If sinners have no ability to respond to the Gospel, how is it that God can punish them for NOT responding to the Gospel? Wouldn't that be like me punishing my dog for not making me lunch?
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.
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?
Also, why would God command them to repent if they have no ability to repent?
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Andrew Clerebout
Joy Baptist Church, IFB (Westland, MI)
Man is responsible because he fell in Adam. He had the power to obey God's commands but willingly fell at the instigation of the devil. Now he has lost his will to do good but he alone is responsible; not God. God may and can call man to faith and repentance because it His right to do so as sovereign Lord of the universe.
Additionally, Luther noted in his Bondage of the Will
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But a man cannot be thoroughly humbled, until he comes to know that his salvation is utterly beyond his own powers, counsel, endeavors, will, and works, and absolutely depending on the will, counsel, pleasure, and work of another, that is, of God only. (69)
…human reason, which thinks, that a man is mocked by a command impossible: whereas I say, that the man, by this means, is admonished and roused to see his own impotency.
(153)
In other words, by commanding us what we are incapable of doing we see so much more clearly that it is God who must save and God alone for "Salvation is of the LORD." (Jonah 2:9) Thus God is exalted and man is humbled.
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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA Church Blog
"there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, who loves us more than Jesus Christ" Belgic Confession, Article 26
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.
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?
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?
Let's say that long ago you created a dog (I don't know how) and it did indeed have the ability to make you lunch. In fact, it was a gourmet chef. All it had to do was make you lunch each day and enjoy your company. You gave him a simple recipe to follow. Your dog decided to get 'creative' and he began to look for ways to modify your simple lunch recipe. You warned him that if he did this, his brain would suffer a cognitive reduction and he would no longer be able to cook at or follow a recipe. He did it anyway and then he started reproducing. The puppies, instead of being born with the ability to cook, were born stupid. The obligation to cook lunch was still there but they were too stupid to do it. The first created dog had been the representative for all his offspring and through him, the inability to cook, the judgment and guilt for the transgression were passed on.
I'll stop there because there's always the danger of trying to make an analogy walk on four legs. (Ruff!)
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Bob Vigneault (Bawb Vēēn-yo)
I just know there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!
When I think about man's responsibility and his getting punished for sins he's committed, I always try to think about it in conjunction with God allowing Jesus to die on the cross for sins He DIDN'T commit. It adds balance to my thoughts, especially with regard to the question of fairness.
Like you, I have questions about man's responsibility, questions I can't resolve yet, and may never this side of eternity. As with any other inquiry, its good to gather all the facts and then see how the questions fit in. Think about God's attributes. He's perfectly holy, He's perfectly just, He's perfectly righteous, He's perfectly loving, He's perfectly merciful, etc. Focusing on these facts/attributes we can be assured God will do the right thing, regardless of how we may or may not understanding what He does and how He does it.
I know I said I like to think about those two in conjunction with each other, but if I had to choose which to resolve first, my preference is to choose the part about Jesus going to the cross for sins he DIDN'Tcommit. More specifically, how could God send Jesus to die on the cross for MY sins. Its not fair! (but praise God He did) Considering how much God the Father and God the Holy Spirit loved God the Son, and vice versa, how could God do it? How could a Holy God punish his beloved Son for sins that I, a poor rebellious sinner, have committed??
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Bob Howes
Framingham, MA
A reoccurring thought:
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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