Subject: LEFT BEHIND? |
Bible Note: Good Morning Ray, I need get ready for church, so I hope you don't mind if I just copy and paste a portion from a commentary to you. It may be helpfull. "For they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them." "The doctrine of the gospel," says he (Paul), "is insipid in the view of all that are wise merely in the view of man. But whence comes this? It is from their own blindness. In what respect, then, does this detract from the majesty of the gospel?" In short, while ignorant persons depreciate the gospel, because they measure its value by the estimation in which it is held by men, Paul derives an argument from this for extolling more highly its dignity. For he teaches that the reason why it is contemned is that it is unknown, and that the reason why it is unknown is that it is too profound and sublime to be apprehended by the understanding of man. What a superior wisdom this is, which so far transcends all human understanding, that man cannot have so much as a taste of it! While, however, Paul here tacitly imputes it to the pride of the flesh, that mankind dare to condemn as foolish what they do not comprehend, he at the same time shows how great is the weakness or rather bluntness of the human understanding, when he declares it to be incapable of spiritual apprehension. For he teaches, that it is not owing simply to the obstinacy of the human will, but to the impotency, also, of the understanding, that man does not attain to the things of the Spirit. Had he said that men are not willing to be wise, that indeed would have been true, but he states farther that they are not able. Hence we infer, that faith is not in one's own power, but is divinely conferred. "Because they are spiritually discerned." That is, the Spirit of God, from whom the doctrine of the gospel comes, is its only true interpreter, to open it up to us. Hence in judging of it, men's minds must of necessity be in blindness until they are enlightened by the Spirit of God. Hence infer, that all mankind are by nature destitute of the Spirit of God: otherwise the argument would be inconclusive. It is from the Spirit of God, it is true, that we have that feeble spark of reason which we all enjoy; but at present we are speaking of that special discovery of heavenly wisdom which God vouchsafes to his sons alone. Hence the more insufferable the ignorance of those who imagine that the gospel is offered to mankind in common in such a way that all indiscriminately are free to embrace salvation by faith. (John Calvin) I realize that many christians believe that unsaved people can freely choose to accept or reject the gospel message. To say that it is God alone that that has chosen is foreign to their democratic sense of fairness. But this line of reasoning elevates the will of man above that of God's will and implies that God is impotent in the face of human rebellion to save anyone. On the subject of free will, I do not contend that man does not have this faculty. He is free to choose according to the desire of his heart. But, tell me: What does the Bible say is the condition of the heart prior to faith? Gotta Go, John |