Sovereignty of God and Moral Responsibility of Man
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Can I ask you something Uncle?
Would you say you have more spiritual insight than most of the ministers in the Trinitarian churches?
Only they tend to leave it up to the individual as to whether they see Christ as solely the Son of God, Or the Son of God PLUS God Himself(they do in the chjurches in the UK anyways)
So unless you are claiming to have more spiritual discernment than them, this isn't such a big deal is it, not according too most of those qualified to preach in the churches anyway. So why is it such a big deal to you on the internet?
Do you know more than those ministers on spiritual matters?
Would you say you have more spiritual insight than most of the ministers in the Trinitarian churches?
Only they tend to leave it up to the individual as to whether they see Christ as solely the Son of God, Or the Son of God PLUS God Himself(they do in the chjurches in the UK anyways)
So unless you are claiming to have more spiritual discernment than them, this isn't such a big deal is it, not according too most of those qualified to preach in the churches anyway. So why is it such a big deal to you on the internet?
Do you know more than those ministers on spiritual matters?
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so, accordingly,i certainly hope you do not worship Jesus Christ in any manner.
that would be idolatry.
worship the LORD thy GOD only.
Isaiah 6:1
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Adonay: Lord
Original Word: אֲדֹנָי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Adonay
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-o-noy')
Short Definition: Lord
John 12
Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews
37Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
44Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Adonay: Lord
Original Word: אֲדֹנָי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Adonay
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-o-noy')
Short Definition: Lord
Genesis 15:2
BIB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהוִה֙ מַה־
NAS: Abram said, O Lord GOD, what
KJV: said, Lord GOD,
INT: said Abram Lord GOD what
Genesis 15:8
BIB: וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה
NAS: He said, O Lord GOD, how
KJV: it.And he said, Lord GOD, whereby
INT: said Lord GOD how
Exodus 15:17
BIB: יְהוָ֑ה מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כּוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands
KJV: [in] the Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands
INT: LORD the sanctuary Lord have established your hands
etc etc
that would be idolatry.
worship the LORD thy GOD only.
Isaiah 6:1
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Adonay: Lord
Original Word: אֲדֹנָי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Adonay
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-o-noy')
Short Definition: Lord
John 12
Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews
37Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
44Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Adonay: Lord
Original Word: אֲדֹנָי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Adonay
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-o-noy')
Short Definition: Lord
Genesis 15:2
BIB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהוִה֙ מַה־
NAS: Abram said, O Lord GOD, what
KJV: said, Lord GOD,
INT: said Abram Lord GOD what
Genesis 15:8
BIB: וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה
NAS: He said, O Lord GOD, how
KJV: it.And he said, Lord GOD, whereby
INT: said Lord GOD how
Exodus 15:17
BIB: יְהוָ֑ה מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כּוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands
KJV: [in] the Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands
INT: LORD the sanctuary Lord have established your hands
etc etc
A
Too much to disagree about in your outlines. But this line is worth some testing.
Only because your system builds logically and although much of it is true and scriptural,
it makes connections to unbiblical statements and builds also on them.
Example 1:"God glorifies his mercy by saving only some men, because the glory of his justice is more important than the salvation of all men."
My reply to that statement is although it is true that only His mercy saves. And His justice also will be glorified.
And although He will not lay aside justice to show mercy. Its a false statement, unbiblical, and a dishonoring
of God and His glory to assert He glorifies Himself more by only saving some because His justice is more important.
As if God has needs, or is eccentric. The bible teaches throughout that men are not saved because they refuse.
An improper understanding of Romans 9-11. Eph2 and more is the cause of these type of beliefs.
If by saying He will only save some..meaning those who believe then id agree. But this is not where you take it.
And where you take it is only by going further than Paul and the Holyspirit go with the Sovereignty of God. Rather
than deal with the paradoxical or dialectical nature of a Sovereign God and choice from man. From rom9 to Rom10
Stuff(error) is added for its philosophical effect to answer questions frankly not that many even had.
Spurgeon is often quoted from by groups of reformed theology. Ive read alot of Spurgeon and
realize he was not at all consistant between his stated beliefs and his work as a minister/pastor/teacher.
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"—Ezekiel 18:23.
"For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."—Ezekiel 18:32.
"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"—Ezekiel 33:11.
Excerps from:A Sermon
(No. 1795)
Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, August 17th, 1884, by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
Notice, that in each one of my texts the Lord declares that he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but in each following passage the statement is stronger. The Lord puts it first as a matter of question. As if he were surprised that such a thing should be laid to his door, he appeals to man's own reason, and asks, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" Oh, souls, can you really think that God desires your damnation? Can you be so demented as soberly to believe such a calumny? Will such a theory hold water for a single minute? After all the goodness of God to multitudes of rebellious men, can you allow such a dark thought to linger near your mind, that God can have pleasure in men's being sinners, and ultimately destroying themselves by their iniquities? Your own common-sense must teach you that the good God is grieved to see men sin, that he would be glad to see men of a better mind, and that it is sad work to him to punish the finally obstinate and impenitent. He cries most plaintively "Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate." He puts it here as a question of wonderment, that men should so grossly malign him as to think that the God of love could have any pleasure in men's perishing by their sins.
But then, in the next place, in our second text, God makes a positive assertion. Knowing the human heart, he foresaw that a question would not be enough to end this matter, for man would say, "He only asked the question, but he did not give a plain and positive statement to the contrary." He gives us that clear assurance in our second text: "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." When the Lord speaks he is to be believed, for he is God that cannot lie. We know that this speech of his is authentic; it comes to us by an inspired prophet, concerning whose call by God we entertain no doubt whatever. Let us, then, believe it heartily. If I were to state this as my own opinion, you might do as you pleased about believing it; but since God saith this, then we claim of you all, as God's creatures, that you believe your Creator, and that this statement be never questioned again. "Where the word of a king is, there is power,"—power, I trust, to silence all further debate upon the willingness of God to save.
But still, as if to end for ever the strange and ghastly supposition that God takes delight in human destruction, my third text seals the truth with the solemn oath of the Eternal. He lifts his hand to heaven, and swears; and because he can swear by no greater he swears by himself,—not by his temple, nor by his throne therein, nor by his angels, nor by anything outside of himself; but he sweareth by his own life. Jehovah that liveth for ever and ever saith, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." The man who dares to doubt the oath of God will be guilty of an arrogant presumption which I would not like to impute to one of you. Shall God be perjured? I tremble at having even suggested such a thing; and yet if you do not believe the Lord's own oath you will not only have made him a liar, but you will have denied the value of his oath when he swears by his own life. What he thus affirms must be tree; let us bow before it, and never entertain a doubt about it. Most miserable of all men that breathe must they be who will dare to attack the veracity of God, when God to confirm their confidence doth put himself upon an oath. Let us hear the voice of the Lord in its majesty, like a peal of distant thunder,—"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
A reading of the whole sermon would be better. Im just saying its a big mistake
to put philosophy into scripture. Connect dots and call it truth. But ty Elin for these threads.
It has facilitated in causing me to outline Romans myself along with key words such as "elect" etc.
Surely you will have a comment, or correction for me. ty
Only because your system builds logically and although much of it is true and scriptural,
it makes connections to unbiblical statements and builds also on them.
Example 1:"God glorifies his mercy by saving only some men, because the glory of his justice is more important than the salvation of all men."
My reply to that statement is although it is true that only His mercy saves. And His justice also will be glorified.
And although He will not lay aside justice to show mercy. Its a false statement, unbiblical, and a dishonoring
of God and His glory to assert He glorifies Himself more by only saving some because His justice is more important.
As if God has needs, or is eccentric. The bible teaches throughout that men are not saved because they refuse.
An improper understanding of Romans 9-11. Eph2 and more is the cause of these type of beliefs.
If by saying He will only save some..meaning those who believe then id agree. But this is not where you take it.
And where you take it is only by going further than Paul and the Holyspirit go with the Sovereignty of God. Rather
than deal with the paradoxical or dialectical nature of a Sovereign God and choice from man. From rom9 to Rom10
Stuff(error) is added for its philosophical effect to answer questions frankly not that many even had.
Spurgeon is often quoted from by groups of reformed theology. Ive read alot of Spurgeon and
realize he was not at all consistant between his stated beliefs and his work as a minister/pastor/teacher.
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"—Ezekiel 18:23.
Excerps from:A Sermon
(No. 1795)
Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, August 17th, 1884, by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
But then, in the next place, in our second text, God makes a positive assertion. Knowing the human heart, he foresaw that a question would not be enough to end this matter, for man would say, "He only asked the question, but he did not give a plain and positive statement to the contrary." He gives us that clear assurance in our second text: "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." When the Lord speaks he is to be believed, for he is God that cannot lie. We know that this speech of his is authentic; it comes to us by an inspired prophet, concerning whose call by God we entertain no doubt whatever. Let us, then, believe it heartily. If I were to state this as my own opinion, you might do as you pleased about believing it; but since God saith this, then we claim of you all, as God's creatures, that you believe your Creator, and that this statement be never questioned again. "Where the word of a king is, there is power,"—power, I trust, to silence all further debate upon the willingness of God to save.
A reading of the whole sermon would be better. Im just saying its a big mistake
to put philosophy into scripture. Connect dots and call it truth. But ty Elin for these threads.
It has facilitated in causing me to outline Romans myself along with key words such as "elect" etc.
Surely you will have a comment, or correction for me. ty
U
Mark ... if you had simply asked if I were in agreement with those "Trinitarian preachers who teach that it is unnecessary to believe that Jesus is God", I would have given you the one-word answer you are now pretending you wanted. But that's not what and how you asked now, is it ? "Can I ask you something Uncle?
Would you say you have more spiritual insight than most of the ministers in the Trinitarian churches?" Any 4th grader could see through your means and manner Mark. If I say "no", I am made to appear unsure of what I am certain regarding my Saviour, Lord and God. If I say "yes", you seize through your own ignorance an "opportunity" to belittle and berate me as pompous and arrogant. Well Mark, ... you have your reward now, don't you ? And you are most deserving of it.
Would you say you have more spiritual insight than most of the ministers in the Trinitarian churches?" Any 4th grader could see through your means and manner Mark. If I say "no", I am made to appear unsure of what I am certain regarding my Saviour, Lord and God. If I say "yes", you seize through your own ignorance an "opportunity" to belittle and berate me as pompous and arrogant. Well Mark, ... you have your reward now, don't you ? And you are most deserving of it.
I, markymark BEEN in your position, too, I used to defend Jesus as seperate, that is what I felt was true, what was taught me growing up.....
Only in the last year point five has God shown me His sovereignty on my life so I can see it, as He's led me, as I worship in spirit (not in soul, not in flesh,
Your stance on this trinity of God is your feelings,
I highlight one word from this Philipians' well-known verse, to understand
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Only in the last year point five has God shown me His sovereignty on my life so I can see it, as He's led me, as I worship in spirit (not in soul, not in flesh,
Your stance on this trinity of God is your feelings,
I highlight one word from this Philipians' well-known verse, to understand
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Your flesh, or the Spirit?
No I'll tell you the truth Uncle that any unbaised person clearly knows to be true, you are in an impossible position, so you cannot honestly, and forthrightly answer the question
According to you this is a salvific issue, therefore if you have heartfelt conviction of this subject and answer according to that, you are forced to say that any minister who refuses to plainly and clearly state salvific belief from the pulpit and the consequences of getting it wrong should not be allowed to be a minister, for we all know a minister is obligated to plainly preach any salvific belief from the pulpit and the consequences of getting it wrong. However, you cannot state that can you, for you know as well as I do that hardly any Trinitarian ministers will plainly state from the pulpit what you believe, namely that if a person believes Christ is the Son of God but not God Himself they cannot be saved with that belief, and are therefore condemned if they stick to that belief
Therefore you would in effect be stating that nearly all of the Trinitarian ministers should not be allowed in the pulpits, something you obviously cannot do. That is clearly the truth, though obviously you will not admit it
For people like you inmsist upon and demand for salvation what clearly the ministyers will not demand from the pulpits(or hardly any would)
So either ministers are n ot as spiritually enlightened as you are, or they are woefully failing their flock
Either way, you must believe you will defend what you see as the truth and they will not from the pulpit
According to you this is a salvific issue, therefore if you have heartfelt conviction of this subject and answer according to that, you are forced to say that any minister who refuses to plainly and clearly state salvific belief from the pulpit and the consequences of getting it wrong should not be allowed to be a minister, for we all know a minister is obligated to plainly preach any salvific belief from the pulpit and the consequences of getting it wrong. However, you cannot state that can you, for you know as well as I do that hardly any Trinitarian ministers will plainly state from the pulpit what you believe, namely that if a person believes Christ is the Son of God but not God Himself they cannot be saved with that belief, and are therefore condemned if they stick to that belief
Therefore you would in effect be stating that nearly all of the Trinitarian ministers should not be allowed in the pulpits, something you obviously cannot do. That is clearly the truth, though obviously you will not admit it
For people like you inmsist upon and demand for salvation what clearly the ministyers will not demand from the pulpits(or hardly any would)
So either ministers are n ot as spiritually enlightened as you are, or they are woefully failing their flock
Either way, you must believe you will defend what you see as the truth and they will not from the pulpit
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And I am sure that any fourth grader will see the impossible situation you are in by making extra biblical demands for salvation that the ministers in the churches will not make from the pulpit. So it is a fact that either you are more spiritually enlightened than they, or, you are defending the Gospel unto salvation on the internet that they refuse to plainly preach from the pulpit.
You see, it is nothing more for people like you uncle than theological debate of the little grey cells, for it cannot be more than that in truth.
As I have said to you before, neither Christ, Paul, Peter, James or John, plainly demnded what you do unto salvation. Neither will nearly all of the Trinitarian ministers from the pul[it, nor well over 90% of their congregations. All of this you have no choice but to ignore. For even Trinitarian ministers admit to me their is no plain verse of scripture anywhere in the Bible that states Christ is the one true God, not one. Yet to you eternal life hinges on believing it
On top of this I have given you the plainest of scriptures directly related to this subject which you also choose to ignore
On top of this I have pointed out you are refusing to accept the requirement of belief Christ himself laid down as to who a person must believe him to be by adding to it. This you also ignore.
But Trinitartian belief itself stands against you, for if a person being led by the Holy Spirit could refuse to accept a requirement of belief unto salvation that Christ Himself laid down by adding to it, then obnviously the Spirit ofd God must contradict the word of God, in Trinitarian terms God then contradicts God and the belief collapses. This you will also ignore.
Soi why do you ignore all of this overwhelming evidence?
Sadly, I have to say there can only be one possible reason, you like others on these websites have a Christianity based on the natural intellect of man/the little grey cells. It is impolssible for anyone led of the Holy Spirit to contradict the requirements of Christ unto salvation, absolutely impossible
I have come to the conclusion that some of you on these websites are lost in a world of making a god out of revelling in theological study of the little grey cells. And you come onto these websites believing through your studies you have great spiritual understanding and truth. But basically you believe in a trinity of Father, Son and the Bible. Nearly all the ministers in the pulpits don't want to know iof your deamnds onb these websites. And I am sorry, but you do not understand the basics of the Christian faith, for in effect you condemn people for standing on the palin words of Christ when he walked this earth. No one led of the Holy Spierit could possibly do that, but a person led of the natural intellect could.
Fior so many these websites givve them the opportunity they thrive on, theological debate, but I repat, it is not led of the Spirit for that would be impossible for the reasons given
Jesus said
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Luke10:21
It is true, that the average person on these websites knows only a small fraction of the truth the average church goer would, and the average churchgoer would never countenance refusing to accept any requirement of belief Christ himself laid down
It is the Holy Sprit bwho leads into truth, not the natural mind of man
I am sorry Uncle, but as you refuse to accept the words of Chriust unto sdalvation who spoke the words of God on this earth by adding to thwem, I will, as I have done witrh others have to put you on ignore. There is nothing to be gained from discussing further with you
You see, it is nothing more for people like you uncle than theological debate of the little grey cells, for it cannot be more than that in truth.
As I have said to you before, neither Christ, Paul, Peter, James or John, plainly demnded what you do unto salvation. Neither will nearly all of the Trinitarian ministers from the pul[it, nor well over 90% of their congregations. All of this you have no choice but to ignore. For even Trinitarian ministers admit to me their is no plain verse of scripture anywhere in the Bible that states Christ is the one true God, not one. Yet to you eternal life hinges on believing it
On top of this I have given you the plainest of scriptures directly related to this subject which you also choose to ignore
On top of this I have pointed out you are refusing to accept the requirement of belief Christ himself laid down as to who a person must believe him to be by adding to it. This you also ignore.
But Trinitartian belief itself stands against you, for if a person being led by the Holy Spirit could refuse to accept a requirement of belief unto salvation that Christ Himself laid down by adding to it, then obnviously the Spirit ofd God must contradict the word of God, in Trinitarian terms God then contradicts God and the belief collapses. This you will also ignore.
Soi why do you ignore all of this overwhelming evidence?
Sadly, I have to say there can only be one possible reason, you like others on these websites have a Christianity based on the natural intellect of man/the little grey cells. It is impolssible for anyone led of the Holy Spirit to contradict the requirements of Christ unto salvation, absolutely impossible
I have come to the conclusion that some of you on these websites are lost in a world of making a god out of revelling in theological study of the little grey cells. And you come onto these websites believing through your studies you have great spiritual understanding and truth. But basically you believe in a trinity of Father, Son and the Bible. Nearly all the ministers in the pulpits don't want to know iof your deamnds onb these websites. And I am sorry, but you do not understand the basics of the Christian faith, for in effect you condemn people for standing on the palin words of Christ when he walked this earth. No one led of the Holy Spierit could possibly do that, but a person led of the natural intellect could.
Fior so many these websites givve them the opportunity they thrive on, theological debate, but I repat, it is not led of the Spirit for that would be impossible for the reasons given
Jesus said
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Luke10:21
It is true, that the average person on these websites knows only a small fraction of the truth the average church goer would, and the average churchgoer would never countenance refusing to accept any requirement of belief Christ himself laid down
It is the Holy Sprit bwho leads into truth, not the natural mind of man
I am sorry Uncle, but as you refuse to accept the words of Chriust unto sdalvation who spoke the words of God on this earth by adding to thwem, I will, as I have done witrh others have to put you on ignore. There is nothing to be gained from discussing further with you
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We are both dealing with the same situation, why some are saved and why some are not.
Synergism does not address the problem.
Scripture presents a God who is omnipotent, and who always has the power to change a heart and save it.
So why does he choose not to do so?
The answers of synergism are inadequate.
And the answers of monergism are objectionable to the mind of fallen man.
But Ro 9:21 is irrefutable: the potter has the right to make from the same lump of clay, some for noble purposes (salvation to glorify his mercy) and some for ignoble (vessels of human waste) purposes (destruction to glorify his justice).
Ro 9:23 lifts the curtain for a glimpse of that ignoble purpose: what if he made some for ignoble purposes to make his riches known to the objects of his mercy, as a foil or backdrop for the glory of his grace.
And don't try to limit it to Israel. Paul uses God's name in Ex 33:19 to prove that God sovereignly has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and hardens whom he wants to harden, based totally in his sovereign choice and independent of man's effort or desire or anything man does (Ro 9:16, 18). It's not about just Israel.
It is monergism that reckons with the plain Scriptures which are so contrary to fallen man's disposition, and does not alter their plain meaning.
I am not saying that God takes pleasure in condemning sinful men, but that his justice requires that sin be punished.
Synergism does not address the problem.
Scripture presents a God who is omnipotent, and who always has the power to change a heart and save it.
So why does he choose not to do so?
The answers of synergism are inadequate.
And the answers of monergism are objectionable to the mind of fallen man.
But Ro 9:21 is irrefutable: the potter has the right to make from the same lump of clay, some for noble purposes (salvation to glorify his mercy) and some for ignoble (vessels of human waste) purposes (destruction to glorify his justice).
Ro 9:23 lifts the curtain for a glimpse of that ignoble purpose: what if he made some for ignoble purposes to make his riches known to the objects of his mercy, as a foil or backdrop for the glory of his grace.
And don't try to limit it to Israel. Paul uses God's name in Ex 33:19 to prove that God sovereignly has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and hardens whom he wants to harden, based totally in his sovereign choice and independent of man's effort or desire or anything man does (Ro 9:16, 18). It's not about just Israel.
It is monergism that reckons with the plain Scriptures which are so contrary to fallen man's disposition, and does not alter their plain meaning.
I am not saying that God takes pleasure in condemning sinful men, but that his justice requires that sin be punished.