Before Esau was born, God knew he would despise his birthright. And before Jacob was born, God also knew he would covet Esau's birthright and offer to trade it with Esau for some venison. God also knew that Esau would choose to accept Jacob's offer. This is why Romans 9:13 says, "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Does anyone really think that God arbitrarily hated Esau and loved Jacob for no apparent reason? Well, Calvinists do!
Let's look at Romans 9 to see if Lou Rugg has a proverbial leg to stand on:
Romans 9:10-12
10And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
Now the whole passage is discussing why and how it is that "not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel" (v6). And it is explained, in this passage that God chose Jacob over Esau "though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad".
God chose Jacob over Esau not based on anything He foresaw they would do, but "in order that God’s purpose of election might continue".
It is surely true that "God knew he would despise his birthright", but that was not why God chose Jacob over Esau.
Romans 9:14-18
14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
God has mercy on whomever He wills, not because of anything they did, but because we're all filthy rotten sinners in need of mercy, and none of us deserve saving.
Lou Rugg, a classic Pelagian, believes God saves you because of what He foresees you will do... Christians however believe that God loved us before we could, or wanted to, love Him and saved us, not because of what we've done, but because of His own grace and mercy.
Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
"in order that God’s purpose of election might continue".
ReplyDeleteOr, we might say, "so that the electing purpose might be accomplished by what the twins would do."
God not only purposes the ends but also ordains the means. Then ends are not the product of the means they are the beginning, or that is, they're the ordering of them. Again, God who knows the end from the beginning must at every junture know the means, for any time in history is an end. We might look at it like this: in the Garden God promises the Seed, the Seed is offered on Calvary, and the Seed is enthroned forever a Priest and King. But from Calvary it is proclaimed finished which was begun in the Garden and is consummated on the Throne. Every point along a line is the line and no point can be lacking and still form a line.
Indeed, as I like to point out Isa 46 expresses that very fact.
ReplyDeleteIsa 46:9-10
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'