John I think the Monergist Conception of God's Love is Limited
(short excerpt from online discussion)
(Visitor) But regarding God's love... [In your email] You say it is "free, spontaneous, unevoked, uncaused." You should add "limited," right? He doesn't love the non-elect--not so much that He gave His Son for them.
(John) Isn't your conception of God even more limited? The God that you are defending has a love that is conditional, obligated and evoked only by something the sinner does. Sorry but this ain't love in my book. You are making the love of God love into something obligatory on God's part. God owes us nothing dear brother.
The fact is that your (synergistic) conception of God has a "limited" type love ... limited only to those who make use of God's grace better than others. In other words, only loves those who do something FOR Him. He gives eternal life only to those who exhibit a degree of merit in themselves because they were able to produce a right thought. In this scheme, God must see something good in them before He decides whether He really loves them. What kind of love is this???!!!!! How limited!!! How unmagnanimous (These were your words to me). Jesus loves His people in spite of their sin and delivers them out of their bondage. He loves a people who were unlovable, like me and you. But He is not obligated to save all, nor does He, but He says that He died, not for all men, but only for all who would believe. He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:15), not for the wolves who would reject Him (John 10:26). The atonement of Christ is never said to be applied to those who would ultimately be unbelievers.
Further, if seven people owe me a debt and I cancel the debt of five, does
this put me under obligation to cancel the debt of the other two? No, the truth
of God's word is honored not in holding exclusively to one truth to the exclusion
of another truth, but in believing the whole counsel of God. We must never think
God is under obligation ... for then it isn't a love that is free and unconditional.
"What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Romans 9:14-16
"Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph. 5:25)
which shows that he loves His people in a way in which it is not directed toward
others, even though He genuinely calls and desires that all men would believe
the gospel. Continually the New Testament texts reveal to us that the love of
God or the love of Christ is directed toward those who constitute the church
in a way that it is not directed to others. His love is not caused by something
we do but because of who He is and according to His purposes (Eph 1:5). He has
set His affection on His people from eternity ... it isn't just some generic
love for no one in particular hoping that one of them will make a decision for
Him. No, we worship a personal God, not a god of impersonal
determinism who just knows some fixed, unchangable future, as your position
asserts.
This is not about our preferences or what we want God to be like. We cannot shape Him into our own image. God is not like us. Do not merely use unaided reason to determine what you believe. Go to the Scriptures - that is where God has revealed Himself to us.
(Visitor): I have never before cared to consider all these issues, and
part of me wishes I wasn't doing it now. I much prefer spending my available
time in devotional worship rather than doctrinal investigation... I understand--to
some extent--how embracing monergism would effect my concept of God. As I see
it, it's not a "pretty picture." Not all that "winsome."
God does not, in fact, passionately, deeply love every individual, and He's
not seeking peace ("reconciliation") with each individual. Grace isn't
really abounding "all the more" than sin 'cause sin has gripped the
whole race and saving grace is extended to a relative few.
(John): Well "relative few" is not entirely accurate. There will be more people in the ranks of the elect than we can count. - perhaps a majority of them Chinese :)
But _____, you should really take this up with the Lord Himself. Tell Him what you told me ... that you think that if He is really like this, that you really don't want to have anything to do with Him. Come before Him earnestly and tell Him what your preferences of what He is like are. Think about this >>> ... You are assuming the worse of God by concluding that His only reason for setting His affection a particular people of His own choosing must be an evil one. You seem to be using unaided human reason to come to this conclusion rather than trusting in the known character of God. Knowing God and His great mercy, I would say, that He has very good reasons for choosing some, even if we don't know why. But it is certain it isn't because of something good He uniquely sees in His elect over others. His good pleasure is higher than any known or possible reason in the universe. Will you debate with Him on that??? Will you say, "God, there must be a better reason than Your good pleasure?" Trust in God, dear sir, not your unaided reason. He is good; He is the essence of beauty and holiness and cannot do wrong.
Personally I think your denial that grace or the Holy Spirit save us is pretty troubling and perhaps you should seriously reconsider whether you believe in the God who has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. Grace is always the hardest truth to swallow. Man truly hates it more than anything else. We resist it with everything we have because we have got to contribute something !!!! That is pride my friend. "What do you have that you did not receive?" ... Won't you glorify God for your FAITH as well????? Will you say, "God, I give you glory for everything else, but not my faith ... That is something I gave YOU!!!. I made better use of your offer than others did. That was my part that I contributed apart from your grace." No dear sir, cast such wicked thoughts from your mind. Give God ALL THE GLORY ... for all that you have.
"Who has ever given to God,
...........that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
........To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom 11:35-36)
Also troubling is your statement that you would rather read devotionals than theology. Theology is the study of God and is the highest form of devotion ... all the feel good devotionals, which are empty of the theology you dilike, is more for our own good feelings than to bring glory to God. God is most glorified when we think right thoughts about Him. Tozer said, "The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him." True worship comes from a right view of God, not just one we feel comfortable with.
Personally, the concept of sola gratia (monergism) has been one of the most incredible of all blessings I have received. It has increased my appreciation for God like nothing else because it focuses me on what God has done and not my performance. The man-centered semi-pelagian gospel drags me down and historically the fruit of it is like the plant that grew quickly and was scorched by the sun. I have been a missionary for ten years overseas and have found little resistance to proclaiming grace to people who have never heard the gospel. Many unreached cultures are not so individualistic (naturally democratic) as Americans. The greatest resistance I have found to the doctrine of grace alone usually comes from people who have been churched in synergism. Others have questions but have little difficulty grasping a plain biblical truth.
C.H. Spurgeon has a great very short little quip called I recommend you read:
"Sovereign Grace"
Hated by the Modern Religionist!
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