Famous Quotes by Dead Men of God #1
Charles Finney on the Doctrine of Election
Election does not supersede the necessity of means for the conversion of the elect. They are chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. They must then hear, believe, and obey the truth. If the end is to be accomplished, the necessary means must be used: would a farmer, because he knew that God had settled it in his own mind whether he should have a crop or not, say that if he was to have a crop he would have it, whether he sowed his land or not? Would a sick man neglect to use means for the recovery of his health, because he knows that God has numbered his days, and that it was settled in the divine mind whether he would die or not? Certainly not. If the farmer is to have a crop, he must sow his field and use the necessary means. So if the sick man is to live, the means requisite for his recovery must be used. So in the cure of sinners, if means be not used, not even the elect can be saved, and those that neglect the means will never make their calling and election sure.
Interesting observation…give me your thoughts.
Billy
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Comments
Patrick Sheets
I always liked Finney’s statement that “a revival is not a miracle any more than a corn field “.Of course God sends sunshine and rain, but a farmer doesn’t just walk out one day and to his amazement say “Wow! Its a miracle! I’ve got a corn field!” No, he expects to have a cornfield because he has put to use principles that God has set in place. He tills, sows,irrigates if need be. Then he trusts God to send the sunshine and rain. Then a great harvest is a certainty.
Jason Durham
I do hold to reformed theology, but do struggle with the how and why of some of it’s doctrines, one being election. Looking at examples we should look at this: Let’s say that a man comes upon a lion. He has a steak and a salad. He throws both before the lion. What does the lion eat? He eats the meat because He is a carnivore. It is his nature. That is also how our sin nature (depravity) is. We sin because we are sinners. We are unholy before salvation. Next look at this example: A boat in the ocean comes upon a man floating in the water. He is dead in the water. The crew throws him a life preserver and tells him to grab on and he will be saved. Can he? He’s dead. This is what I don’t fully understand, and honestly it’s not a deal changer or maker for me. I know without a doubt, that I, and unholy unclean sinner could not choose that which is holy. I know that God used the words of someone, and the conviction and quickening of the Holy Spirit to cause me to cry out to Him for salvation. It was the God who first caused my stoney heart to crack to hear and be convicted. I heard someone say this “It only takes a small crack for the light to get in!” Kinda cool statement. This is how I understand scripture in salvation and election. This is strictly my conviction and revelation, and in no way try to force what the Holy Spirit has impressed in my heart. I look at election this way: We (mankind) are ALL falling towards the pit of hell, and Christ is sweeping His hand through the waterfall of mankind saying “Father, this one You have given to me is mine.” (John 6:37). Now Christ is NOT sending anyone to hell, we did a fine job of that through Adam (original sin). Christ is fulfilling His own words in scripture by saving those that God set forth before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:3-14). That is what I see as the elect. Does that mean that salvation is for everyone? I would hate to say no, and yet what I see in scripture says . . . possibly not. Does it grieve me, yes. I have heard some say that the word “world” in John 3:16 means the elect contextually in Hebrew. So, with that, what can I do? What am I compelled to do? Everything in the power that the Father allows me, to fulfill the Great Commission! I don’t know who He’s going to save, that’s not my job, my job is as it says in the Westminster Catechism: What is man’s chief end and goal – to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. We glorify Him by planting the seed of His saving grace! (that’s also the difference in Calvinism and Hyper-Calvinism! LOL!) That’s just my two cents! Blessings!! Jason.
Billy
Jason, the Calvinist doctrine has way too many assumptions for me to embrace it entirely. I know that nothing takes God by surprise though, and embrace the fact that He elects according to what He already knows…things that we have yet to discover.
Billy
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