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"Predestination," The Gospel Messenger vol.20 no.4 (1898)
AUTHOR: | Mitchell, William M. |
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IT IS ASSERTED BY THE FIRST TEXT GIVEN that Christ
Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, but that “wicked hands” have taken, crucified, and
slain him. By this we may learn that the wickedness of His
crucifiers was none the less because of His being delivered by
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. The motives
of His crucifiers, and the purpose of God in the matter,
were entirely different. Their motives were wicked and their
work was murderous, but God determined to defeat their purpose
and accomplish His own counsel. Their accountability was
not destroyed by reason of defect in their design. One great objection
which some have urged against the doctrine of election
and predestination is, that it destroys the accountability of man,
and makes God the author of man’s sin. But this is simply a
misconstruction of the doctrine and not the doctrine itself.
God’s predestination, determinate counsel and foreknowledge in
the crucifixion of Jesus is true, and so also is the wickedness and
accountability of man a truth. One does not conflict with or
destroy the other.
When the Apostle Paul presented the complete sovereignty
of God, as displayed in election and predestination, he seemed
to anticipate the objections which have been so often made
against this very point of gospel truth. “Thou wilt say then, why
doth He yet find fault, for who hath resisted His will?” Rom. ix.
19. Do not carnal men argue in the same manner until this day?
And will they not so continue to argue as long as the world stands?
Do they not say that if the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God in the eternal salvation of His chosen people, then the
wicked hands by whom Christ was crucified should bear a part of
the glory and be considered innocent? “Why doth He yet find
fault?” But let such objectors remember that if God’s purpose is
accomplished, their works have not done it. God lays nothing
to the charge of men because of the accomplishment of His
own purpose in the salvation of His people. The wickedness of
men did not procure it, neither can it defeat it.
Salvation is not by works of men, either good or bad. We insist
upon it, and hope the reader will ever continue to bear this in
mind as God’s revealed truth; that the works of men, whether good
or bad, never have nor ever will procure or hinder the eternal salvation
of any of God’s chosen people. It is all of God from first to
last, and He will not divide the honor and glory of it to any creature
in earth or heaven, nor give the praise to a graven image. |
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