"Paradise and Hell", c 1510 by Hieronymus Bosch.
This is clearly one of the most difficult questions in all of the teachings of Scripture. Is it possible that a loving, saving God actually makes a conscious decision to send some people to hell and to make that decision before they were born?
When I was a much younger man I determined in my mind that there was no way that "my" God could do such a thing. I suspect that many who call themselves children of God fall into the same camp. The problem in this thinking is that it doesn't really matter what "I" think. What is the truth of Scripture?
To be honest, I don't know. But this difficult question is the next topic in our journey through Dr. Wayne Grudem's book "Systematic Theology" and specifically the section on "The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption" and the chapter on "Election and Reprobation".
To be fair, to even begin to answer this question is going to rely on 700 pages of doctrine, prior to this question, that we have not covered in this blog. But, I have chosen to do this because this is the section that Dr. Grudem is currently covering in our Sunday School Class. I jumped into this class nearly two years downstream.
Dr. Grudem has also already made the decision to fall on the side of the Calvinist or Reformed way of thinking. Therefore, our discussion is going to be coming from that side of the fence. Having said that, Dr. Grudem would be the first to tell you that he isn't infallible. Therefore, lets give the man some grace and dig into this topic.
Please read on...
In the previous chapter we learned that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We further learned that God has given to us all a "common grace" which postpones the death sentence and provides each of us the opportunity to receive the "special grace" of Christ's salvation on the cross.
The question here is this; Is that special grace available to all?"
Dr. Grudem is teaching that there is an "ordo salutis" (Latin - order of salvation). That is a specific series of events that occur in the Christian's life from before creation to our eventual time in eternity with Christ. See here the order of events:
- Election (God's choice of people to be saved)
- The gospel call (proclaiming the message of the gospel)
- Regeneration (being born again)
- Conversion (faith and repentance)
- Justification (right legal standing)
- Adoption (membership in God's family)
- Sanctification (right conduct of life)
- Perseverance (remaining a Christian)
- Death (going to be with the Lord)
- Glorification (receiving a resurrection body)
Dr. Grudem notes that the first step was prior to our creation. Steps 2-6 and part of 7 are all involved in becoming a Christian, numbers 7 & 8 work themselves out in this life, number 9 occurs at the end of this life and number 10 occurs when Christ returns.
The term predestination is a term that is generally bantered about on this subject. This however, Dr. Grudem points out, is a broader term and includes the doctrine of election (for believers) and reprobation (for unbelievers).
To begin the conversation we first look at the Doctrine of Election. Election is defined as follows: Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.
So, lets see:
- act of God
- before creation
- He chooses some to be saved
- therefore, He must choose some not to be saved
- we didn't do anything to deserve this election
- it is solely directed by His "sovereign good pleasure".
Well....my brain is melting. You?
I think I will leave the beginning explanations and scriptural basis for Dr. Grudem's thoughts on this matter to another post. This is enough to chew on for the moment.
Come on back for the continuing dialog.
