The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology

On my FR page you'll find Argyll's Organic Evolution which is a pretty interesting anti-Darwin anti-Spencer book on teleology and design. Other classics on natural theology, teleology, and design:

Forms in Creation, James McCosh.
The Hand, Sir Charles Bell.

There are also some lectures by Sir George Stokes which I'll get around to digging up. The old stuff is pretty good. Well worth reading.

The Holy Bible does tell us that even the existence of God is apparent to the unchurched pagans. These peoples can recognize the harmony and the beauty of creation and reach the only possible conclusion.

That's true, St. Paul says that. Any theory which teaches that design, teleology, purpose, etc. either don't exist or are illusions, is incompatible with it. Not to mention prima facie absurd. It's really tough for someone to stand up and "scientifically" deny teleology without coming across as a nut.

God saves those he has chosen before the foundation of the earth to give to Christ, and no mere human being can thwart him regardless of what he does or neglects to do.

I agree with you that this certainly appears to represent the whole teaching of Scripture. (Moreover, I would add that this truth is most assuredly not discernible from creation alone but is revealed scripturally.)

Its practical outworking I have found to be very interesting. For example, it comports well with the idea that one cannot argue another into the Kingdom, that the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting. Another effect is to remove stress from one who is witnessing to an unbeliever: that person's salvation does not depend on how well I recite the Four Spiritual Laws or the Roman Road or whether my hair is combed. Instead, my responsibility begins and ends with obeying the Spirit in every aspect of my relationship with my unsaved "target."

“Calvinist doctrine has a few problems. I agree that God knows the end in the beginning. But you are a free moral agent which God created and you are allowed to choose.” ~ Texas Songwriter

Here’s a fun little exercize for you:

Matthew 11: 20 - 27:

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

At that time Jesus 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 was your good pleasure. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Question:

God foreknew Tyre and Sidon’s free choice NOT TO REPENT in the case of His non-performance of such Miracles; AND God foreknew Tyre and Sidon’s free choice TO REPENT in the case of His performance of such Miracles; AND God CHOSE not to perform these Miracles in Tyre and Sidon, a choice which had as its perfectly foreknown result the NON-Repentance of Tyre and Sidon, just as He foreknew.

True, or False? :)

I don’t think a Christian needs to target anyone as a good candidate for “witnessing to”.

I think God brings those he’s already working with across the path of Christians who are best prepared to help in any given situation.

Think Good Samaritan example. He didn’t have to say a word.

The _example_ of the religious leaders (legalists) who passed by the needy person leaving him to suffer, compared to the - “Good Samaritan” who stopped to help (above and beyond) when he happened upon him, is all the witness anyone needs.

One only uses words if one has to. :) (Spurgeon)

And even if any of the legalists had condescended to help, he would have done it with other people’s money - just like those in the “RAT party of today.

I don’t think a Christian needs to target anyone as a good candidate for “witnessing to”. I think God brings those he’s already working with across the path of Christians who are best prepared to help in any given situation.

My use of "target" was in quotation marks to indicate I did not intend it in that sense but only to distinguish clearly the object of my sentence, as distinct from the closest antecedent. The entire thrust of my comment was that we are responsible only to obey the Holy Spirit, which was your point, also. We agree.

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