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A Passion for Glory - Calvinism
13Feb2002 | CCWoody

Posted on 02/13/2002 5:30:35 PM PST by CCWoody

The Goal of God in Redemptive History

A brief and selected overview

Psalm 115:1-3 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake. Why should the heathen say, "Where now is their God?" But our God is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.

God's ultimate purpose for all that He does is to preserve and display His glory. It is uppermost in His affections and he prizes and delights in His glory above all things. Anybody who can grasp and understand how precious this is to God will have unlocked the door to the fullness of joy and pleasures forever more (Psalm 16:11) for they will have understood exactly what this means:

The Chief end of man is to Glorify God
BY
Enjoying Him forever!

The term "glory of God" generally refers to the visible splendor or moral beauty of God. With the Psalmist, I too have a strong desire to behold the beauty of the LORD (Psalm 27:4), to simply feel awe and wonder in all that He is. It is for this purpose that God has created man; for His Glory (Revelation 4:11).

Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

Man, who is created last of all God's work is the only creature to be in His image. He is given dominion and commanded to subdue and fill the earth (1:28). Numbers 14:21 expresses God's purpose in all of this when the Lord says: all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Man has been given the exhalted status to bear the image of the Creator so that he will reflect the glory of his Maker.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that when they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man (Romans 1:23) that God has a perfect right to be furious.

The vast majority of professing Christians simply do not understand the full nature of verses like Romans 1:18: For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness. Yet, the Psalmist David captures the essence of exactly why God is furious at man. Not only have we filled the earth with the corruptible image of man instead of the incorruptible image of God, but we have directly profaned God with our sin:

Psalm 51:3-4 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight, that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.

Behold the words of the Lord in Psalm 78:30-31 after Israel spoke against God (v. 19) saying "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?":

But they were not estranged from their lust; but while their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

They simply do not understand that this is the Lord:

Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.

The vast majority of professing Christians simply cannot understand that this is simply not some isolated event in scripture. God is holy and we are not. We constantly profane His name and tempt Him. And it is precisely this lack of understanding which has given them over to the error that God has purposed a desire to save everyone. He has not. The evidence is clear enough for those willing to read and understand the scriptures.

Egypt 

God saves, not for our sake, but for the sake of His holy name; for His glory. We are the beneficiary of His mercy, not the primary purpose. When one understands this, one understands his proper place. Man is not the center of salvation. The display of God's glory is:

Romans 9:17 For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, "Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth."
Ezekel 20:8-9 But they rebelled against Me and would not hearken unto Me. They did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. "`Then I said, "I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt." But I wrought for My name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
Exodus 14:4,18 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." So the Israelites did this…. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."

It is there in black and white for all to see. God acts for His glory and for His name's sake. The prototype of salvation in the Passover Lamb is for His glory. Scripture specifically affirms that together with salvation for His chosen people, God destroyed the firstborn of all Egypt. Salvation and damnation; both for the glory of God. Isaiah 43:3 says the following: For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Cross Work

Yet, the God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament (Malachi 3:6): For I am the Lord, I do not change. And again (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 1:1-4 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

When the Father looks on the Son, He beholds the brightness of His own glory and the express image of His own person. When God contemplates His own glory in the image of the Son it brings Him great delight (Isaiah 42:1): Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! The very method with which God has chosen to effect salvation is designed to reveal His own Glory in the Person of the Son.

John 17:4-5 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 12:28-28 "Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say? `Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name." Then there came a voice from Heaven, saying, "I HAVE BOTH GLORIFIED IT, AND WILL GLORIFY IT AGAIN."
The purpose of Jesus' death was to glorify the Father. To be willing as the Son of God to suffer the loss of so much glory himself in order to repair the injury done to God's glory by our sin showed how infinitely valuable the glory of God is. To be sure, the death of Christ also shows God's love for us. But we are not at the center.
God put forward his Son on the cross "to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins" (Romans 3:25). In other words, by forgiving sin in the Old Testament and by tolerating many sinners, God had given the impression that his honor and glory were not of infinite worth. Now to vindicate the honor of His name and the worth of His glory, He required the death of His own Son. Thus Christ suffered and died for the glory of the Father. This demonstrates the righteousness of God, because God's righteousness is His unswerving allegiance to uphold the value of His glory. - John Piper from Desiring God (pg. 264-5)

Christ does not exist to make much about man; to crawl up to him and beg that he should accept Him as Savior lest He invade the citadel of man's free will. Quite the contrary, we exist to make much of and enjoy Him. It is demanded of us. And He has made it so easy. If we would only cast our burdens on Him we would be sustained by Him (Psalm 55:22). If we would only call upon Him we would be delivered and we would Glorify Him (Psalm 50:15). He takes great delight in the display of His grace upon those who delight in Him:

Isaiah 46:1-5 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols were upon the beasts and upon the cattle. Your carriages were heavy laden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
"Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are borne by Me from the belly, who are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am He, and even to hoary hairs will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
"To whom will ye liken Me and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Luke 22:27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

Our Great God is not like pagan idols. They are a burden. Our God will bear us up and carry us if our delight is in Him. For how can we worship him with our hands. It is our God who gives life and breath and all things. (Acts 17:25) For those of us who eagerly wait for Him, he prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5). We delight ourselves in Him; He gets Glory.

The Coming Day of our Lord

For now, we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7), but the day is coming when our faith will be swallowed up because we shall see him come in all His glory. For now we see Christ in our hearts (Ephesians 1:18) and it is there that we have the knowledge of the glory of God (2Cor 4:6) but our blessed hope is in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Like the lightning, so will be the Son of Man in His day (Luke 17:24). He shall come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 25:31). Not just some, but ALL of His angels and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands (Revelation 5:11). Heaven will empty in the Glorious day of the Lord.

His coming is the revelation of His glory (1 Peter 4:13) and every saint will be a partaker of the glory to be revealed (1 Peter 5:1). The joy of the saints will be in the revealed Glory of Christ (1 Peter 4:13). He shall come on that Day to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe (1 Thess 1:10). The Glory of the Lord will be salvation (Hebrews 9:28). He shall change our vile bodies into the likeness of the body of His glory (Philippians 3:21). In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be changed (1 Cor 15:52).

And it will also be the fire of judgement (2 Thess 1:7). Every unbeliever will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the Lord and His glory (2 Thess 1:9). The kings of the earth and the slaves will hide themselves in caves and cry out to the rocks "fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:15-16).

But to those of us who eagerly away for His return:

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

He will not give up the glory of being the grace giver. Our God works for those who wait for Him (Isaiah 30:18, 64:4).

Come magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Let us bow down before Him in awe and wonder
to the glory of His name.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
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To: Jerry_M
That was my experience - posted many months ago. Before I was saved I saw the "whosoever ... " on the "arch over heaven". After I was saved I saw the "chosen from the foundation..." from the other side of the arch.

Preach to 'em all Jerry_M even if you still are a "d.... r..... sinner"

61 posted on 02/14/2002 9:26:37 PM PST by Dahlseide
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To: Jerry_M
As we have discussed elsewhere in the past. If you really believe that it is God's deepest desire that all men everywhere be saved you certainly must conclude that He is not doing a very good job of carrying out His wishes. Why, for heaven's sake, are there millions who perish without ever once hearing the Gospel? (Don't worry, I am not really willing to engage you in lengthy discussion, you have shown your true colors too many times in the past for me to fall into that trap.)

Gee, Jerry, for the first time you started sounded sensible! The other Calvinists get to you?

What 'true colors' are those? That I do not accept Calvinism? Did I make that some kind of secret and then spring it on you?

As for God not doing a 'good job' in that many are not being saved, that is the price that God was willing to pay so that those who did say yes did so, freely.

Love demands nothing less then a free response or it is a farce.

As for not hearing the Gospel, God knows those who will respond and those who will not. For example Paul wanted to go into Bithynia but the 'Spirit suffered them not'(Acts.16:7). Instead, he was told to go to Macedonia. Moreover many from those nations will be heaven! These nations tend to have a very high infant mortality rate.

62 posted on 02/14/2002 10:01:32 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: CCWoody
Well, I know that you read at least part of my article. In what way did God want to save and then die for the Egyptians when He ripped the wheels off of their chariots and then drowned them in the sea? In what way did God want to save and then die for the Hebrew generation He was disgusted with for 40 years, swearing in His wrath that they would not enter into His rest? In what way did God want to save and then die for Herod and Pilate and the Jews and Greeks who came together to do whatsoever He had determined before to be done in killing His Son? In what way did God want to save and then die for that fornicator and godless Esau whom He hated? In what way does God want to save and died for all those who never ever got a chance to hear the gospel of the kingdom and trust in the Name of Jesus

Did you ever hear of Mannaseh? If anyone deserved to die it was him!

So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and do worse then the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people but they would not hearken. (how can that be? No one can resist God?) Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction,he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed unto him and he was entreated of him and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.(2Chr.33:9-13)

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.(Ezk.33:11) (Ezk.33:11). God created man and will give man every chance to repent (Gen. 18:32,Jonah 4:11).

God will mete out Justice, when Love is rejected.(Rev.19)

Regarding other nations, those nations are those composed of people who God knows would say no to the Gospel. The example is in Acts.16:7 where Paul is told not to go to Bithynia but to Macedonia (vs.9)

63 posted on 02/14/2002 10:24:40 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: CCWoody
If FTD will take this statement in context, he might notice that it does mock some ideas about free will.

What it mocks is the silly 'straw man' view of free will.

We, of course, know that God does not crawl up to man's citadel of free will.

God gives man a choice-(Rom.10:13)

If FTD will take a closer look at this statement, he might notice that it is presenting Total Depravity: If we would only cast our burdens on Him...

See, there is Calvinism imposing something that is not being said! Did the author say anthing about (well, we really know...) he stated 'if we would', which means to normal rational people, that one could!

Man does not want to let go of his burdens of course. He would rather handle everything all on his own.

He does?

And, behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself. If i may touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her, he said Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole...(Mat.9:20-22)( Calvinsts know ofcourse, what Christ said is untrue that in fact, the woman was irresistablity drawn to Christ and given the faith, I mean no one wants to cast their burdens on God!!!)

God There's the promised land, go get it. I'm giving it to you. Man But there's giants in there. God I'm giving it to you. Man [wispering to each other] Does He not see the giants? God Remember how I delievered you out of Egypt!!! Man [forming committee to talk about how big the giants are]

Did you go into one of your trances or something Woody? What the heck does the above have to do with anything?

64 posted on 02/14/2002 10:47:06 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: fortheDeclaration; Jerry_M; xzins
See, there is Calvinism imposing something that is not being said! Did the author say anthing about (well, we really know...) he stated 'if we would', which means to normal rational people, that one could!

News flash! I am the author. Well, at least I steal from the Bible from time to time. Are you going to presume to tell me what I wrote and what I didn't?

I am presenting Total Depravity in the same sense as this Bible passage:

John 5:40 And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life!

65 posted on 02/15/2002 6:03:33 AM PST by CCWoody
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To: xzins; RnMomof7
Did you go into one of your trances or something Woody? - fortheDeclaration

Re: FRmail from yesterday. See what I mean. He has no goal to discuss anything reasonably. He is just showing us that his goal is to be divisive and disruptive. He mocks what he has never experienced.

66 posted on 02/15/2002 6:10:50 AM PST by CCWoody
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To: fortheDeclaration
Did Jesus wish to raise all the dead FTD? Or did He only call forth the one He chose?

Are all the dead going to raised sometime? (Dan.12:2,Phil.2:10 Rev.20)

That is not an answer to my question Ftd. The question I asked you was if the call is Universal why didn't every dead man raise from the dead..why only the one He chose?

67 posted on 02/15/2002 7:01:17 AM PST by RnMomof7
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To: RnMomof7; CCWoody; xzins; OrthodoxPresbyterian; JenB; Mahone; chuckles
If it wasn't Friday, I would respond to several points on this thread. However, I am a busy boy. One of the highlights of this weekend is the fact that I am taking the_doc to dinner tonight. He is in town for a medical conference, and we talked on the phone last night and made arrangements to get together.

See ya'll on Monday (I am practising my "Texican" for when I meet with "doc").

68 posted on 02/15/2002 12:24:46 PM PST by Jerry_M
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To: RnMomof7
See ya'll on Monday (I am practising my "Texican" for when I meet with "doc").

Well, a New Mexican speaking Texan is not as bad as a New York Yankee speaking Texan or a Texan speaking like a Yankee.

69 posted on 02/15/2002 12:30:26 PM PST by CCWoody
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To: Jerry_M
I knew he was coming your way say Hi to the doc for me..ya all have a good time hear??
70 posted on 02/15/2002 12:48:00 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: CCWoody
Well, a New Mexican speaking Texan is not as bad as a New York Yankee speaking Texan or a Texan speaking like a Yankee.

Ya all watch out now ...not all "Knee Yakers" talk funny. I am from the end of the state that talks like Tim Russert (He grew up a few blocks from me)..No we do not share the politics just the accent:>)

71 posted on 02/15/2002 12:52:45 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: RnMomof7
That is not an answer to my question Ftd. The question I asked you was if the call is Universal why didn't every dead man raise from the dead..why only the one He chose?

The 'call' to be raised from the dead is Universal, since all will be raised from the dead, either to spend eternity with God or to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. However, it happens at various stages. In fact, you had some dead being raised right after the Crucifixion (Mat.27:52-53)!

Since you are trying to make an analogy out of a dead man rising from the dead, all dead will arise so what does that prove? Also, Lazarus died again physically, can you die again spiritually?(shades of Arminanism!) Also, Lararus was called directly by name because Christ loved him(Jn.11:36) and his sisters, and Lazarus (and the sisters) had responded to that love.

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, Believest thou this?...Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that , if thou wouldest believe,(what? God wasn't giving them the faith?) thou shouldest see the glory of God?(Jn.11:26,40) Sounds like God was glorifed by the faith shown by the sisters who believed that Christ could raise the dead!
Finally, Do the 'dead' cease to think and feel?(Lk.16)
It is from their false concept of man's depraved nature that the Calvinists attempt to bolster their doctrine of Total Depravity. There are three analogies that are used to do this:dead men, babies, and creatures...By comparing an unregenerate sinner to a dead man, a baby and a creature, Calvinists attempt to prove that man has the ability to repent and believe the Gospel. But as we shall presently see, each of these analogies is disparged by no less a Calvinist than Aruther W. Pink. The first is very important to the Calvinist since it actually mentions the fact of man's spiritual death...all Calvinists, without fail, make analogy between their doctrine of Total Depravity and physically dead men n general, or in an attempt to get scriptural, to Lazarus in particular...Pink expressly discounted this analogy that his fellow Calvinists are so fond of:'instead of attempting to draw analogies between spiritual and physical death and deriving inferences from them, we must stick very closely to the Scriptures and regulate all our thoughts by them...another reason these analogies all break down when viewed as an exact parallel to the salvation of a sinner is the matter of responsibility...if you make an exact parallel between a physically dead man and a spiritually dead dead man and say that neither one can believe on Jesus Christ, then you likewise have to say that neither one cannot not believe, If a dead man can't accept Christ because he is dead then he can't reject him either. A dead man cannot believe on Jesus Christ, but a dead sinner can(The Other Side of Calvinism, Vance,p.220-223)

72 posted on 02/15/2002 3:31:11 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: CCWoody
News flash! I am the author.

Well, so you are! I thought you had posted an article from someone else.

Well, at least I steal from the Bible from time to time. Are you going to presume to tell me what I wrote and what I didn't?

What I am going to presume is to have you show me where in that article is a clear case made for Calvinism, particulary the part that I highlighted! Not what you thought but what was said


73 posted on 02/15/2002 3:46:10 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: CCWoody
Re: FRmail from yesterday. See what I mean. He has no goal to discuss anything reasonably. He is just showing us that his goal is to be divisive and disruptive. He mocks what he has never experienced.

LOL! A bit hypersensitive there aren't you Woody! Still mad because I caught you lying about the 'Greek' on Acts.17:27?

What is it you have 'experienced'? See you are a mystic! Calvinism and mysticism what a combination! I guess when you can't deal with what the scriptures actually say you have to pretend you are getting your 'insights' from somewhere else.

But there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies..(2Pet.2:1)

74 posted on 02/15/2002 4:01:20 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: xzins
LOL! A bit hypersensitive there aren't you Woody! Still mad because I caught you lying about the 'Greek' on Acts.17:27? - fortheDeclaration

See what I mean about the hecklers?

80 posted on 02/15/2002 7:11:00 PM PST by CCWoody
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