I tend to hang with people who subscribe to reformed theology, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God over his creation. This should not be too surprising given that I attend a PCA church. But one of the struggles that I have with such people is that sometimes truth is given in a way that is hardly helpful.
A friend of ours was in a Bible study with some other ladies where she expressed concern for her brother who is not a believer in Jesus. One of the ladies (I can only assume in an effort to be helpful) informed our friend that perhaps her brother is not one of the elect and will never believe in Jesus.
This is like saying to me, “tomorrow you could be diagnosed with cancer.” While this is a true statement, it is certainly possible that I might receive such a diagnosis, it would not be a helpful one. What good would result from such a declaration?
In the same way, it is certainly possible that her brother will never respond to the claims of the Gospel, but this statement was not helpful and quite frankly was an affront to what we see in Jesus.
Jesus declared that he represented the Father and that to see Jesus was the same as seeing God (John 14:9). So the way that Jesus interacts with believers and unbelievers gives an indication of how they are viewed by God the Father.
At the Last Supper, Jesus announced that one of the disciples would betray Jesus (Matt. 26:21). The disciples did not automatically know who Jesus expected to do the betrayal. Notice the next verse:
“And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”” (Matthew 26:22, ESV)
We all know that it was Judas was the betrayer, but when Jesus made the announcement, the disciples did not automatically think of Judas. Each disciple suspected himself and questioned Jesus, “is it I?”
From this I concluded that Jesus did not treat Judas any differently than he did the rest of the disciples. Jesus offered Judas the same evidence and opportunity to exercise faith that the other disciples had. Yet, Jesus knew when he chose Judas as a disciple that Judas would be the betrayer.
What is my point in this? The understanding that God knows who will respond to him and who will not does not give us permission to write anyone off as being beyond the power of the Gospel. There are too many examples throughout history of people thought beyond redemption who Jesus touched and changed.
A Biblical example of this is the story of the Gerasene Demoniac in Mark chapter 5. If any man seemed beyond the power of the Gospel, it would have been that man, yet we know that Jesus cast out the demons and that man became a missionary to the residents of the Decapolis.
While it is true that not all will respond to the Gospel, and while it is also true that God knows who will and who will not respond, we do not have such knowledge and need to interact with everyone as if they will respond. In other words, we must follow the example of Jesus and relate to everyone as if they will come to faith while knowing that not all will.
We cannot know the outcome for any person and to act as if we do is an affront to the Jesus that we claim to worship. We are called to make disciples and we cannot know ahead of time who will and who will not become one.
So while telling our friend that her brother may not be one who will respond might indeed be true, it was certainly not helpful.
Ken Walker (@kentigernow) says
March 4, 2014 at 10:39 PMA response to >>>> Maybe true but hardly helpful
I share the view of the writer – such ways are truthful but hardly helpful.
Having had some time in a PCA (Australian version) I notice that Calvinism seems to dominate all though (even hyper versions of it). The almost opposite views of Arminianism don’t help much either. In my view, their extremities make both unhelpful and the answers lie in scripture and between those extremes.
The probable reasons why the ways mentioned in the article do not work too well, is not only because they are inappropriate for helpful learning, and not what Jesus really taught, but because they do not mention or focus on the CENTRAL truths of the teaching of Jesus, Paul and John.
The most important issue that Jesus focussed on in His John 17 prayer was that just as He and the Father were One, so we disciples would also be One with them, through the power of the Spirit. Now this is one of those biblical notions where it is quite impossible to understand intellectually how it works – we can only believe by faith in what He says. How could we, as weak human beings ever imagine that we have or can become One with the Maker of the Universe? So we just believe and trust Jesus that what He said is true. Paul adds to this thought with Galatians 2:20, that it is now not we who live, but Christ who lives in us.
The problem with those things taught and practiced being hardly helpful, is that the full CENTRAL truth is probably not taught. This also seems to apply to a high percentage of all other Christian churches. Thank God for Twitter, where other like-minded people can be found.
In my own teaching of both new converts and those who have been in the faith for some time, I have found that when presented with such truths, the Holy Spirit changes their lives, so that they get to KNOW that Christ is their life – He lives in them.
Paul’s main task was to teach this. He says in Colossians 1:27 that he was appointed by God to teach this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Churches that base their teachings on extremes, still convey elements of truth, and still produce converts. However, compared with scripture, the writings of man and then the practices that flow from them, sometimes complicate things. Fortunately for us Jesus makes them simple and we have the Holy Spirit teachings of Paul. These writings have been distilled and made clear for us by the same Spirit who taught Paul and enlightened Him. Praise God for Who He is, what He does and how He does it.
Ken Walker
Mark McIntyre says
March 10, 2014 at 6:03 AMThanks Ken for the thoughtful comment. I like your reminder that Jesus prayed that we might be unified. An out-of-balance emphasis on non-essential doctrines can (and probablly will) lead to disunity.One does not have to find a solution to the sovereignty of God vs. the free will of man to be saved.
Planting Potatoes says
March 2, 2014 at 5:44 PMgood read
Mark McIntyre says
March 10, 2014 at 6:04 AMThanks Planting. Or should I say Mr. Potatoes? All the best to you.
Planting Potatoes says
March 12, 2014 at 11:22 AMjust call me spuds! :) God bless!
Tommy Lynch (@hiFTHm) says
February 24, 2014 at 7:51 AMOne of the things I struggle with regarding Reformed folks is their arrogance. It may be partly me, but my sister and nephew have this tendency to come across as know-it-all’s.They are PCA and this seems to be a common perception in that denomination (according to my sister). Makes me think of the phrase “would you rather be right, or influential?”
Mark McIntyre says
February 24, 2014 at 7:59 AMI like the line that I have heard attributed to Billy Graham, “we preach with the confidence of the Calvinist and the passion of the Armenian.” There is no room for arrogance.
BTW, the PCA church I attend is the most grace based church I have ever been part of. Not a hint of arrogance in the church staff.
@PastorPitman says
February 24, 2014 at 7:28 AMRT @mhmcintyre: New blog post: Maybe true but hardly helpful http://t.co/78ZaL6lE34
#BibleReflection
@mhmcintyre says
February 24, 2014 at 7:24 AMNew blog post: Maybe true but hardly helpful http://t.co/78ZaL6lE34
#BibleReflection