CALVINISM

The Chaff & The Wheat

U

 Next we examine the ‘U’ which stands for unconditional election. There are many words associated with it that we will examine; as one the chief Calvinists has stated: “Together with many other passages which might be selected, wherein either the word “elect,” or “chosen,” or “foreordained,” or “appointed,” is mentioned—or the phrase “My sheep,” or some similar designation, showing that Christ’s people are distinguished from the rest of mankind.” (Spurgeon-sermon no.41-42)

 The doctrine states, to use Spurgeon’s reference from the Baptist Confession of Faith- 3^rd Article: “By the decree of God for the manifestation of His glory some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ to the praise of His glorious grace. Others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation to the praise of His glorious justice. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chose n in Christ unto everlasting glory out of His mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as condition or cause moving Him hereunto.”

 

Let us consider their mighty bulwark- predestination:

Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Ephesians 1:11 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:

 

 It is assumed by them that predestination means God predetermines who he chooses to cause to believe because he gives them and only them the faith. But from the scripture we can see that predestination is referring to the resurrection/glorification of believers and not the regeneration of unbelievers. In other words God determines (by foreknowledge) that believers in Christ will have an inheritance involving being conformed into the image of Christ in the resurrection through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. (2 Thes.2:13).
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children... Rom.8:29 … predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son… 1 Cor.15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Jn.3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Phil.3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

 Also notice the 'us' and 'we' are already saved believers who have 'the firstfruits of the Spirit'. So it is saved people whom God foreknew in Christ and therefore has pre-determined that they will be conformed into the image of his Son meaning the resurrection of their body. The ‘adoption of children’ is related to our glorification not our justification and new birth.

 Now it will be contended that you cannot be predestinated to glorification unless you are first predestined to justification. And they will surmise that the only way God can foreknow something is if he makes it happen by directly controlling whatsoever comes to pass. To a point we would agree that God is not waiting to see the outcome of random events otherwise he could not tell the future. Nor do we see in scripture God using probability and empirical reasoning based upon what most likely will occur due to his immense knowledge of creation. Instead we see God’s omniscience rooted in his omnipotence:

 

 Rev. 19:6- the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Psa. 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Psa. 135:6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Isa. 14:24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: Isa.14:27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Isa. 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Dan. 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 

 We cannot here exhaust the scriptures which declare God’s control over everything. We can simply appeal to the creation revealing the invisible things of his Godhead and eternal power (Rom.1:20). That if he upholds everything in existence and all things consist by him (Heb.1:3, Col.1:17) and he preservest all things (Neh.9:6), which we see as the uniformities in nature or physical laws and are evident to anyone save the willingly ignorant, then he obviously retains control over everything including the devil. But Calvin in his haughtiness prying into mysteries forbidden to men, wickedly surmises that God must actively and directly make the will of men and devils do his ‘single and undivided will’. Why then the pretense of the LORD asking “Who will persuade Ahab that he may go up and fall” (1 Ki.22:20)? Or of asking Satan “Hast thou considered my servant Job” (Job 1:8) or again by the prophet “What could have been done more in my vineyard that I have not done in it?”(Isa.5:4). Why slander the Lord’s genuineness and goodwill?  This is an intolerable blasphemy of Calvinism. Nay brethren God indeed upholds all things and works all things after the counsel of his own will and God gives men free will and by his nature of love he wills that they perish not but loves the whole world and indeed offers them salvation through Christ (consider Ezek.18:30-32). And we wholly cast down these perverse disputings of men spoiled by their own philosophy which they honor above God’s glory. They may petulantly ask ‘well how then can God allow freedom of men’s will and not himself lose omniscience?’ to which we may show that this is only a question revealing our limitations of knowing God’s council. This is not a proof or an evidence of a proposition, much less a reason to cast aspersion upon God’s clear words and intent. God is more omnipotent than Calvin can conceive for he controls and directs all things without actively and directly causing everything.

 Now the Calvinist brethren protest that foreknowledge is not a passive foresight that God has, but rather it is knowledge from intimate involvement as it is said ‘Adam knew his wife Eve’ or as Christ will say of those wicked hypocrites ‘I never knew you’ (Mt.7:23) and of the Lord’s words here “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (Jn.10:14). This we should have no problem with, for we agree God has foreknowledge of everything and also his foreknowledge is related to his omnipotence as the upholder of all things. Now this being said we must explore what exactly God foreknows of us. Obviously not our righteousness as there is none righteous, no not one and all our righteousness are as filthy rags (Ps.53:2-3, Rom.3:10, Isa.64:6). It can’t be foreknowledge of our will alone then as Romans 9:16 informs us. It is not your will bringing Christ down from above or up from the deep. So since it is related to God’s mercy (v16) and is the “election of grace” (Rom.11:5) we are brought back to what faith is because “it is of faith, that it might be by grace” (Rom.4:16) and “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph.2:8). And as we have already proved at the start that faith is our will responding to God’s will and not independent of it.

 But also perplexing in their system is what foreknowledge would actually be of. If you say foreknowledge of his elect then you mean he foreknew who he would choose or foreknowledge of whom he would predestinate; that would mean nothing other than whom he chose those he chose. Spurgeon says here “In Romans 11:2, we read, "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew," where the sense evidently has the idea of fore-love; and it is so to be understood here. Those whom the Lord looked upon with favor as he foresaw them, he has predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Sermon No.1043) So foreknowledge means “chooses to enter into a relationship with” they say. This of course would not help the dilemma for now God fore-loves whom he fore-loves. Foreknowing would mean nothing besides choosing or electing; this would rip the meaning straight from the mouth of the apostle in 1 Pt.1:2-“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”. This would mean foreknown according to foreknowledge or elected according to his election. Predestined according to his predestination, or chosen according to his choosing? It is nonsense. And this is besides the fact that election is “through sanctification of the Spirit” (1 Pt.1:2) placing it within time (1 Cor.6:11, Jn.17:17, 1 Th.5:23).

 

 Calvinists vehemently will contend at this point that faith is a gift of God to his elect alone and so no concern should be considered for God having foreknowledge of our faith. Now we have already addressed this above but let us reduce to absurdity the Calvinist application of God giving faith only to the elect. Consider Christ’s reproof of his disciples “O ye of little faith?”(Mt.6:30, 8:26) “wherefore didst thou doubt?”(Mt.14:31). To which the disciples’ might reply - ‘Because thou hast only granted little faith’? Or “how is it that ye have no faith?”(Mk.4:40) To which they could say- because thou gavest none. “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?”(Mt.17:17) “Where is your faith?”(Lk.8:25) Would he rebuke them for not having what he didn’t give them and only he supplies? “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”(Lk.18:8) It depends on whether he gives it. This is gainsaying that the Calvinist doctrine permits. To point to Rom.12:3 “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” and 1 Cor.12:9 God gave “To another faith by the same Spirit” as an escape from this error will not accommodate them, for these operations are for believers; notice Rom.12:3-6, 1 Cor.12:7-13. And the disciples faith could be increased (Lk.17:5-6) through their humility and obedience (v7-9, Rom.10:17, Jd.20). And God has called certain members and placed them in the body as it hath pleased him and he enables them by his grace to attain unto this proportion of faith- some greater than others (Rom.12:6, 1 Cor.12:9). The problem is that they can also frustrate his grace (Gal.2:21, 3:3) and stagger and waver in unbelief (Rom.4:20, Ja.1:5-8) and place themselves into a position to receive the rebukes Christ issued above. Again faith is a product of God’s revealed will and our receiving it willingly.

 

 We see the same thing regarding predestination here in 2 Thess. 2:¹³ But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:¹⁴ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also 2 Tim.2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

 Calvinists will say 'see- God chose who would be saved from the beginning'. But actually it is the same thing as discussed with predestination. It is speaking of the resurrection of the body. Notice that this is the salvation referred to here- Rom.13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”. And here- 1Thes.5:8-9 “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” Col.1:27 “Christ in you, the hope of glory”- this is the resurrection (Act.23:6, 24:17, Tit.2:13 w/ Col.3:4 etc.) And so what 2 Thess.2:13 is saying is that God has determined from the beginning that believers in the gospel (brethren beloved of the Lord) will acquire their resurrection or glorification of their body (v14- the obtaining of the glory) through faith and sanctification of the Spirit. And so (v15) “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” Why “therefore”? Because the traditions taught by the apostles in word and epistle will result in faith and sanctification; so therefore stand fast and hold onto them.

 

 Immediately they will again attempt to answer with thoughts like- ‘the golden thread of eternal security in Rom.8:30 says that all the ones God foreknows are the very ones that will be glorified’. But we know that those who are in Christ are complete in him (Col.2:10) and have all spiritual blessings (Eph.1:3) and are perfected forever (Heb.10:14). But this eternal glory is in Christ and we are exhorted to abide in him by faith and “give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” and “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pt.1:10-11). They might stress the point- ‘But everyone he foreknew he already glorified’. Yes we agree that they are glorified and perfected in Christ and they must abide in him and make sure or certain their election and calling. Just as we are completely perfected in this present world in Christ, God has provided us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet.1:3) and delivered us from this wretched body of flesh (Rom.7:23-8:4). But we have sin in us and on occasion do commit acts of sin (1 Jn.1:9-2:2). This is not a testimony against the saving grace of God through Christ but rather an account of how we can frustrate the grace of God (Gal.3:21) that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world (Tit.2:11-12). It is never an inadequacy of the provisions of Christ by his death and resurrection it is our unbelief which renders us weak many times. We are indeed dead unto sin and servants to righteousness because of Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom.6:4-18) but we don’t always consistently appropriate what he has done for us and walk in it. A Calvinist is left concluding that Christians might be carnal and disobedient (as the Corinthian church 1 Co.1:11, 3:1-3, 5:1-8, 6:15-20, 11:21-2, etc.) even though God has provided them with all spiritual blessings in Christ to NOT be (Eph.1:3-4) because of Gods secret instigation which is beyond our ability to understand or question. Again this is simply confusion.

 They also read their definition of predestination into Eph 1:4- “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:” They read this to mean God has chosen us TO BE PLACED in him. It doesn't say that or mean it in their sense. God foreknew who would believe the gospel (under circumstances he controls) which is how we get IN Christ and he chose them (in Christ) to be holy and without blame before him in love. The choosing in this sense is for believers, as in 2 Tim.1:9- “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”. Notice he saved us (who believe) and then called us according to his own purpose. As in Paul would be an apostle and Phillip an evangelist etc; this choosing was not in Adam but in Christ (1 Cor.15:22, Rom.5:17). By faith we are baptized into Christ, into his death (Gal.3:22-7, Rom.6:3-5) and by his Spirit into his body (1 Cor.12:13). This eternal life is in his Son (1 Jn.5:1,5,10-13, Jn.3:16).

 The “choosing” of Calvinism is done ‘separate from time in eternity’ where God chooses his elect to be in Christ who are actually in Adam. Were this true all the elect would be in him at the same instance, a concept leading to perplexity in Rom.16:7 where “Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles” “were in Christ before me”. (Not to mention to export into eternity concepts like ‘choose’ which only makes sense to us in time, and then conclude things beyond our ability to possibly understand, is not prudent.)

 Let’s consider at this point John 15:16 where Calvinists conclude that Christ chooses those to be saved who do not choose him; in other words he chose them to choose him. The context of John 15:16, 19 is chosen to be apostles from among the disciples (as 2 Sam.6:1) and to bring forth much fruit (Judas was also chosen Lk.6:13, Mk.3:14, Jn.6:70), so they did not choose him but he chose them to be witnesses as here: “through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen”Ac.1:2 and verses 24-5 “Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell...” And again 10:41 “Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.” Likewise also the Levites were chosen and did not choose to be his ministers- Dt.21:5, Num.16:5. If they want to insist that this choosing is strictly for salvation and not related to their chosen to be apostles then “many be called, but few chosen” (Mt.20:16). But their doctrine cannot allow many people to be called to salvation and only a few chosen to receive it. And so there is a salvation calling unto all men as well as a vocation calling for the saved. The former he “hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pt.2:9); calling us into the grace of Christ (Gal.1:6) calling sinners to repentance (Mt.9:13); and there are many called but few chosen (Mt.22:14). The latter is the “the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph.4:1). As when Christ “called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease... the twelve apostles” Mt.10:1-2. Likewise Romans 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God”. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” 2 Tim.1:9. In the same way the churches would choose out men from among their numbers for a work- Act.6:3-5, 15:22, 25, 2 Cor.8:19. We are elect and chosen only because we are in him who is the elect and the chosen (Isa.42:1, Mt.12:18, Lk.22:35).

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Most Calvinists believe Romans 9 is the granite foundation of the whole system. To quote Spurgeon again “It would also be unnecessary to repeat the whole of the 9^th chapter of Romans. As long as that remains in the Bible, no man shall be able to prove Arminianism. So long as that is written there, not the most violent contortions of the passage will ever be able to exterminate the doctrine of election from the Scriptures.” (Spurgeon-sermon no.41-42) For a Calvinist Romans 9 declares the omnipotence of God’s will by his dispensing of grace upon only those whom he so chooses and thereby choosing to damn the rest of humankind.            

 

 We will not waste time here entertaining the perverse disputing which arise among the Calvinists regarding infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism and the order of God's eternal decrees- whether he decrees to elect to salvation and reprobation before or after he decrees the creation and the fall. Again to discuss with presumed understanding of the ‘order of decrees’ which presuppose time, being interjected into God’s eternal state is a manifestation of pride and folly. We cannot export into God’s eternal state and impose upon God’s mind the limitations of our understanding with in time and space of the creation. Such haughty bloviating of the proud in spirit shall not pestilently cleave unto us.

 

 The Calvinist interpretation of Romans 9 when properly enunciated concludes with God expressing above all things that he wants to magnify his sovereign will (reminiscent of Islam); and not supremely magnify his grace (Eph.1:6). And so God in Calvinism worketh all things to the praise of the glory of his sovereign will and not to the praise of the glory of his grace as Ephesians 1 reveals. We could ask the Calvinist 'Is God love because he decided, or did he decide because he is love?' God loves because he is love, and God damns because he is righteous and holy. God does not will to be longsuffering, he is longsuffering. He doesn't will to be just, he simply is just. These are attributes of the divine nature of God. Isn’t God indiscriminate in justice and holiness? Why not in mercy and grace and longsuffering? Obviously God cannot be just and merciful at the same time to a person since “mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (Ja.2:13) and so he chooses to dispense grace upon those who believe (Ro.4:16, 11:6). And yet anyone can believe- ‘whoseover believeth’. (If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Gen.4:7) And we see his eternal purpose is to magnify his nature of justice and grace in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary.

 Spurgeon states “SALVATION HINGES UPON THE WILL OF GOD AND NOT UPON THE WILL OF MAN. So saith out text—”It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy;” by which is clearly meant that the reason why any man is saved is not because he wills it, but because God willed, accord to that other passage, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” The whole scheme of salvation, we aver, from the first to the last, hinges and turns, and is dependent upon the absolute will of God, and not upon the will of the creature.” And again “As surely as God’s will is the axle of the universe, as certainly as God’s will is the great heart of providence sending its pulsings through even the most distant limbs of human act, so in grace let us rest assured that he is King, willing to do as he pleases, having mercy on whom he will have mercy, calling whom he chooses to call, quickening whom he wills, and fulfilling, despite man’s hardness of heart, despite man’s willful rejection of Christ, his own purposes, his won decrees, without one of them falling to the ground. We think, then, that analogy helps to strengthen us in the declaration of the text, that salvation is not left with man’s will.” (Sermon # 442). “No man is saved by his own free-will, but every man is damned by it that is damned. He does it of his own will; no one constrains him.” (Sermon # 241).

 To quote Spurgeon on Romans 9 further consider this “The fact is, God loved Jacob, and he did not love Esau; he did choose Jacob, but he did not choose Esau; he did bless Jacob, but he never blessed Esau; his mercy followed Jacob all the way of his life, even to the last, but his mercy never followed Esau; he permitted him still to go on in his sins, and to prove that dreadful truth, “Esau have I hated.” (Sermon # 241).

 

 In fact of course we know salvation is God’s will and desire first and “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 Jn.4:19). There is no dispute here. As we allow the scriptures to speak we find God revealing neither what Calvinists claim, nor yet what many of the Arminianists claim.

Consider the passage:

Rom.9:¹⁰ And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;¹¹ (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) ¹² It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. ¹³ As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. ¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.¹⁶ So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.¹⁷ For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

¹⁸ Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

 God can freely choose to bestow his mercy upon whom he will, or he can withhold it and bring judgment. Also within God’s liberty as omnipotent ruler over all his creation is his ability to relentlessly pursue and influence a soul according to his purpose and bestow mercy until that soul is converted to him (consider John the Baptist Lk.1:15, or the remnant Rom.11:4-5, 9:29 or Israel in the tribulation Rev.7:4-8, Rom.11:26-7).

 What is also stated is that God decided that the descendents of Esau would serve the descendents of Jacob Malachi1:1-5 (The elder brother never served the younger while they were both alive); notice the context of the quote- “And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger” (Gen.25:23). What is not stated is that God decided that he would hate and damn Esau before he had done any evil. God chose to have more mercy upon Jacob than Esau with no regard to their person and only to his purpose. But this does not mean that Esau never had a chance to exercise faith. He had the same father of faith as Jacob, he had the work of the law in his heart also (Rom.2:11-15) as well as clearly seeing the invisible things of God from the creation (Rom.1:19-21). So he had opportunity to be a man of faith but yet was a fornicator and profane (Heb.12:16-17). Jacob also but yet he was a deceiver and a liar and coward. But God had already decided he would have more mercy to Jacob for his own purpose. And his purpose was not election it was “the purpose of God according to election” (Ro.9:11); that is God’s purpose would be carried out according to (by way of) the election of grace (Rom.11:5). And it is of faith that it might be by grace (Rom.4:16). In other words God’s purpose is to be carried out by men who believe his words and become elect; and God will reserve a remnant in order that there be a seed of believers for the praise of the glory of his grace. All men can be saved according to God’s nature and provision by Christ; but there will always be some men saved even if a remnant according to God’s eternal purpose in Christ.

Rom.11: ⁴ But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.⁵ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.⁶ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Eph.2: ⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 Some Calvinists conclude from Rom.9:11 that God decided to damn Esau before he was born based upon his eternal purpose and is justified when he condemneth because Adam sinned. In this manner of doctrine God could damn babies, infants and mentally infirm eternally simply because he willed and that he would not be unjust. This will give a case for the wicked to make against the Almighty to accuse God of condemning a person who had done nothing evil nor could do any evil. They blindly run to verse 14 of Rom.9 thinking Paul was making their case, without realizing that this is the same scenario as Matthew 20:1-15. Jesus is teaching that God is not unrighteous to have more grace and mercy to one than to another because he is God the potter and we are all the clay. God is sovereign over his mercy and grace, and can of his own will without any reference to the person of man have more mercy on one than another; or both or neither, for his own purpose. And none can stay his hand or say unto him ‘What doest thou?’ This does not mean God did not love the world, but rather in the execution of his eternal purpose (to praise the glory of his grace his justice also magnifying his grace) he is perfectly just in having as much or as little mercy as he chooses to anyone anywhere when so ever he will. To confuse justice and charity or mercy is the scourge of our time executed through government bureaucracy by tyrannical force and prefixed by the word ‘social’.

 

 

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