Man's nature

I don't believe a doctrine that says God damns the vast majority of mankind before they are even born honors God. In the scriptures God says he loves all men, and yet allows most men to perish when it is within his power to save them.

How this doctrine honors God I fail to see.

 

That God punishes evil does not dishonor God, that is just. But that God would choose before a man is even born to damn him to eternal torment in hell without any means to be saved is monstrous. We non-Cals do not believe this. We believe God gives every man the opportunity to repent and believe on his Son for salvation. If a man rejects this free salvation offered to him and chooses evil, then God is just in punishing him.

You wrote a few days back about your son calling for help. And being a good and loving father you ran to assist him. This makes you better than God if your doctrine is true. By your doctrine God callously and without mercy damns man to everlasting torture in fire for his pleasure, and will not give these unelect any possible way to escape this damnation.

And you call that honoring God?

If you threw your young son in a fire for your pleasure, would that be an honorable act?

 

That is what Paul is saying, but Paul is not saying God destroys men for his pleasure. Paul is saying that God has chosen to save men through faith and not works. That is the topic of the whole chapter.

God does have a right to choose his means of salvation, and if a man rebels against that and rejects his Son Jesus Christ, then God is just in punishing that man.

The scriptures say God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Eze 33:11 Say unto them, 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?

God says he has no pleasure whatsoever in the death of the wicked. Calvinism teaches the opposite. God wills that man turn from his wickedness, and shows this is the man's responsibility.

Eze 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Calvinism cannot explain why God allows the vast majority of mankind to perish. If they did, the system will collapse. But the scriptures are quite clear that man perishes because of his own wickedness, but that God offers forgiveness and mercy to those who turn from evil.

Ezekiel 33:14-16 proves Calvinism false. God has not determined that man be damned, the wicked can turn from evil and trust in Christ, and if they do so they can be forgiven.

Now to me, that is a good and honorable God. He offers his love and forgiveness to all that will hear him and turn from evil and trust on him. But if a man willingly refuses to turn and trusts in evil, then God is just in punishing him.

Going back to Romans 9, the whole chapter is contrasting those saved by faith as opposed to those who believed they were saved simply by being descendents of Abraham, and those who believed they were saved by keeping the law. That is clearly shown.

Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Here Paul explains that the saved are those who hold the faith of Abraham, not those descended from his flesh.

When he contrasts Moses and Pharaoh it is the same. Moses was a man of great faith, he is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11.

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses forsook Egypt. He could have stayed in Pharaoh's house and been a ruler and enjoyed all the privilages and power it offered. But he chose to follow the true God. Pharaoh on the other hand was exceedingly rebellious and obstinate, even though God showed him many miracles, he refused to repent and hardened his heart. He loved his wealth, fame, and power and refused to give it up.

Then, at the end of Romans 9, Paul sums up the whole chapter. This is where he clearly explains he is contrasting faith versus works.

Rom 9:30 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.

Calvinists take verses out of context in Romans 9 to say that God simply chooses some to show mercy, and others to show wrath for his pleasure. That is total error, it is not for God's pleasure, it is because some come by faith, while others attempt to be saved through their own righteousness.

This passage in Romans has been misrepresented by Calvinism.