Key Verse

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word. Psalm 119:9

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Five Reasons I Reject "Five Reasons I Reject Unconditional Atonement"

I stumbled across a article (http://redemptionpictures.com/2013/07/13/election/) the other day that left me disturbed. The reason for my concern will become aparent shortly, but in this article Micah Murray lays out five reasons he thinks unconditional atonement is wrong. 

Now, without attempting to refute what he said or promoting Calvinism (in so far as I am able) I will lay out five concerns I have with what he presented. Do me a favor and read the last two paragraphs if nothing else:

1. Murray never quotes the Bible. 

Micah's entire argument scheme is based on feelings about how God should be, he never even mentions the Bible except to casually mention it supossedly supports his point (he even claims not to be a theologian, or God-studier). 

Scripture to consider: 2 Tim 2:15, 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Tim 4:2, Psalm 18:30, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Peter 2:2. 

2. Murray claims that "if unconditional election is true God cannot be trusted". 

This flies directly in the face of Romans 9:13-15 which, even if it isn't speaking of salvation, shows God's ability to be just and fair and sti favor some people over others. 

Scriptures to consider: 1 Thess 1:4, Romans 9, Job 38:2.

3. He claims that salvation of a few would be "unfair" and "unloving" of God. 

God is just, this is clear in scripture, and should he choose to bless some and give others what they deserve is that unfair? Read the parable at Matt 20:13, God deals with people unequally. Job 40:2,8 clearly shows that God is soverign over suffering and cannot be acused of wrong (Romans 9:13-15 again) so should God choose to save some from damnation that is pure grace and mercy for those who are chosen; we cannot incure that God is in the wrong for something he does in the Bible often. 

Scriptures to consider: Ecclesiastes 11:5, Matt 20:13, Job 38:1ff; 40:2,8; Isaiah and 40:18. 

4. Murray makes the implication that if unconditional election is true then sharing the gospel is unnecessary because it doesn't affect the chance someone will be saved. 

This isn't just a false accusation of the implications of election, but its illogical, and poor theology/hermeneutics. False accusation because Calvinists have for years been preaching the gospel to the unsaved believing it was commanded and effective. Illogical because we do not know whether our witness will be what God uses to save our neighbor and we can only do all we can do for our neighbors. Poor theology because Romans 11:33-35 (also Isaiah 40:11-14) proclaims the fact that God's ways are not understandable by human finite minds (Ecc 11:5). We don't have the right to NOT do what he has clearly told us to do elsewhere in scripture (Acts 1:8, Matt 28:18-19). 

Scripture to consider: Romans 11:33-35, Isaiah 40:11-14, Ecclesastes 11:5, Acts 1:8, and Matt 28:18-19. 

5. In claiming that creation would be an act of cruelty with election he is condeming his own god, and forgetting the whole old testament. 

There are people now who have never heard of Jesus. Lots of people living now, and many more who died never having heard. You cannot say that a perfect God allowed all those people to die unsaved without having a chance and also say that God would be cruel to allow people to no have a choice about their own repentance. Throughout the whole Old Testament and especially Joshua people are being killed by God without ever having a witness to them except the rumors of Israel's God. God is totally just to punish whom he pleases because Romans 3:23 clearly shows the depravity of mankind and the necessity of a substitute. God has mercy on whom he has mercy, blessed be the name of the Lord. 

Scripture to consider: Exodus 7-12, Psalm 135:10, Romans 3:11, and Romans 3:23.

Finally the most crucial section of my response has come; I think that even if we all disagree on whether election is true we can agree that there is nothing in us which allows us to WANT to know God (Roman 3:11, Psalms 14:1-3) and even if we wanted to know God we cannot believe it by our own power (1 Corinthians 1:17-31; 3:6) so regardless of whether you believe in election or not you must allow for the fact that God is involved in the process so the very arguments that attack election or even free will can destroy our very assurance of salvation and cause divisivness and division (1 Corinthians 3:1-23) and therefore we should be very careful when accusing other people of such serious charges that Murray levels against Calvinists. 

Search the scriptures for yourself (Acts 17:10-15) and understand why you believe what you believe but don't let yourself oppose your brothers in such a way that causes you to lose fellowship (which is a different level of accusation for different people so be VERY careful, 1 Cor 3:18, 21-23) and lose sight of the MOST important thing, which is a personal relationship with Christ. 

Keep the main thing the main thing.