Page 143


Man's natural enmity toward God's predestination often breaks forth into the following three objections:

    1. "Predestination is unjust; the people who are elected are no better than those who are not."

    2. "Predestination takes away human freedom. I must do everything I do because it is in God's unchangeable decree. I have no choice."

    3. "Predestination takes away all human responsibility and activity. If I'm elected, then I am; and if not, I'm not. Nothing that I do, or do not do, will change God's decree."

Let us examine each of these three objections:

    1. "Predestination is unjust,- the people who are elected are no better than those who are not. "

It is true that those who are elected by God to salvation through Christ are not better than those whom God passed by with His grace. However, this does not mean that God's predestination is unjust. God cannot do anything that is unjust, for He is perfectly righteous.

It would be perfectly just for God to pass by and leave every person in his own sins. We have sinned away all rights or claims upon any blessing of God. "The wages of sin is death." As sinners, we all deserve hell - anything above hell is grace. Therefore, God's condemnation of any sinner is just; His saving of a sinner is grace. Jesus Christ graciously paid the full price of sin for every saved sinner. No one can charge God with being unjust.

Read the Parable of the Laborers in Matthew 20:1-16:

    A Roman penny (approximately seventeen cents) was the wage for a full day's labor in New Testament times. The householder paid those who worked a full day that which they deserved. Because he chose to be gracious and to freely give of his own money to others who did not deserve it, he was spoken of as being unjust.

    God will justly give many sinners their full wages "the wages of sin is death." That He has chosen to be gracious to others and freely give to them of His wealth, is His perfect right. A rich man can freely give riches to whom he desires.

    In predestination, does God deal unjustly with anyone? Why do some complain about His gracious electing of some, as being unfair?

Matthew 20:1-16

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

And said unto them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard: and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give then their hire, beginning from the last to the first.

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be ca e , ut few chosen.


143
Previous PageNext Page