Or, rather, a test for hyper-calvinistic tendencies in those that will thoroughly deny such doctrine. Here's a hypothetical, which for many of us is not a hypothetical, but personal experience. Here goes:
One of your close friends is a young, new believer. She has believed and repented genuinely, and shows a great passion for Christ and His Word. You are over-joyed at the transformation God has wrought in her. This young believer has also had a very hard life, most notably from physical and emotional abuse all through her childhood - and the wounds are still deep and fresh. This person loves God with all their heart, mind, and soul, but struggles with reconciling their experience with their knowledge of God's unique love of them expressed on the cross.
They cry out, "if God was not willing to spare His own Son, but rather sent Him to die so that God be glorified, and I forgiven and brought to Him as a child of God - WHY did He allow me to be tortured so? He offered His only Son so I may have eternal life, yet He refuses to protect His child from one that would come to ravage her? I cannot understand this. Was my father's torture of me God's will?"
There are 3 basic responses - 2 totally wrong, and 1 good and edifying.
First, the most sickening response: "Yes, it was God's will" said coldly and without compassion. Just an indifference to her pain and suffering, and offering excuse to the perpetrator of this heinous crime. I'm afraid this is the first thought that would go through many of our minds. We so focus on the Sovereign will of God that our allegiance to His commands, our compassion, and our love are all sacrificed on the alter of this warped view of His sovereignty. This is a hyper-calvinistic heart - or dare I even say, an unregenerate's heart. Check yourself, I don't doubt many of us may have this as our first reaction. I've had those thoughts. God have mercy on me.
The second response, and nearly as sickening (not quite as much because the people that have this response do not know better, whereas the hyper-calvinist should): "NO! It is never God's will for anyone to suffer like that. He would never plan such a thing - it is merely a consequence of sin. Don't look to God as the one who sent this trial to you, it is only the work of the devil." And, we all know the problem with this response - it takes away the faith and hope of the believer in a God that's capable of working things in this world. It makes man sovereign, and gives us a legitimate fear of man, rather than God - for He is unable to stop it.
Lastly, here is a more balanced, Biblical response. The Calvinist response: "NO! This was not God's will. God hates your father's actions with a fury stronger than you can imagine. He violated God's law, and infinite wrath is stored up, ready to be poured out on that sin. Do not think that God sits idly watching your suffering at the hands of your father with no compassion; He does not. Yet, you can have a quiet patience in God that He works all things for His glory and your good. God did plan well in advance the trials you would have. And just as you trust in Him to save you by His cross, you can trust that this suffering was not sent by Him in vain. His counsel is beyond our understanding, but He is faithful, and we must walk by faith and trust in what He sends. It is for God's glory and your good. Rest in that, be comforted by His hatred of your father's sin, and trust His wisdom in sending that trial to you. Be still and know that He is God."
Consider this prayerfully. Look back at similar situations and how you have reacted (the tsunami?). It was very convicting for me.
Thoughts? Am I off-base calling that first response hyper-calvinistic and dangerous?
One of your close friends is a young, new believer. She has believed and repented genuinely, and shows a great passion for Christ and His Word. You are over-joyed at the transformation God has wrought in her. This young believer has also had a very hard life, most notably from physical and emotional abuse all through her childhood - and the wounds are still deep and fresh. This person loves God with all their heart, mind, and soul, but struggles with reconciling their experience with their knowledge of God's unique love of them expressed on the cross.
They cry out, "if God was not willing to spare His own Son, but rather sent Him to die so that God be glorified, and I forgiven and brought to Him as a child of God - WHY did He allow me to be tortured so? He offered His only Son so I may have eternal life, yet He refuses to protect His child from one that would come to ravage her? I cannot understand this. Was my father's torture of me God's will?"
There are 3 basic responses - 2 totally wrong, and 1 good and edifying.
First, the most sickening response: "Yes, it was God's will" said coldly and without compassion. Just an indifference to her pain and suffering, and offering excuse to the perpetrator of this heinous crime. I'm afraid this is the first thought that would go through many of our minds. We so focus on the Sovereign will of God that our allegiance to His commands, our compassion, and our love are all sacrificed on the alter of this warped view of His sovereignty. This is a hyper-calvinistic heart - or dare I even say, an unregenerate's heart. Check yourself, I don't doubt many of us may have this as our first reaction. I've had those thoughts. God have mercy on me.
The second response, and nearly as sickening (not quite as much because the people that have this response do not know better, whereas the hyper-calvinist should): "NO! It is never God's will for anyone to suffer like that. He would never plan such a thing - it is merely a consequence of sin. Don't look to God as the one who sent this trial to you, it is only the work of the devil." And, we all know the problem with this response - it takes away the faith and hope of the believer in a God that's capable of working things in this world. It makes man sovereign, and gives us a legitimate fear of man, rather than God - for He is unable to stop it.
Lastly, here is a more balanced, Biblical response. The Calvinist response: "NO! This was not God's will. God hates your father's actions with a fury stronger than you can imagine. He violated God's law, and infinite wrath is stored up, ready to be poured out on that sin. Do not think that God sits idly watching your suffering at the hands of your father with no compassion; He does not. Yet, you can have a quiet patience in God that He works all things for His glory and your good. God did plan well in advance the trials you would have. And just as you trust in Him to save you by His cross, you can trust that this suffering was not sent by Him in vain. His counsel is beyond our understanding, but He is faithful, and we must walk by faith and trust in what He sends. It is for God's glory and your good. Rest in that, be comforted by His hatred of your father's sin, and trust His wisdom in sending that trial to you. Be still and know that He is God."
Consider this prayerfully. Look back at similar situations and how you have reacted (the tsunami?). It was very convicting for me.
Thoughts? Am I off-base calling that first response hyper-calvinistic and dangerous?
