Those dear contenders of past centuries were not bad people who loved doctrinal strife; each side saw glimpses of truth that they knew were important. It was not their fault that they lived too soon to see the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary in the cosmic Day of Atonement (cf. its revelation in Dan. 8:14).
Calvinists could see: the Bible does teach “predestination” (Rom. 8:29, 30; Eph. 1:5). But they lived too soon to see it’s “all men” that He predestinates to salvation!
The Arminians could see: the Bible does teach that God wants “all men” to be saved and calls all to come and to believe. But they couldn’t see how He actually makes salvation to be a “gift” given to “all men” as a “judicial verdict of acquittal” that reverses the judicial condemnation that comes upon “all men” “in Adam” (cf. Rom. 5:15-18, NEB). They couldn’t see how infinitely grand is Christ’s accomplishment; all they could see was that Christ died for everyone and calls everyone, but has not actually saved anyone unless he first believes. Therefore, they thought, our salvation is ultimately due to our own initiative.
The lost will have persistently committed the unpardonable sin of crucifying “the Son of God afresh, and put[ting] Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:6). When all gather before the Great White Throne at the end of the 1000 years (Revelation 20) each will see the full consequence of his heart rebellion against the Son of God (vs. 12ff).
Truth will bring them (as one inspired writer puts it) to where “they will welcome destruction,” each judging himself in the light of justification by faith, each seeing himself as an unrepentant crucifier of Christ. Each will “welcome” the Lake of Fire.
“The truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:5, 14) assures us that we have been “chosen,” “predestinated,” “adopted,” “accepted in the Beloved,” “elected” (Eph. 1:4-6; Rom. 8:33). It’s impossible to “comprehend” the grand dimensions of these truths and still remain “lukewarm” in our devotion to the One who (now we understand) died our second death! If you permit Him, the Holy Spirit will “enlarge [your] heart” (Psalm 119:32), stretch it out of its present narrow “comprehension,” and cause you to “grow up” out of spiritual infancy, to live “in Christ.”
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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