Subject: Hebrews 6:6 explained |
Bible Note: Dear Tim, You provided two examples of God providentialy saving people. The Ethiopian eunuch and the dear lady that you ministered to. But Tim, you cannot say that all people everywhere over all of time have been given an opportunity to recieve Christ. I used to wonder at God's choice of Israel as His people. Why did He choose one remote tribe out of all the tribes throughout the globe? That does'nt seem fair. Why did He command His chosen people to completely annihilate the Caaninite tribes? That's euthenasia. They were not even given an opportunity to surrender or repent. That does'nt seem fair. Why did He love Jacob but hate Esau, even before they were born? that does'nt seem fair. When Jesus preached in parables to the people, why did He explain their meaning to the disciples but deliberately withold the explanation to the crowds? Was that fair? When He called Saul, He did so in an overwhelmingly miraculous display of His power but most others are called by the "foolishness of preaching" and that isn't fair either. Millions have died without the benefit of a preacher by their side to proclaim the gospel. Was that fair? How many Ethiopians died while the eunuch was still travelling home? If He miraculously transported Phillip then, He certainly could provide witnesses of the Gospel to all of mankind by divine power. What of the people of India or China of the First century? Do we have any eviedence from the past of budding churches in New Guinea or Siberia. NO we do not. NOT FAIR! If we can be saved apart from Gospel by the witness of nature and the LAW of God written on all human hearts, then we can be saved apart from th knowledge of the cross of Jesus Christ. There is no escaping the facts. If one accuses Calvinists of preaching an unfair doctrine of election because it does not include the abiliy of man to choose salvation for himself, then the Arminian must prove conclusively that all men have an equal opportunity to hear the Gospel. Otherwise God would have been unfair! We could also dispense with Matt 1:21... "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He WILL save His people from their sins." We must sadly conclude that He tried His best but unfortunately most all of them turned away and foiled His plan. Your Brother in Christ, John Reformed |