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NASB | 1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 2:4 who wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth. |
Subject: "This subject of election...." |
Bible Note: Perhaps this analogy illustrates what you have said: Imagine that we are a crop grown by God. He prepares the soil, plants the seeds, waters them and warms them with the light of His love. Some of the seeds open to germanate. Some that germanate send out roots to take in water and food. Some that establish roots grow enough to break through the soil to the surface, where the light can shine directly on the seedling. Some of those seedlings survive to maturity. Then God harvests them. The question of election is, did God decide which to harvest only after they were mature, or, before, at the time of planting did he select which ones would reach maturity? If the former, our freedom to choose God out of love is real and meaningful. If the latter, we have no real choice and as a result, we do not have what God wants from us. The parables in which the Kingdom is described as a crop or fruit harvest depend on the idea that it is up to the crop or fruit to grow, albeit not on its own. How can we justify the idea that the work of sowing is just a formality? What is the point of sowing if the harvest is already established? I have no problem accepting that God can make these arrangements for us, even if He knows and/or somehow determines in advance who of us will choose Him. After all, in Christ He was able to become fully human yet retain His divine nature; this is one of the great mysteries of our faith, that He could experience every temptation and have each of them be as real for Him as they are for us. Yet, He did not fall into even the smallest one. Finally, election becomes relevant only if we think it matters to how we should respond to God's call. Do we believe that it is right for people to think that their rejection of God can be justified by the belief they are not among the elect? Or, that to justify unbelief, faith is a gift and God has not given it to them? I see no love nor justice in either of these. Parable |