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Originally Posted by matt.meisberger  I have a friend that moved into my house with me and he and I are both follow reformed teaching. Although convinced that Calvinism is the only tenable position, my friend is always angry at God because of Calvinism. My friend's though process goes from 'God elected a certain people and sent Jesus to die for them' to 'it is possible that God could have elected more people' to 'it is then possible for God to have elected all people' to 'I am mad at God because he seems not good for not electing all people.'
My response tends to be that he is holding God to human standards of goodness and that, just as Arminians presuppose free-will to be such and such and then interpret the bible, he presupposes goodness to be such and such and then judges God accordingly.
Maybe it is true that it takes a divine understanding given by the HS in order to feel/understand that God is good for not electing all people but since God works through secondary causes, other than praying for him, does anyone have any advise on good ways to deal with someone that confesses reformed doctrine (depravity of man, election, limited atonement etc) and yet is in danger of hating God and rejecting him?
Thanks,
Matt |
Your friend sounds like he is in the process of thinking through all of these issues.
He might not hate God for long and he might not even hate God at present, he might just be working through these issues and loving teaching and reminders that the verse "God is love" is still true might keep him from reverting to atheism.
I see the psalmists sometimes express consternation at God. Your friend might be in such a state right now, "God, if you do elect people to alvation - why haven't you elected more." is also a valid questions that can accompany the very good questions of "God, if you do elect people to salvation, why did you elect ANY...and especially why did you elect me![if one is a believer]."
A PERSONAL ANECDOTE: I was an agnostic and I became convinced that it was either calvinism or atheism that must hold true.
After a time of struggle, Calvinism won out, but I asked many "impolite" questions during this time and I am glad that people LOVINGLY directed me to the truth and did not help me to harden my heart by casting me aside or consigning me to the pit of hell before my time.
Your friend might be in the same state I was in, so I will pray for this friend.......
...one's mind can quickly come to a conclusion but sometimes a little time is needed for the heart to catch up.