Living Journey

I wrote the following sometime ago when dealing with a question concerning those who have not yet heard the Name above all Names, that being Jesus Christ. And I used it again when Carla brought up a post called ‘To Chew On‘.

Act 17:26-27 And He made every nation of men of one blood, to live on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.

I believe wholeheartedly that the above scripture is talking of the Providence of God. Meaning this, that with a truthful and seeking heart, God will provide the answer to that honest question. That question being — How do I know Him? — Who is He? — And who is this UNKNOWN GOD?

He will not in all His providence allow a Buddhist, Islamist or even a person from the remotest part of the world, anyone for that matter, who is genuinely seeking the absolute truth, humbly as a sinner whose works are recognized by the seeker as filthy rags and in the full knowledge of his sinful and fallen nature to continue without the truth being revealed in some way by some miraculous act of God. Whether it is through bringing someone into that person’s life that knows Jesus already and is willing to share the Gospel, or by some other way that God sees fit. Who is to say that God cannot do this if He be the Almighty God who says He is Merciful. Who can be dogmatic about what God can and cannot do when there is a sinner who has recognized himself as that.

I believe that not one in heaven would not have heard of the Greatest Name above all Names.

I believe in Gods providence in the desperate situations of those who truly seek for Him. His name is exalted above all others. When people ask me - “What about those who are good people and who have since the cross died never hearing the name of Jesus?” Well, I am inclined to think that there may be no such a thing… why would you limit God and His intervention and His providence in that person’s life when God truly knows their heart and their search for Him or even their lack of it.

Maybe the question should be rephrased; maybe it should not be “What about those people who have died since the resurrection and have never heard of Jesus? But rather, why haven’t those people heard of the Name above all Names! Perhaps they are not truly in their heart of heart seekers of God.

Then on Carla’s blog More Books and Things someone asked in light of the above what I thought about Romans 9:22.

This is my answer:

I would firstly like to take the verse Rom 9:22 in context and see if I can glean anything from the chapter and from the Old Testament. I will also look up some commentaries that I have on my PC and paste what I think would be of valuable opinion. Commentary is in italics.

Rom 9:17-23 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very thing I raised you up, so that I might display My power in you, and so that My name might be publicized in all the earth.” (Ex. 9:16) So, then, to whom He desires, He shows mercy. And to whom He desires, He hardens. You will then say to me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will? Yes, rather, O man, who are you answering against God? Shall the thing formed say to the One forming it, Why did You make me like this? (Isa. 29:16) Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, out of the one lump to make one vessel to honor, and one to dishonor? (Jer. 18:6) But if God, desiring to demonstrate His wrath, and to make His power known, endured in much long-suffering vessels of wrath having been fitted out for destruction, and that He make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy which He before prepared for glory,

The word “hardeneth” means only to harden in the manner specified in the case of Pharaoh. It does not mean to exert a positive influence, but to leave a sinner to his own course, and to place him in circumstances where the character will be more and more developed see; John 12:40 “He has blinded their eyes” and “has hardened their heart,” “that they might not see with the eyes” and “understand with the heart,” “and be converted,” “and I should heal them.” Isa. 6:10

It implies, however, an act of sovereignty on the part of God in thus leaving him to his chosen course, and in not putting forth that influence by which he could be saved from death. (Barnes)

The premise here is that people who reject the truth will become hardened of heart, like Pharaoh.  We also notice that Pharaoh was given many chances but instead became increasingly hardened to the truth. Not only that, but according to the passage in John 12:40 People have been blinded and hardened so that they may not see or understand so that they cannot be converted or healed. How do we reconcile that? By looking at God’s longsuffering heart towards Pharaoh, how many chances did he get? There is a point when people have had God speak to them over and over yet they still will themselves against the truth. So much so that in the end they become willfully blind. Even if we look at what happens in the last days God Himself sends a delusion so strong to those who will not see the truth. These people are a bit like Pharaoh.

I understand that this comment/post could possibly lead into the ‘Free Will’ vs ‘Pre-destined’ category and even so far as the ‘Calvinism’ vs. ‘Arminian’ debate. And this topic can get very heated and I have to say that it is one that I don’t feel compelled or drawn into even though I do lean towards Arminian while rejecting completely the Pelegian heresy. Both sides of the fence call either side a damnable heresy and a doctrine straight from the pit of hell. I just don’t want to go there because of my understanding that God’s Mercy and Grace is to be held in high tension together with His Judgment and Wrath.

I have a fallible mind and trying to reconcile seemingly paradoxical doctrines and scripture seriously does my head in. But what I can show from my understanding of scripture is that God is all of the above (and much more of course) and how God interferes (for want of a better word) into our Historical lineal time is something that He does in fact do.

I can say with 100% certainty that He does shape me, but I also have free will. I am neither a puppet nor a master and I am a vessel that He has shaped but I have also surrendered my will to be shaped. Although, at times I do resist. Is my will stronger than His, or is He just long suffering? I think the later.

Both ‘Free Will’ and ‘Pre-destination’ has been argued biblically for centuries and both have very good arguments. I can honestly say that I see that both views (Free Will/Predestination) must be held in tension with one another. Even if they are seemingly opposing, it is one of the great mysteries because Gods ways are just that! Remember God says:

Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

But I do know that a merciful God who hears the crying pangs of a repentant sinner will bestow upon that sinner His Grace.

The below explains a little bit of God’s will in showing His wrath because of obstinate ( those who become willfully blind) unbelief.

What if God, being willing - Referring to Rom 9:18-19. That is, although it was now his will, because of their obstinate unbelief, to show his wrath - Which necessarily presupposes sin. And to make his power known - This is repeated from Rom 9:17. Yet endured - As he did Pharaoh. With much longsuffering - Which should have led them to repentance. The vessels of wrath - Those who had moved his wrath by still rejecting his mercy. Fitted for destruction - By their own willful and final impenitence. Is there any injustice in this? (Barnes)

No, that is not injustice at all.

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

The Greek ‘Willing’ Willing (θέλων) Although willing, not because. Referring not to the determinate purpose of God, but to His spontaneous will growing out of His holy character. In the former sense, the meaning would be that God’s long-suffering was designed to enhance the final penalty. The emphatic position of willing prepares the way for the contrast with long-suffering. Though this holy will would lead Him to show His wrath, yet He withheld His wrath and endured. (Vincent’s Word Studies)

I don’t think we should use this chapter, which uses the illustration of Pharaoh’s hardened heart and the long suffering of God, to build a doctrine for either ‘Calvinism’ or ‘Arminianism’ or indeed ‘Pre-destination’ vs ‘Free-Will’.

This chapter illustrates to me, that man left to his own un-repentant self, will become a vessel of wrath because God’s will is that His Holiness — which can have no part in evil — has to be revealed and is to be revealed at some point in History. So yes, God’s hand is in that also, but only after His long suffering does He see fit to exercise his will for mans destruction. Also, we must remember that God did send Moses and Aaron who were collectively the mouthpiece of God to Pharaoh and Pharaoh chose to not hear with open ears, so he then became increasingly willfully blind.

On the other hand man who is repentant has God’s mercy bestowed upon him and he becomes a vessel of mercy, God also has His hand in this act. And He must because He is Merciful.

Both points illustrate God’s nature and His will toward ‘mans will’ (as He is bound by His nature and His Word) and it also shows ‘mans will’ becoming shaped and formed to manifest God’s nature and His will. Whether mans will is obstinate or submissive both have outcomes that is within the Will of God and both outcomes are to His Glory showing Him to be both Merciful and Holy. It is a marriage between the two somewhat.

Rom 9:23 and that He make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy which He before prepared for glory,

I cannot — and will not– argue from only one side of this centuries old debate, but I can say that God is Merciful and Long Suffering but He is also Holy and Righteous.  Because of this, He does at the end of it, have to show His Holiness which is to set Himself apart from anything unholy including willfully blind obstinate sinful creatures that have been left to their own devices, who when at the day of judgment, have not the name of Jesus or His blood covering because their ears did not hear it or their eyes could not see because of their willful blindness.

Does this make any sense at all? Or have I obfuscated and confused things more?