And God looked down through the corridors of time …….

 

This is classic Arminianism:

“In his omniscience, God foreknew the evil actions of the ignorant conspirators. In his wisdom, God used their foolish actions—actions for which they are morally responsible—to bring about the salvation of those who are lost and hopeless. In his love the Father sends and the Son becomes incarnate.” — Forsaken: The Trinity and the Cross, and Why It Matters by Thomas H. McCall

… which is in direction opposition to Acts 4:27-28, “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”

This is not to say that the Bible teaches a ‘hard determinism.’ The Bible teaches ‘theological compatibilism.’  Theological compatibilism is the view that absolute divine sovereignty (God determining all events) is consistent with human freedom and moral responsibility. It argues that humans are free to act according to their desires, even if those desires and actions are pre-ordained by God.

This position highlights the harmony between two biblical truths that appear in tension: God’s exhaustive sovereignty and genuine human agency/moral responsibility. Also It avoids the misconception that people are robots or puppets. It aligns with the Biblical truth which affirms the decree of God while protecting human responsibility and God’s use of second causes. It also ensures that we don’t make God the author of sin.

The True Holy Land!

6. The Land of Holiness

We draw this massively important chapter to a close.  We have been studying the Minor Prophet, Zechariah and in particular of late, Zechariah 14.  Over the last few blogs we have attempted to see the contextual message and the implications for us.

1. The Day of the LORD;

2. He Will Make a Way;

3. The End For Which the World Was Created;

4. Since You Know the Wrath of God ..... ;

5. Come and Worship. Gentiles Invited Too!

This article closes the chapter as we read Zechariah 14:20–21 (NIV),

²⁰ On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. ²¹ Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty.  

Life in the New Heavens and the New Earth will bleed holiness.  Holiness will pervade every part of life.  Even the bells on horse harnesses will be engraved with the inscription: HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.  All the vessels of the Lord's house will be holy.  Every utensil will be holy.  "Originally inscribed on the high priest’s turban (Ex. 28:36–38) to express dedication, the phrase is now applied to everything in Jerusalem, horses’ bells and cooking pots, because God’s presence sanctifies all around Him." [1]

There will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord.  Why?  Probably this is used metaphorically as the entire chapter represents in that there will be no unholy or ungodly people.

In Paul's letter to Ephesus he tells us very clearly: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love” (Ephesians 1:3–4, NIV)

Here we have the goal of sovereign, unconditional, irresistible predestination by the eternal God who, according to His own pleasure, chooses people to be saved -- saved from wrath and saved unto holiness.  As God has said, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” (Isaiah 46:10, NIV). As the prophet Isaiah elsewhere writes, recorded in Isaiah 14:26–27 (NIV),

²⁶ This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. ²⁷ For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

And Father, Your chosen people simply cry, Maranatha, Lord Jesus.  Come quickly. To God be the glory, great things He hath done.  As with the Apostle, the struggle and the battle with sin often causes us to cry out to Your, Lord Jesus, 'Who can deliver me from this body of sin.'  The answer rings from the Scriptures: Jesus!   And the day will come when we are thoroughly holy, through and through.  And the earth and all that's in it will be holy.  And a number to great to number, all the Elect of God will be holy.  Oh that will be glory for me.  And Christ Jesus will be glorified with His saints, forever and ever and ever.  Amen!

Now we envision the true Holy Land!

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1. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Zec 14:20). Nashville: T. Nelson. 

Sometimes It Takes Awhile To Get Through

For 23 years I have taught relentlessly, never perfectly, always passionately on the sovereignty of God in salvation.  The tension between God's work in salvation and man's necessary response troubles many, many people.   Myriads of people struggle to accuratelyarticulate sovereign electing grace in biblical harmony with necessary human choice; and do so without diminishing one or the other. This week I experienced something so vivid it woke me up to a reality.  Like a framing hammer hitting me over the head I came to this sad but evident realization:

Many Christians will correctly fight for all they are worth to protect the truth that mankind must make a personal, conscious, free choice to accept Christ as Savior, but will not allow God, the ultimate Uncaused Cause of the Universe to make a personal, conscious, free choice of them to be saved.

How sad!  How emptying of His glory.  Isaiah 42:8

Soli Deo Gloria