March 2022 – Martin's Mercurial Musings

The Idol of God Being in Sovereign Control of Everything

The topic of discussion was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A quote from J. I. Packer followed, “To know that nothing happens in God’s world apart from God’s will may frighten the godless, but it stabilizes the saints.” My Calvinist friend then stated that God is absolutely and actively in control of all things and then followed up with how we must pray without ceasing and in all things trust in the Lord.

Suddenly – something clicked! I immediately wondered whether one believing God is in control of everything had to be a kind of idol worship if only because individuals are then absolved individuals of responsibility and decision making?

God’s Involvement with His Creation – A Woodworker’s Perspective

Wood Joints

Of late, I’ve been trying to come up with an analogy to express why God may not be as intimately involved with his creation as many would like to believe. The other day as I was working with a table saw cutting some dados on a piece of wood – it hit! To which, I sense that the interaction of God and his creation is similar to that of a woodworker. Consider, the woodworker has created a beautiful table. A lot of time, effort, expense and care has gone into crafting that table. Out of “nothing,” the woodworker planted a tree, Years later the woodworker harvested that tree and cut it into planks. Eventually the woodworker cut those planks into something more manageable. With great care and precision, the woodworker then dimensions the lumber, squares-up and cuts all the pieces into their final dimensions. Complex joints are exquisitely fashioned and perfectly formed. Everything is then carefully fitted and glued together. Some sanding removes minor imperfections. The surfaces are prepared for finishing and when the finish is applied, the luster of the wood grain reveals the true beauty of the table.

It’s Good to Laugh – Calvinists Changing a Light Bulb

Question: How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: None as it’s up to God to regenerate the elect bulbs which can only sit in the dark hoping.

Hey! It’s a little bit funny. And, come on, it’s good to laugh!

Calvinist Admits God Chooses to Save Only 4% of All People

I stated to a Calvinist that per the doctrine of election, it was a small percentage of people that God saves. The next thing I heard, “Prove it.”

Logical Inconsistencies and Unconditional Election – the Salvation of Mrs. Robinson’s Children

Mrs. Robinson posted in a FB forum:

[A] common misconception from [everyone in this FB group] is that a Calvinist won’t allow their children to sing “Jesus Loves Me” because, after all – He may not. That a person who holds to the doctrines of grace shares the gospel with their children like this, “Well, you may or may not be elect so, [it may be best to wait and see whether you’re one of God’s chosen unto salvation].” We teach our children the gospel according to Scripture. The gospel is that sinners can be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a great relief and comfort that [we Calvinists parents] can’t do anything to mess up [our children’s] salvation. We teach them, pray for them and trust God with their souls. After all, [God] is far more merciful than we could ever be.

I responded: My friend, do you not see the inconsistencies in your statement above how [God] calls all men to repent and yet only those who the Father has given, and the Spirit draws” [will be] saved? This coupled with the logical inferences of compatibilism wherein it’s God who has ensured (through the Calvinistic teaching of divine determinism) that only a very few of his chosen ‘elect’ people respond affirmatively.

Compatibilism and Christian Thought – It Bugs Me

Someone defined compatibilism as a reconciliation of the theological proposition that every event is causally determined, ordained, and/or decreed by God in conjunction with the free will of man. Well, that makes about as much sense as when I’d take my toddler to a shopping mall, put her down and let her roam “free”. I was in fact directing her to the next store I wanted to shop at. It’s a non-sequitur within compatibilism that people make free-will choices in anything as very event and action has already been predetermined by God and for his reasons alone.

Within the doctrines of Calvinism, nothing happens which hasn’t been causally determined, decreed or ordained by God. John Piper references the “no maverick molecule” concept wherein if any molecule or spec of dirt only moves through the air as it does because God determined it would. Someone came up with the nice little acronym “EDD” (exhaustive divine determinism) to best express this concept in which God causally determines every single thing and nothing happens which He didn’t determine would happen.