Systematic Theology (Volume 3 of 3)Strong, Augustus Hopkins
Religion
Systematic Theology (Volume 3 of 3)
Strong, Augustus Hopkins
Baptists -- Doctrines; Theology, Doctrinal
(_a_) It is unjust to those who are not included in this purpose of
salvation.—Answer: Election deals, not simply with creatures, but with
sinful, guilty, and condemned creatures. That any should be saved, is
matter of pure grace, and those who are not included in this purpose of
salvation suffer only the due reward of their deeds. There is, therefore,
no injustice in God’s election. We may better praise God that he saves
any, than charge him with injustice because he saves so few.
God can say to all men, saved or unsaved, “_Friend, I do thee no
wrong.... Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine
own?_” (_Mat. 20:13, 15_). The question is not whether a father
will treat his children alike, but whether a sovereign must treat
condemned rebels alike. It is not true that, because the Governor
pardons one convict from the penitentiary, he must therefore
pardon all. When he pardons one, no injury is done to those who
are left. But, in God’s government, there is still less reason for
objection; for God offers pardon to all. Nothing prevents men from
being pardoned but their unwillingness to accept his pardon.
Election is simply God’s determination to make certain persons
willing to accept it. Because justice cannot save all, shall it
therefore save none?
Augustine, De Predest. Sanct., 8—“Why does not God teach all?
Because it is in mercy that he teaches all whom he does teach,
while it is in judgment that he does not teach those whom he does
not teach.” In his Manual of Theology and Ethics, 260, Hovey
remarks that _Rom. 9:20_—“_who art thou that repliest against
God?_”—teaches, not that might makes right, but that God is
morally entitled to glorify either his righteousness or his mercy
in disposing of a guilty race. It is not that he chooses to save
only a few ship‐wrecked and drowning creatures, but that he
chooses to save only a part of a great company who are bent on
committing suicide. _Prov. 8:36_—“_he that sinneth against me
wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death._” It is
best for the universe at large that some should be permitted to
have their own way and show how dreadful a thing is opposition to
God. See Shedd, Dogm. Theol., 1:455.
(_b_) It represents God as partial in his dealings and a respecter of
persons.—Answer: Since there is nothing in men that determines God’s
choice of one rather than another, the objection is invalid. It would
equally apply to God’s selection of certain nations, as Israel, and
certain individuals, as Cyrus, to be recipients of special temporal gifts.
If God is not to be regarded as partial in not providing a salvation for
fallen angels, he cannot be regarded as partial in not providing
regenerating influences of his Spirit for the whole race of fallen men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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