The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Prevenient Grace

I'll skip over the "prevenient grace" part of your post since a couple of others have already responded to it and move on to these two other laments. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

1) Who is "discriminating against God" but those who refuse to allow Him to be God and to do that which is perfect and right? People who embrace the doctrines of sovereign free grace are the ONLY ones who have been humbled to the dust and who have been given the ability to accept both man's fallen condition and God's absolute sovereignty over all things. Now, all this cavilling you are confronted with is nothing new at all. In fact, the apostle Paul had to deal with such people in his own day. Just a quick read of Romans chapter 9 will bear this out. One can learn much from not only the doctrines which Paul teaches in that chapter concerning man's fallen nature, his deserving only damnation, God's electing grace and the comfort one derives from it knowing that redemption has been secured by God Himself in Christ Jesus. But further, one should take particular attention to the method and manner with which Paul deals with his detractors. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

2) Just a quick note about the phrase: "God desires that none should perish". Without exaggeration, this text taken from 2Pet 3:9 is most always ripped from its CONTEXT. I have often quoted the following truism: "A text out of context is nothing more than pretext!" <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Without going into a boring exegesis of this passage, one can come to a right understanding of this passage if it is noted to WHOM Peter is addressing. (HINT: "you", "us-ward", etc., aka: believers). Without any wresting of the text, Peter is assuring believers that God desires that all of the ELECT should be saved and that none of THEM should perish. Truly, whatever God desires will infallibly come to pass. (cf. Psa 135:6; Isa 44:7; 46:9, 10; Dan 4:35; Rom 11:33-36; Eph 1:4-11; et al) For one of the best rebuttals against God's sovereignty, see here: Objections to God's Sovereignty Answered, by A.W. Pink. For a host of articles, books, etc., on the doctrine of Definite Atonement, it's defense and exegetical studies on various passages see here: The Atonement of the Lord Christ.

3) And lastly, you must always remember that ALL who you come into contact with are fallen sinners and thus their "reasoning" is by nature contrary to that which is right and true. What most feel is a sense of justice is antithetical to God's sense of justice. Why would leaving God-hating sinners to themselves to then face God's court and be found guilty of the most heinous rebellion and acts and finally sentenced to a just punishment be unreasonable? When Adam, who was appointed by God to act in behalf of the entire human race, sinned against God by transgressing His explicit command, we all sinned. And the punishment rendered to Adam was certainly just since it was told him right up front, "the day you eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die!" See Rom 5:12-21. Justice demands that ALL be cast into everlasting hell. And that cannot be diminished or annulled and thus the cross where Christ suffered the pangs of hell in behalf of all those whom God elected to salvation. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/ClapHands.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,