fear God

As Christians, because of the doctrine of pre-destination, we are assured of our salvation. Therefore, when we believe in Christ, we are supposed to be those who are elected, and thus we have full confidence in the salvation that is made available through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In a way, the topic of pre-destination and limited atonement have left Christians struggling, still remaining controversial a subject as of today, due to certain reasons Sui has suggested in his comments. As believers in the Bible, we should not lose faith because of these unanswered questions. Rather, since we know that there is a God, there is Jesus, there is the death and resurrection, all the more we should persevere and not lose heart. Whatever arguments that my previous entry and this present entry would bring should not cause you to backslide. If you think you may, please stop reading right now.

If you continue, please read Romans 9 first.

Perhaps like what Dawn has suggested, the subject of unconditional election has led to confusion, maybe even fear. But like what Romans 9 has mentioned, God has chosen us, elected us. And in some of the other verses, you can see that Christ died for many (not all). Refer to Isaiah 53:12. Like what Calvinism about, TULIP co-exist together. Either one could not be excluded. Man with his inclination to sin, the sinful nature, is in a depraved state. He will not be able to choose good without the help of God.

Yet out of love, out of mercy, he has elected some to be saved. You may think how unfair it will be to those who are unelected, but look on the flip side, it is us who sin, and it is only right that He has the ability to choose those to be saved.

We will ask how good is God, that he allowed sin to exist? Paul answered this question plainly, “Who are you to answer back to God?” I do question God’s reason for creating Man, since he knows some will sin right from the start. He knows that he will condemn some to eternal suffering at the end of the day. In fact, right in the beginning of time, he has thought of his salvation plan and have proceed to elect the people that he’ll save. How loving is that? Honestly, I do not know. I do not dare ask. For I am a mere man, insignificant and just like a puff of wind. You know something? The people who are not elected are simply condemned to hell, made for eternal suffering. And when I first think of that, I fear, not reverence fear as what Pastor Sim has mentioned earlier, but just fear, sheer terror at the awe of God, of the Maker, of his power, of His Word. Perhaps as Christians, we are less self-centredness as our immediate thought is that we are assured of salvation, we are saved, but how about the rest? Are they simply condemned to hell? How fair is it? I tell you how fair it is. Condemnation is simply our default status. The question is how unfair it is that we are saved, and others are not? It is by his grace that we are saved.

In a way or another, God has extended his grace to those who heard of the gospel. It is them who choose not to believe. Perhaps in some ways, human responsibility is involved mysteriously, at least not clearly understood and never will be by us, at least not on Earth. Yet how just it is to those who have not heard of the gospel at all and have no opportunity? It is just for it is what we deserved – the wrath of God. Perhaps like what Desmond pointed out, we should not just simply fill sorry and anguish for these people, for what good it will be done? Rather this should motivate us to evangelise and preach the gospel, that people will have opportunity.

Who can fathom the ways of God? Definitely not Man.

I quote from Sui’s comment.

In the end, we need to acknowledge that God is God, and we are not. Even if He created some (or even all human!) to be destroyed, He has the power and authority to do so, and we cant argue that He cant do that. But we need to remember that out of His mercy and grace He did choose some to be saved, and we have to be thankful for that. Paul argues that He might did all this election thingy to show the full range of His glory in wrath and mercy: "What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath–prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory–even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" (Rom 9:22-24)

How good is God? God is just and fair. Have we any right to question our Maker? No. We are nothing before him, before his almighty powers.

We thank God that we believe in Him, and he has sent his son to die for us – the elect. I’m not sure that I’m the elect. That does not mean that I should lose faith, but perservere since I know the Lord God is a true and living God. And when the day comes, I will know if I have been chosen. If I am, there is rejoicing and elation.(We are undeserving of it) If I have not, I deserve it, it is my default status.

Fear God.

food for thought

Tuesday, 19 April 2005
20 19

Foreword: This is just some thoughts organised into words. It’s quite a lot of theology, but I thought it may be helpful to better understand Christianity. Part of this is also what I learn from a discussion on Saturday with some PUNJ guys, namely Desmond and Sui, so part of the credit will go to them. I would not dare declare that what I am going to write is entirely and perfectly true. After all, who can fathom the plans of the Lord our Creator? Whatever mistake is the fault of mine and mine alone. Do reply should you find disagreements. I would be glad to hear.

A few terms that this entry will be based on

God’s sovereignty
God is omnipotent, omniscient, and is the essence of perfection, of holiness. He is our Creator, and with his power, he controls his creation, and thus the adjective sovereign. After all, if a Creator can’t control what he creates, he’s useless a Creator. And certainly the Lord is not.

Man’s responsibility
Out of love, God grants Man a freedom of choice. It’s man’s choice whether to choose God, or return to his sinful ways, rejecting the hand of mercy stretched to him.

The questions.

1. 
   If God’s sovereign, to what extent is Man responsible for his own salvation? In the gospels, we read about the Pharisees and the Jews who rejected Christ and eventually caused the death of the Son of God as well. Yet if they did not do that, surely God’s salvation plan to save the word would not be fulfilled. Therefore, did God cause them to sin, in his sovereignty?
2. 
   As what Paul had mentioned in his letters to the churches, a Christian should be assured of salvation. How does one know that he is a Christian then? It’s by faith in Jesus Christ. Then how does one know he is saved? Therefore, indirectly, are we even assured at all?

The answers (or rather theological answers by Man)

There are two concepts that are thought of to solve this issue. Arminianism and Calvinism

Arminaism maintains that God predestines, but not in an absolute sense. The line of thinking is that God looks into the future to see who will choose Him and so chooses him to be saved. Thus it’s the choice of Man to be saved or not.

As what Desmond says, this doesn’t at all depicts God’s sovereignty. If Arminianism is true, then God is not sovereign, i.e. he is after all choosing based on Man’s decisions. He is not in control.

Calvinism on the other hand is more biblically based. It’s known by an acronym – TULIP.
Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the Saints.

Total Depravity
The inclinations of Man is sin. Man is completely sinful. And this fallen nature will not permit us to choose God. Therefore, we are reborn not by our choice, but by God’s grace.

Unconditional Election
Out of this love and kindness, God elect some to be saved. This election is unconditional, God didn’t select from the best or look into the future or whatever.

Limited Atonement
Jesus died for all, but his death is only effective for the elect.

Irresistible Grace
When God elect the people that he wants to save, the people could never reject his call.

Perseverance of the saints
Salvation can never be lost. It is secured when God elected.

How then does human responsibility comes into play? Put it this way, when you believe, it somehow means you are elected. How do we know we believe? Simply because of the doctrine of predestination; you are saved when you are elected. As you can see, I didn’t exactly answer the first question. There is no answer, not from Man at least.

Like what a pastor says, God’s sovereignty and Man’s responsibility are like two parallel train tracks. They seem never to meet. Yet if you look in the distance, you can see the tracks running into the horizon and there, they seem to meet. When we get to heaven, we’ll see how these two work together in the wise plan of God.

Sources:
http://www.mslick.com/tulip.htm

cats

Saturday, 9 April 2005 T: 23 27
A few hours ago, in the cool Friday night, I have the urge to play LAN, especially being deprived for so long (25 x 360 seconds). I did not make it though. For those who know me well, almost nothing can stop me, yet my desire was overcome, my self won over, my temptation beaten, by cats.

In my neighbourhood years ago, one would see an old woman lugging a basket of food every evening. She would spend her time feeding the hungry strays, and then cleaning up after them. Age seems not stop her love for the animals that roam her neighbourhood. Today, her work is continued by another lady (younger), and I’m sure, several others as well. I am always touched by their acts of kindness towards their feline friends, td that perhaps a speck of humanity still liese in this power-crazed world, touched that people do care, spending time and money on cats that seem not reciprocated their generosity. Tonight, I met that woman, I learn a lot from her, somehow feeling that I’m out my way in this ‘veterinary’ business.
Besides the block of flat I’m living in, is a small park – an open space. Home and territory to four cats, it is almost insignificant to most people, to passer-bys on their hectic life to work or school, much to the relief of its residents. There is a while one with grey stripes (named Striker by the woman). She’s the most friendly of the lot, not really wary of the humans that stomp past her, instead just lying on the ground, rolling playfully while enjoying the cool breeze. She’s smart, capable of recognising people (and food). She knows me somehow tonight, swinging a paw at me now and then when I sat beside her. I flinched each time, though I’m pretty sure she won’t hurt me, but I guess I am still claw-fearing. (kind of being reminded of L.P. – initials of a girl, guess). There is another black fellow (hum ji; cowardice in a Chinese dialect), very shy guy, and run to the safety of the car when insecure, pity though, since he don’t really get to enjoy the food that people may bring. Then again, perhaps he has saved himself countless times too.
There is another black-brown one (or rather black with brown patches), the so-called dominant male. He is rather territorial, which is good since he actual limited the strays in that area to four.
That lady recounted that once he actual chased Striker up the tree, frightening her and all. I guess there’s no such thing as gentlemanliness in the feline world, which is good sometimes huh? Haha. Guess he don’t find her attractive as such. Maybe it is a result of sterilisation. Shrug…
It’s very comforting to sit besides a cat appreciating the night sky together, observing its actions and pranks, enjoying the softness of fur. (quite a luxury to have a portable cushion) Maybe I should do this often, perhaps even mugging in the meantime, presenting to cats a delightful image of Man, hopefully changing their attitude, and knowledge that not all people are "bastards". Pardon my crudeness, but I find no other words befitting of the damned people in this world. A while ago, there was a black cat suffering injuries after wandering off. He was abused. The vet suspected his injuries as caused by a falling from high ground. Surely he won’t be so stupid to fall off himself. Someone must have thrown him, someone who is that inhumane and condemned. I can’t imagine how certain people have such a lack of conscience as to commit such atrocity!

I may not get to be a vet at the end of the day. I know very well how difficult it will be to get a scholarship, especially being in such a competitive education system. The fact that I’m born in the Dragon Year in the Chinese calendar doesn’t help matters too. But I know very well that being one or not will not change my interest in animals. I’ll simply take over the work of the woman and simply attend to the hungry strays, making sure that the cat population is controlled. I’ll live in a flat, I’ll have a puppy and kitten and an egg, and I’ll gradually raise them up, hoping that they will grow to be patient and loving to one another. I will not cage them, will not restrain them, at least once they reach adulthood. For a simple reason. Because of love, I would want to give them a freedom of choice, the ability to make a choice to stick with me or to embrace the wild.
_________________________________________________________________________
And if I, a mere human, think this way, how much more autotomy God will grant Man because of his immense and incomparable love?! It is because of His love for his creation that he did not make us like robots, restrained to his will. He wants us to have a freedom of choice, and he hopes that we will choose him. We did not, in our disobedience and rebellion, and he is saddened and anguished. Yet because of his love, he sent his son to die for us, to reconcile us.
Behold the grace of Lord our God, so immense that he sent his one and only son to die for us! Behold the love of Jesus Christ, so selfless that he sacrificed his own life for us, mere Man! Behold the power of the spirit, with counsel so wise beyond the fathom of man!

replies

I shall reply to the people who posted comments in my last entry, just as appreciation for spending precious to read and most of all, to reply.

To Sinch,
Wow, didn’t know u are quite knowledgeable birds. I know nuts. My friend says it’s a hummingbird when I describe it to him. Upon surfing the net, I realised you are right. It’s a sun bird. The colors are not that dull, at least better than crows. It loves the sun I suppose, always in her nest during rainy days and night-time. I like to just check out on him during commercials, tempted to shake her nest. Haha. But do wonder what it will be like roasted. The powers of hunger…. Haha.

To Inocencia,
Thanks for the constant comments. Do note that I really read and appreciate them.

You know in my school, sometimes students insulted one another by calling each other an animal, say a dog. Yet when I was the target, I do wonder how good it may be if I am really a dog (that is of course if dogs can go to heaven, and that is of course I don’t have to starve as a dog). I mean, a dog will not sin, it just loves his master. That’s all.

Likewise, birds too live a life of contentment, darting in and out, calling the sky its home. Indeed, being a bird may be so much better. Yet I suppose it’s only Man who has access to God. Oh well…

Two weeks ago, I saw the culling of birds. I guess it’s something birds have to be worried about. The man was holding a rifle, and shot down one or two of the crows, I guess to prevent over population of the birds. I do feel sorry for the birds, do wonder if man’s the right to kill just for so-called comfort, for game. Oh well… You know in my A levels Biology, we study much about viruses. It’s gruesome to learn the mechanics of viruses, how they hijack cells to produce copies of themselves. Like a plague, they went to a place to drain all resources, and then relocate to another. I was reminded of a movie the matrix, when one the character states that human are like virus, moving to a place, draining all resources and proceed to another. Animals on the other hand lives in a world of balance, of ecological balance, and man seems to be destroying this balance from day 1, disrupting the food chains, killing for game, for materials, for jewellery, causing the extinction of species and endangering others as well…. Sigh… Wonder what heaven will be like… Will there be animals? Will there be carnivores? Shrug…

To fatcat,

School’s pretty okay, only that the temptation for skipping lessons for lan is rising. Today’s probably the second time I did it again. Doubt it’s the last. So much for aspiring to be a vet… hai… Feel the guilt, but then I guess guilt can’t overwhelm play. Ha! Hey if it’s last yr, I think I’ll pon till I get my classes. I am improving… haha.

Anyway, I think I’m still quite alone in this school, never really make friends and all. Perhaps I’ll just wait for the classes to be announced, then I’ll be more socially involved. Anyway, quite nice being alone as well… lesser distractions and all. Perhaps in a way, like what some has mentioned, JC is a different ball game as compared to sec 2, I suppose academically. To me, I suppose it’s just the age of the people around us that have changed, and this brought about maturity, ironically greater sin, backstabs and all. Oh well.

Oh well… good luck for your studies too. Wish JC is 1 yr as well. I'm always amazed at the fact that I’m now 3 yrs behind you when I’m the same age as you…