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Originally Posted by christianyouth  How would you answer this :
If sinners have no ability to respond to the Gospel, how is it that God can punish them for responding to the Gospel? |
I'm assuming you meant to insert
not in the above sentence. God can do as He pleases. He's not a man that He should repent. He is the Potter, we are the clay. Furthermore, God doesn't punish men for failing to respond to the gospel. He punishes men for their sin, albeit
original or
actual. All sin deserves the wrath and the curse of God.
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Wouldn't that be like me punishing my dog for not making me lunch? |
No. Because you're not the Holy Triune God, and your dog isn't a fallen sinner by nature.
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In Mt. 23 it says that the cities that rejected Christ after seeing his miracles would be judged more fiercely then Sodom and Gomorrah, because had Sodom and Gomorrah seen the miracles of Jesus they would have turned to Christ.
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Ahh, they
would have, but
did not. Why? Because it was not according to God's purpose.
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When commissioning his disciples, Jesus told them that if they are rejected they should shake the dust from their feet, and know that those who rejected the message would be punished fiercely for rejecting the Gospel.
These both seem to teach that sinners are judged worse for rejecting the Gospel. How can that be if they have no ability to accept the Gospel?
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See what's already been written, and consider the Apostle Paul's words:
14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
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Also, why would God command them to repent if they have no ability to repent?
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Because He is God.