If we were to list the most wicked and diabolical
men of the human race, certain names would appear – Hitler, Nero, Stalin and
others who have been guilty of mass murder and other atrocities.
What do all these people have in common? They
were all dictators, right? They all had virtually an unlimited supply of power
and authority within the sphere of their domains.
Remember the old saying about power – it corrupts
absolutely? Of course, this does not
have any reference to God but only to the power and corruption of men. The reason why power corrupts absolutely is
because it raises a person above the normal restraints that restricts the rest
of us.
I have restraints placed on me by others –
employers, Christians, civil and governing authorities, and God. These are
people and authorities who have been given a higher position of authority than
I, so they can bring down the hammer if need be.
Civil and spiritual restraints are good for me in
order to live within the established laws of moral decency. When God removes His restraints on people,
they are left more to themselves. As a
result, the corruption that is within them is used on others and also against
them as well. An unrestrained person explodes on others and implodes on himself. He does harm to others and in doing so, he
brings harm to himself.
Now God is not the cause of this or the author. God merely releases His holy restraints on a
person and the person spirals down the tubes morally and ethically.
So what does all this have to do with “Double
Predestination?” Everyone in the human
race is born the same – all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
(Rom. 3:23). All will perish unless they
receive divine assistance. God has
chosen to assist in a divine way a few that He personally chooses out of His good
pleasure. The rest God leaves to themselves where they will perish for all
eternity.
By not choosing them, they are destined to
perish. By not choosing them from the foundation of the world (that is before
they were born), they are predestined to perish. Did God excite and become the author of evil
in their heart to assure their non-choice of Him? No. He simply left them to
themselves and by doing so, they got what they deserved.
Now listen carefully: Everyone who goes to hell or perishes gets
what they deserved. Those whom God chooses do not get what they deserved.
Instead, they get mercy and grace. God is not under obligation to extend mercy
to everyone. Mercy is not a cosmic
handout to everyone, but a free gift to some.
No one who does not receive mercy gets a raw deal. He or she will get
what they deserve.
Mercy is not up to the people to receive it, but
it is up to the Giver to give it. That is, mercy cannot be demanded by the
people, otherwise it would cease to be mercy.
Rather, mercy is to be given freely by a giver to some in order for it
to be mercy.
Jesus’ death on the cross, although sufficient to
save all was designed to secure the salvation of some. People may object: “That’s not fair!” But remember, that’s the whole concept behind
mercy. When you give mercy to someone,
you’re right, it isn’t fair to the one receiving it. It’s merciful and gracious and over the top.
What is fair is to pull back the restraints on all people and let them all
perish in hell. While this would be just
and fair, no mercy would be shown, nor must it be shown. For
mercy to be mercy, it has to be willingly given to some and not all.
End of Part 8
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