Deus Ex Machina

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INTRODUCTION: For purposes of this discussion, we will refer to Deus Ex Machina as "DEM." You might also think of DEM to stand for "Divinely Executed Marvel" as that is just what it is. This post will also be put into outline form for easy reference. This is my own original work so if you copy it please include the ending info.

I. Evidences of Deus Ex Machina

1. The Bible is filled with such divinely-inspired events that conveniently solve the problem- most notably involving conversions.

a) Take Paul for example. A bright light and voice from the sky brought Paul to conversion. Would Paul have gotten saved without God's DEM? I sincerely doubt it as God probably wouldn't have used it.

b) The Ethiopian eunich also experienced God's DEM. Philip was brought by God to the right place at the right time to preach to the eunich.

2. Throughout history, we see the same thing happening:

a) God sent a bolt of lightening during a thunderstorm that brought a young man to his knees. That man was Martin Luther- and this was only the first of multiple DEM's he experienced including the verse that led to his conversion- Habakkuk 2:4.

b) A DEM in the form of a snowstorm blew a young Charles Spurgeon off course on his way to a church service. He wound up in a smaller service being led by a layman. It was there he was convicted and accepted Christ.

II. Necessity of Deus Ex Machina

1. Without multiple acts of DEM, no man would be converted.

a) Salvation could have only come through Christ, and Christ did indeed come- proving God's divinely executed plan. This first coming was a necessary occurance for salvation to be acheived.

b) The natural man has to be brought back from the dead. This is an act of DEM almost as profound as the death and resurrection of Christ! Only God can give or take physical life, and only God can give or take spiritual life. All men start out dead, so it is only by God's quickening power than any become alive.

2. ONLY by act of Deus Ex Machina can a man be converted.

a) There is no other known way of salvation apart from the Divinely executed sacrifice, and the Divinely executed quickening that opens a man's dead eyes to that sacrifice.

b) A man who claims his salvation was brought about in ANY way by his own will is in denial or ignorance to the necessity of DEM in his conversion. Will has a part in conversion- but only in cooperation with DEM.

III. No man can bring about his own Deus Ex Machina

1. Deus Ex Machina by definition cannot be accomplished by a mortal

a) As fallen man, we cannot instigate our own redemption or salvage our fallen state. A DEM is necessary.

b) As dead man, we cannot bring ourselves back to life merely by an act of will any more than corpses can walk on the same compulsion. A DEM is necessary.

2. Deus Ex Machina can only be accomplished by Deity.

a) The name itself defines the actions it describes. Deus referring to Deity means that only Deity can accomplish this Divine Marvel.

b) The action of a Divine Marvel is something only omnipotence can achieve, else the act does not qualify as 'Divine.'


Three questions for you:

1) Can a man be redeemed outside of Deus Ex Machina in any way?

2) Can a man defeat God's Deus Ex Machina?

3) Does God know exactly which method of Deus Ex Machina to use on a particular sinner?


This post written by Daniel Allen >> www.spurgeon.us
Feel free to copy as you wish making sure to include this bottom notation.

 

in the four cases I gave, two of them were documented in scripture as being of God, and two of them were personal testimonies that God had accomplished the acts. This isn't filling God in where there is an unknown, but attributing an act to God when all evidence points to that.

 

interesting thoughts. Thanx.

 

Thank you for your post.

DEM is a fallacy only when it is untrue. For example- is there a plausible explaination for the creation of the universe? None that we know of as it was a supernatural event. "God did it" doesn't sound good to atheists, but it's the most plausible explaination. "God did it" may not sound like the most scientific way of explaining a man's salvation- but that is the best answer we can offer based on scripture. God bless.

Daniel Allen
www.spurgeon.us