WrittenFromUtopia
Puritan Board Graduate
SUPRALAPSARIANISM:
GOD'S ETERNAL DECREE TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FOR HIS GLORY
To put it simply, Supralapsarianism is what I believe to be the most logical, clear, and pure teaching of Holy Scriptures concerning how people chosen by God come to be saved and how others come to be damned to Hell. I believe the Bible to be not only vocal about this issue, but vocal to an extent that it would be necessary to deny the authority of Scripture and all sound exegesis to avoid coming to such conclusions. Conclusions, which, have been found in the clear teachings of Christ's Church throughout history by those who love and fear the Lord.
By sound exegesis, I mean simply that we are to attempt, based on the light of Scripture as a whole (Using the Analogy of Faith), to gather from all Scripture its true meaning without reading anything into the text or attempting to avoid the conclusions and teachings that many Scriptures put forth for us to believe and adhere to. We are not to, like all Arminian 'scholars', attempt to "explain away" numerous passages that point to God's sovereignty in the salvation of His people and to His providential control over all things that come to pass. Rather, our passion, as those redeemed by God, should be to EXPLAIN what God has taught us; and not only understand it, but believe it, and through believing, be led to fear the Lord all the more, causing us to cling more dearly to Christ's love for us and to be indwelled with a passion to proclaim the gospel of God's grace to everyone we encounter.
Unfortunately, through no doubt the influence of Satan and sin in this world, our Churches in America especially have come to join the liberals in wanting to believe in things that only benefit us or make us feel good about ourselves. It is not a stretch or misrepresentative of Arminian thought to say that they pride themselves in liberalism. In fact, the words of John Wesley himself are quite clear on the subject of soteriology. He sought not to teach and believe the clear teachings of Scripture ALONE, but rather the basis of his soteriology was existentialism and the human experience. Many Wesleyan/Arminian scholars have, in fact, been quoted in writing as saying that they are proud of the fact that Wesleyan soteriology paved the way for liberal theology as we know it today! By liberal theology, I refer to the belief that Scripture alone is "not enough." The emphasis is shifted most often towards the feelings, thoughts, emotions, and experiences of men. I find it hard to believe, based on the clear commandments and teachings of God in Scripture, that anyone who is truly regenerate would want to glory in such humanism and secularism. Is not Christ Lord? How long will the people of this world continue to forsake the word of the Lord and make themselves the lord of their own lives?
We are not to pick-and-choose what we would enjoy believing. Rather, we are to believe what God teaches us through Holy Scripture because it is true. Quite honestly, this means believing things that are hard to swallow. But, beloved, do we not live by faith?
With all of this in mind, let's examine the clear teachings of Scripture as related to God's decrees, in eternity, for how His salvation would be given to His people and for what end it was given.
The logical order of decrees according to Supralapsarianism (although not neccessarily a temporal order) is as follows:
1. Elect Some and Reprobate Rest
2. Create
3. Permit Fall
4. Provide Salvation for Elect
5. Call Elect to Salvation
1. Elect Some and Reprobate Rest
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. -Ephesians 1:3-14 (ESV)
This view is often wrongly called "double predestination". I say wrongly because it usually carries with it some harmful and false connotations based on ignorance or misrepresentation.* In the concept of God's eternal decree to set apart and save for Himself a people, the natural result of this is the "leftovers"; That is, those who were not positively elected through approbation by God unto salvation. However, where most often people go astray in their thought is that they believe God made the rest of these people evil and turned them away from Himself in reprobation. In other words, the common fallacious belief is that God turned some good people into evil people and refused their salvation and refused to be merciful towards them. This is not what is taught here at all. What is taught here is the justice of God and His mercy towards undeserving sinners.
To explain, we must first realize that all of mankind was devastatingly affected by the Fall and the imputation of Adam's original sin. What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known., There is no fear of God before their eyes." -Romans 3:9-18 (ESV) Through the fall, all of mankind was essentially destined to Hell with no hope for salvation from God. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience"” among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. -Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV) Mankind was stripped of his free will and left helpless, incapable of turning towards God in righteousness or following His commandments. God has decreed that the reprobate would be left to their just destruction. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. -Psalm 81:12 (ESV)
Therefore, the kindness of God is displayed through His election of some people unto salvation; People who, without God's intervention, would never desire to repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ as Scripture clearly teaches. Yet, at the same time, the severity of God is displayed in the fact that God has decreed in the decree of reprobation, that the rest of mankind - living in rebellion against God's Law, hating Him and everything He has commanded - would be left to their just condemnation and damnation and suffer the fire of Hell for all eternity. Paul and the rest of Scripture makes clear witness to this reality; That is, the "double predestination" of God, in eternity. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, "œGod gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day." -Romans 11:7-8 (ESV); Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. -Romans 11:22 (ESV); So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "œThe stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "œA stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. -1 Peter 2:7-8 (ESV); What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. -Romans 9:22 (ESV); For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. -Jude 4 (ESV); For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? -2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (ESV)
It is true that God has positively decreed that these people would not be His, but not in an apathetic sense of Him just "passing over" the rest of mankind. No, it is clear in Scripture that God has sovereignly decreed that those who are not His will be left to their just condemnation to the end of His glorification. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Thessalonians 5:9 (ESV) This verse obviously results in the idea that if God has not destined the elect to wrath (as it is spoken of here, in context), then it follows that He has decreed that the reprobate would be destined to the wrath that is "stored up" for them for the punishment of their rebellion and hatred towards God.
Finally, before moving onto the next decree, we need to examine why God has decided in His most wise and holy counsel to decree that some men would receive His salvation and that others would not. No doubt, this is something that goes against the very sinful nature that dwells within each of us. We are so affected by the sin we have inherited in Adam that it goes beyond our understanding why God would do things in such a way. Why not save all people? Why not give us all the free will and capability to choose God? Are not there countless millions of people throughout history who have been left to their just destruction that were kind people? Did they really deserve the punishment of hell and sin which they were destined to inherit? Why does God operate in this way? I join all of mankind in these objections and questions. I admit that none of this makes much sense to my mind, being influenced by Satan and sin. Where is God's justice and love that we so often read about in Scripture? The answer, thankfully, is made quite plain and clear in the writings of Holy Scripture. Let's look at the reasoning behind why God operates in such the way that He does.
Most basically, why did God decide to save men? What prompted Him to make a way for all nations to repent and believe in the gospel? Scripture is quite clear as to God's motives in the salvation of His people: "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses ... Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel." -Ezekiel 36:22-28,31-32 (ESV) Could Scripture be any more clear? No doubt, I reaffirm my assertion that to not believe in God's sovereignty over the salvation of mankind for His purposes is to not believe in Scripture at all. It is to make for yourself an idol, a false god that is not found taught in Holy Scripture in any way, shape, or form. We are saved for the sake of God's Holy name. We are saved for the sake of His glory. Through the "vessels of mercy" God shall be glorified among all the nations, because they will be made to repent and see their sinful ways and how their God has miraculously and mercifully saved them, apart from any works or merit within them.
To summarize, the purpose of salvation and reprobation of men is God's glorification and the elect's humiliation. We that are supernaturally and undeservingly saved by God almighty are to be brought to our faces before His glorious grace and mercy. So then, who of you will still say to the Potter, "You have no right to do with me as you wish?" Or who of you will also say, "You have no right to turn over some men to their just condemnation. Who are you to decide our destiny?" Paul, in His wisdom from God, knew that mankind for all of its temporal existence would struggle with such questions and objections, despite the clear teachings of Scripture. Paul's most wonderful reply is simply, "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "œWhy have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory"” even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? -Romans 9:20-24 (ESV) Again, in humility I exclaim, could Scripture be any more clear? I think not. To avoid or "explain away" such passages is to deny the authority of Scripture and to selfishly live according to your own desires and pleasures. It is to avoid the truth because you do not like it or because you think it does you no good. What of God's truth is not important? Does God's Word not always have intent and purpose? Did God not say that His Word would not return to Him void? Ezekiel the prophet made it quite clear why we must know these things about salvation and God's work in the heart of undeserving, sinful men: Our own humility.
There are a few more Scriptures that I think do us good in examining so that we may see this is not some worthless doctrine conceived in the minds of mere men, but that it is the clear teaching of Scripture as a whole.
For example, does God receive glory in the destruction of men? Scripture teaches us that He most certainly does. We have already seen this concept clearly explained in Romans 9, but it is also clear in other passages of Scripture. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. -Exodus 9:15-16 (ESV) In this passage we see that the reason God raised Pharoah into a position of power was so that through his destruction and misfortune, God's name would be glorified, His power would be displayed, and His righteous and just name would be proclaimed throughout the earth.
The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. -Proverbs 16:4 (ESV) The wicked have been created for the day of their "trouble" (i.e. destruction) for a purpose known to God. The fulfillment of all of God's purposes no doubt are for the sake of His glorification, for what does God do outside of His own will?
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses. -Joshua 11:18-20 (ESV) God is clearly seen working in a way here that is not concerned so much with the salvation of all mankind, but rather the accomplishment of His purposes that He has decreed will come to be. Again, through such fulfillment of His purposes, God receives glory from His people that He has saved and chosen to be set apart from the rest of fallen mankind.
Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. -Psalm 76:10 Not much needs be said about this passage of Scripture that is so clear, it would require much more "explaining away" by those in opposition of God's sovereign decree to reprobate men for His own glory than is likely possible. To them I pray that God would open their eyes to see the stubbornness of their ways and fall on their face in humility before the God they have so long profaned through their words, actions, and attitudes (myself included).
I hope that the clear teachings of Scripture presented here would cause you to more deeply appreciate the kindness of God towards you as a vessel of His mercy. For those who may not know God (or worse, that God may not know), I would lovingly say to you that you have been commanded by Jesus Christ, the one, true, living God, to repent of your sinful ways and turn to God's ways, believe that Christ alone is God and that He died for your sins and that He was raised from the dead in a display of God's power and for the end of His glory. Do this, and you shall live.
I will continue with this discussion in a future post, finishing up the rest of the decrees of God in Supralapsarian theology that are so clearly taught in Holy Scripture. I pray that all of God's beloved who read this would be blessed by the richness of God's mercy towards you, an undeserving sinner.
* Although people often misunderstand what Supralapsarian theology teaches, I would not hesitate to label myself as believing in "double predestination" as long as it was clarified what I meant by saying such a thing (which I explain in this writing).
[Edited on 25-12-2004 by WrittenFromUtopia]
GOD'S ETERNAL DECREE TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FOR HIS GLORY
To put it simply, Supralapsarianism is what I believe to be the most logical, clear, and pure teaching of Holy Scriptures concerning how people chosen by God come to be saved and how others come to be damned to Hell. I believe the Bible to be not only vocal about this issue, but vocal to an extent that it would be necessary to deny the authority of Scripture and all sound exegesis to avoid coming to such conclusions. Conclusions, which, have been found in the clear teachings of Christ's Church throughout history by those who love and fear the Lord.
By sound exegesis, I mean simply that we are to attempt, based on the light of Scripture as a whole (Using the Analogy of Faith), to gather from all Scripture its true meaning without reading anything into the text or attempting to avoid the conclusions and teachings that many Scriptures put forth for us to believe and adhere to. We are not to, like all Arminian 'scholars', attempt to "explain away" numerous passages that point to God's sovereignty in the salvation of His people and to His providential control over all things that come to pass. Rather, our passion, as those redeemed by God, should be to EXPLAIN what God has taught us; and not only understand it, but believe it, and through believing, be led to fear the Lord all the more, causing us to cling more dearly to Christ's love for us and to be indwelled with a passion to proclaim the gospel of God's grace to everyone we encounter.
Unfortunately, through no doubt the influence of Satan and sin in this world, our Churches in America especially have come to join the liberals in wanting to believe in things that only benefit us or make us feel good about ourselves. It is not a stretch or misrepresentative of Arminian thought to say that they pride themselves in liberalism. In fact, the words of John Wesley himself are quite clear on the subject of soteriology. He sought not to teach and believe the clear teachings of Scripture ALONE, but rather the basis of his soteriology was existentialism and the human experience. Many Wesleyan/Arminian scholars have, in fact, been quoted in writing as saying that they are proud of the fact that Wesleyan soteriology paved the way for liberal theology as we know it today! By liberal theology, I refer to the belief that Scripture alone is "not enough." The emphasis is shifted most often towards the feelings, thoughts, emotions, and experiences of men. I find it hard to believe, based on the clear commandments and teachings of God in Scripture, that anyone who is truly regenerate would want to glory in such humanism and secularism. Is not Christ Lord? How long will the people of this world continue to forsake the word of the Lord and make themselves the lord of their own lives?
We are not to pick-and-choose what we would enjoy believing. Rather, we are to believe what God teaches us through Holy Scripture because it is true. Quite honestly, this means believing things that are hard to swallow. But, beloved, do we not live by faith?
With all of this in mind, let's examine the clear teachings of Scripture as related to God's decrees, in eternity, for how His salvation would be given to His people and for what end it was given.
The logical order of decrees according to Supralapsarianism (although not neccessarily a temporal order) is as follows:
1. Elect Some and Reprobate Rest
2. Create
3. Permit Fall
4. Provide Salvation for Elect
5. Call Elect to Salvation
1. Elect Some and Reprobate Rest
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. -Ephesians 1:3-14 (ESV)
This view is often wrongly called "double predestination". I say wrongly because it usually carries with it some harmful and false connotations based on ignorance or misrepresentation.* In the concept of God's eternal decree to set apart and save for Himself a people, the natural result of this is the "leftovers"; That is, those who were not positively elected through approbation by God unto salvation. However, where most often people go astray in their thought is that they believe God made the rest of these people evil and turned them away from Himself in reprobation. In other words, the common fallacious belief is that God turned some good people into evil people and refused their salvation and refused to be merciful towards them. This is not what is taught here at all. What is taught here is the justice of God and His mercy towards undeserving sinners.
To explain, we must first realize that all of mankind was devastatingly affected by the Fall and the imputation of Adam's original sin. What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known., There is no fear of God before their eyes." -Romans 3:9-18 (ESV) Through the fall, all of mankind was essentially destined to Hell with no hope for salvation from God. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience"” among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. -Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV) Mankind was stripped of his free will and left helpless, incapable of turning towards God in righteousness or following His commandments. God has decreed that the reprobate would be left to their just destruction. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. -Psalm 81:12 (ESV)
Therefore, the kindness of God is displayed through His election of some people unto salvation; People who, without God's intervention, would never desire to repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ as Scripture clearly teaches. Yet, at the same time, the severity of God is displayed in the fact that God has decreed in the decree of reprobation, that the rest of mankind - living in rebellion against God's Law, hating Him and everything He has commanded - would be left to their just condemnation and damnation and suffer the fire of Hell for all eternity. Paul and the rest of Scripture makes clear witness to this reality; That is, the "double predestination" of God, in eternity. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, "œGod gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day." -Romans 11:7-8 (ESV); Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. -Romans 11:22 (ESV); So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "œThe stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "œA stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. -1 Peter 2:7-8 (ESV); What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. -Romans 9:22 (ESV); For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. -Jude 4 (ESV); For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? -2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (ESV)
It is true that God has positively decreed that these people would not be His, but not in an apathetic sense of Him just "passing over" the rest of mankind. No, it is clear in Scripture that God has sovereignly decreed that those who are not His will be left to their just condemnation to the end of His glorification. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Thessalonians 5:9 (ESV) This verse obviously results in the idea that if God has not destined the elect to wrath (as it is spoken of here, in context), then it follows that He has decreed that the reprobate would be destined to the wrath that is "stored up" for them for the punishment of their rebellion and hatred towards God.
Finally, before moving onto the next decree, we need to examine why God has decided in His most wise and holy counsel to decree that some men would receive His salvation and that others would not. No doubt, this is something that goes against the very sinful nature that dwells within each of us. We are so affected by the sin we have inherited in Adam that it goes beyond our understanding why God would do things in such a way. Why not save all people? Why not give us all the free will and capability to choose God? Are not there countless millions of people throughout history who have been left to their just destruction that were kind people? Did they really deserve the punishment of hell and sin which they were destined to inherit? Why does God operate in this way? I join all of mankind in these objections and questions. I admit that none of this makes much sense to my mind, being influenced by Satan and sin. Where is God's justice and love that we so often read about in Scripture? The answer, thankfully, is made quite plain and clear in the writings of Holy Scripture. Let's look at the reasoning behind why God operates in such the way that He does.
Most basically, why did God decide to save men? What prompted Him to make a way for all nations to repent and believe in the gospel? Scripture is quite clear as to God's motives in the salvation of His people: "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses ... Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel." -Ezekiel 36:22-28,31-32 (ESV) Could Scripture be any more clear? No doubt, I reaffirm my assertion that to not believe in God's sovereignty over the salvation of mankind for His purposes is to not believe in Scripture at all. It is to make for yourself an idol, a false god that is not found taught in Holy Scripture in any way, shape, or form. We are saved for the sake of God's Holy name. We are saved for the sake of His glory. Through the "vessels of mercy" God shall be glorified among all the nations, because they will be made to repent and see their sinful ways and how their God has miraculously and mercifully saved them, apart from any works or merit within them.
To summarize, the purpose of salvation and reprobation of men is God's glorification and the elect's humiliation. We that are supernaturally and undeservingly saved by God almighty are to be brought to our faces before His glorious grace and mercy. So then, who of you will still say to the Potter, "You have no right to do with me as you wish?" Or who of you will also say, "You have no right to turn over some men to their just condemnation. Who are you to decide our destiny?" Paul, in His wisdom from God, knew that mankind for all of its temporal existence would struggle with such questions and objections, despite the clear teachings of Scripture. Paul's most wonderful reply is simply, "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "œWhy have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory"” even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? -Romans 9:20-24 (ESV) Again, in humility I exclaim, could Scripture be any more clear? I think not. To avoid or "explain away" such passages is to deny the authority of Scripture and to selfishly live according to your own desires and pleasures. It is to avoid the truth because you do not like it or because you think it does you no good. What of God's truth is not important? Does God's Word not always have intent and purpose? Did God not say that His Word would not return to Him void? Ezekiel the prophet made it quite clear why we must know these things about salvation and God's work in the heart of undeserving, sinful men: Our own humility.
There are a few more Scriptures that I think do us good in examining so that we may see this is not some worthless doctrine conceived in the minds of mere men, but that it is the clear teaching of Scripture as a whole.
For example, does God receive glory in the destruction of men? Scripture teaches us that He most certainly does. We have already seen this concept clearly explained in Romans 9, but it is also clear in other passages of Scripture. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. -Exodus 9:15-16 (ESV) In this passage we see that the reason God raised Pharoah into a position of power was so that through his destruction and misfortune, God's name would be glorified, His power would be displayed, and His righteous and just name would be proclaimed throughout the earth.
The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. -Proverbs 16:4 (ESV) The wicked have been created for the day of their "trouble" (i.e. destruction) for a purpose known to God. The fulfillment of all of God's purposes no doubt are for the sake of His glorification, for what does God do outside of His own will?
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses. -Joshua 11:18-20 (ESV) God is clearly seen working in a way here that is not concerned so much with the salvation of all mankind, but rather the accomplishment of His purposes that He has decreed will come to be. Again, through such fulfillment of His purposes, God receives glory from His people that He has saved and chosen to be set apart from the rest of fallen mankind.
Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. -Psalm 76:10 Not much needs be said about this passage of Scripture that is so clear, it would require much more "explaining away" by those in opposition of God's sovereign decree to reprobate men for His own glory than is likely possible. To them I pray that God would open their eyes to see the stubbornness of their ways and fall on their face in humility before the God they have so long profaned through their words, actions, and attitudes (myself included).
I hope that the clear teachings of Scripture presented here would cause you to more deeply appreciate the kindness of God towards you as a vessel of His mercy. For those who may not know God (or worse, that God may not know), I would lovingly say to you that you have been commanded by Jesus Christ, the one, true, living God, to repent of your sinful ways and turn to God's ways, believe that Christ alone is God and that He died for your sins and that He was raised from the dead in a display of God's power and for the end of His glory. Do this, and you shall live.
I will continue with this discussion in a future post, finishing up the rest of the decrees of God in Supralapsarian theology that are so clearly taught in Holy Scripture. I pray that all of God's beloved who read this would be blessed by the richness of God's mercy towards you, an undeserving sinner.
* Although people often misunderstand what Supralapsarian theology teaches, I would not hesitate to label myself as believing in "double predestination" as long as it was clarified what I meant by saying such a thing (which I explain in this writing).
[Edited on 25-12-2004 by WrittenFromUtopia]
