love you then you would have continued to love you.

This truth is simultaneously humbling and motivating. It humbles me to the dust because I know of my absolute inability and unwillingness to choose God. It motivates me to serve him, striving for holiness, because he has in fact so loved me!

While I don’t find the doctrine contentious it remains thorny. Every time I handle this truth it punctures my pride and reminds me of the goodness of the God who chooses to save sinners like me.

1 comment:

Steve Martin said...

Great post.

He does understand who is in control, and Who it is that saves...and it's not us.