God's Real Eternal Decree
Is man responsible for his Actions
What is the truth of the LORD'S command or Eternal Decree before the foundation of the world? There are some who believe the LORD chose some believers in Christ for no apparent reason in the people themselves. God in his wisdom selected some while by passing others. This is known as Double Predestination. Calvin himself said, "they are doomed from the womb!"
[Eph 1:3-6 KJV] 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In God's Eternal Decree, he has supposedly only chosen some. The rest of humanity must burn in hell for eternity, even though God made it impossible for them to repent and believe the gospel. The atonement is limited to them He chose. His irresistible grace makes them believe, and his total depravity makes them totally unable to believe. The Eternal purpose of the LORD is found in:
Eph.1:9-12
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
I have no problem with the LORD, "working all things after the counsel of his own will:..." I just do not believe He selected some after the counsel of his own will to heaven and others to the Lake of Fire without culpability or moral responsibility. As Luther would say, "This is the hinge on which the door swings." It is hard to imagine anything more evil, more detestable than for My LORD to punish mankind whom He created without a Fair Trial. Being created in the Image of God, having reasoning, understanding, logic, and above all the Infallible Word of God illuminated by His Holy Spirit, I am able to discern between good and evil.
[Gen 3:22 KJV] 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:...
In above verse after man has fallen into sin, he can still make a decision to reach out for the Tree of Life. Man in his fallen state still has God given Moral Responsibility, and is responsible before God for his choices. We all reap what we sow. If this is true, then how can we be accountable before God for our actions if there is no free will? Would a robot be held responsible for murdering people, or the programmer of the machine? Would a three year old child be held responsible for burning down a house? The answer is obvious, yet some make The LORD responsible for every evil thing done under the sun.
T-U-L-I-P
Let us began with Total Depravity. The inability of fallen man to repent or believe the gospel. In this Model of Theology the LORD GOD has declared fallen mankind as Totally Unable to repent and believe to salvation. Scripture teaches that man is Dead in Trespasses and sins. This is an accurate description. Some Traditionalists/ Provisionists would argue man is not as dead as Lasarus in the tomb, but dead and able to repent as the Prodigal son. There is a difference in the two. The context makes the difference.
It seems to me that mankind cannot believe unless he is chosen through God's foreknowledge in eternity past. The Calvinist would impose irresistible grace upon man to believe, whereas the Traditionalist would say the power of the gospel is sufficient to save when man believes. Here we must examine scripture. How dead are we?
[Eph 2:1-10 KJV] 1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Rom 3:10-19 KJV] 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: 14 Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
There are many scriptures that prove man is a hopeless sinner and must be condemned by God's justice. However, nowhere does it say he cannot repent and believe the gospel. We must not read into scripture preconceived ideas. Even when scripture says we are conceived in sin, or the wicked are estranged from the womb. Ps.51:5; 58:3
In Fact, after Paul writes there is none good, none seek after God, etc., etc. he goes on in Rom.4 to show you can believe.
Please note the contrast as you read Rom.4:5. To him that worketh not is set in opposition to him that believeth on Jesus, his faith is counted for righteousness.
[Rom 4:1-5 KJV] 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
In [Rom 3:21-22 KJV] 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:... Abraham was not under the Law of Moses. However, them in Rom.3:19,20 are under the Law: 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
The reason they could not seek God or there is none righteous is because they stumbled at the stumblingstone.
[Rom 9:30-33 KJV] 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.