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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Was Doris Day right?

In the late 60s and early 70s Doris Day made popular a song originally recorded in 1956: "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) [1]. The words are:

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be
Will I be pretty will I be rich
Here's what she said to me

Que Sera Sera
Whatever will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que Sera Sera
What will be will be


This is the essence of determinism or fatalism and is often associated with Calvinism. As one who embraces Calvinism, I'm often accused of holding to a doctrine where people are rendered puppets and God is rendered unjust.   Nothing could be further from a true apprehension of Calvinism.  Actually what is referred to as the doctrine of John Calvin is actually Augustinianism. Of course, with tongue-in-cheek I would argue that both of these systems of doctrine as they relate to God's sovereignty and the doctrines of grace are Biblical Christianity!

The big issue seems to be the correlation and relationship of God's sovereignty and the will of man.   Here's my one paragraph take on this:


God is gloriously sovereign and presides over all creation, for all time, in such a way that nothing occurs apart from His pre-determined plan; AND, God is just, He demands that we act responsibly and morally, and will hold us responsible for our choices in such a way that our choices do impact our destiny.  AND, He is also mercifully receptive, for in His compassion and condescension He welcomes our prayers, our pleas and our petitions – not to make us feel good, but to actually & really effect change; AND in the mystery of all mysteries he folds your desires, your needs and your prayers into His pre-ordained, fixed purposes and does it in a way that neither damages His divinity nor harms your humanity.

It is my view that if you can comprehend and embrace that definition it will keep you biblically sane.  




























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1. http://youtu.be/xZbKHDPPrrc 

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