Calvinism's TULIP pt. 6

Another go ‘round on the ‘U’.

Speaking to the effects our understanding of Unconditional Election has on our Christian journey, and specifically referring back to the first of the ‘objections’ to the teaching I noted at the end of my last post on this matter, consider the following:

{That objection, by the way, went like this: Unconditional Election means that we really don’t have a real choice in whether we come to Christ or not.}

God has made it clear to us in His word that the manner of our coming to salvation is to hear and embrace the gospel message. I’ll include just a few verses here, but assure you the whole of Scripture speaks to this reality. Consider John 1:12, 3:16-18, Romans 1:16-17. Having said this, there is a ‘choice’ involved that is offered to all mankind.

Food for thought: I’d also go a step further and suggest that not only the yea / nay but also the timing of that choice be considered. Just this week in talking with a friend of mine I heard her say that she ‘wished she had considered these things earlier in her life’ clearly recognizing that they were as available to her then as now. Isn’t that so often our desire where our children are concerned? We don’t want them to have to go 20 years down the road without taking a serious look at Jesus.

Consider the Apostle Paul for a moment. (Darinism Alert: here comes a doozie for you!) In 2 Corinthians 12 he mentions a ‘thorn in his flesh’, or in other words, something that nags at him that won’t relent. People have suggested for years that it was probably some form of physical ailment or affliction. I’ve never liked those explanations because there are a number of places in Paul’s testimony where physical ailments and afflictions are actually spoken of as opportunities for God to be glorified. What if (here’s the Darinism) Paul’s thorn was grief? What if Paul’s heart longed to go back and re-live the 20 or so years that he was persecuting followers of Christ? What if Paul often recalled that strange scene that he presided over (see Acts 6-7) when a young disciple of Jesus was stoned for his faith? What if that young man’s words from time to time came back to Paul? If that were the case, Paul would be dealing with the reality that he could have made the choice to follow Christ sooner – maybe he wouldn't have carried on as such the 'enemy of the cross' that he was for so long - certainly the information was available to him sooner. (Little disclaimer: I think a pretty good Biblical case can be made for my theory. I’m not, however, setting my theory against the many wonderful scholars who suggest the physical infirmities, etc. Rather, I enjoy theorizing about it, and suggest my view for thought provocation.)

Ah, but you say, Paul came to Christ thru that amazing encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. Yep. He did. So, let me get this straight: It was an encounter with Christ that opened Paul’s eyes to the truth, yes? Now let me ask, was the gospel the same before and after his roadside encounter? Could Paul have heard Stephen’s message on that fateful day and decided then, ‘I think I’ll follow this Jesus guy’?

I cannot clearly differentiate between where God’s regenerating us to hear, and our responsibility to choose clearly fall. I can only say that Scripture teaches both, to my reading.

The ‘effect’ then, of my embracing Unconditional Election is to say, and to live in a manner that reflects, God in His graciousness saved my soul. He made me able to hear and embrace the gospel.

Let’s chat on this one a bit, and then we’ll move on to the next few objections. Your thoughts?

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