Fatalism is a far cry from predestination, which is taught in Scripture (cf. Eph. 1:11). The Bible sanctions no sort of determinism or coercion, whereby we have no input into our final lot in life. This is akin to the Muslim blind fate known as kismet. If I told you it was your destiny to be a piano virtuoso, you would have to practice diligently to fulfill it; but if it was your fate, you couldn't avoid it. We have input into our destiny, which is ultimately in God's hands, because He elected us and chose us before the foundation of the world, and so woos and guides us toward believing that the Holy Spirit quickens faith within us. Pascal said that he would not have sought Christ, had He not first sought him.
The truth is that no one would come to Christ apart from the working of the Spirit in that person and the Father calling them. "No man can come to me, unless the Father, who sent me, draws him" (cf. John 6:44). It must be "granted of the Father" (cf. John 6:65). Anyone who claims to have come to Christ without being influenced by the Spirit and all of his own initiative, probably left Christ all alone, too! He "compels" us to come in (compelle intrarre in Latin, or "compel them to come in").
Now we do have something to say about our final "lot"--we are free to accept Christ but on His terms. No one can ever claim that he wanted to get saved, but was on the wrong list (the election is sort of an inside secret of Christians, not to be spread abroad with the gospel message). Anyone who rejects Christ fully rejected of his own free will and not under compulsion. God neither impelled nor compelled him to make the choice, but he acted solely according to his nature and evil inclination. We can thank God that He has completed a work of grace in our hearts to turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (cf. Ezek. 36:26). We don't cooperate in our salvation but are saved by grace alone.
We don't get any credit for being noble, brave, wise, nor moral, but God just chose to work in our hearts (Soli Deo Gloria! or, to God alone be the glory! That is, we get no credit!). Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God! Why should God choose to save some and not others? He reserves the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy (cf. Romans 9:15,18). Have you ever given to a beggar? Why not to all of them? Clearly, you reserve the right to do so. There is much unnecessary consternation about this doctrine, and the false notion of double predestination (known as hyper-Calvinism), or that God goes out of His way to ensure damnation for the nonelect by predisposing them to evil. The truth is, that some receive mercy and grace, the others receive justice, but no one receives injustice.
We are elect "according to the foreknowledge of God," and "according to His purpose and grace," and even "according to the pleasure of His good will." (Cf. 1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:5). Remember the very words of our Lord: "You didn't choose me, but I chose you" (cf. John 15:16). The gospel general call goes out to many with evangelical pleas, but the Word says, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).
The only hardening that God does in a heart is to confirm the act already done and this is merely judicial hardening, such as He did to Pharaoh--God treats no one unjustly (cf. Isaiah 63:17). God makes no one do anything by force, that they don't want to do like they are robots or puppets. There is no outside force acting on us making us do something we don't want to--this is coercion. And we have input into our destiny, and so it is not fate or determinism. Salvation requires a prior work of grace, whereby the gift of faith is bestowed and we are to act upon it in obedience. Soli Deo Gloria!
The truth is that no one would come to Christ apart from the working of the Spirit in that person and the Father calling them. "No man can come to me, unless the Father, who sent me, draws him" (cf. John 6:44). It must be "granted of the Father" (cf. John 6:65). Anyone who claims to have come to Christ without being influenced by the Spirit and all of his own initiative, probably left Christ all alone, too! He "compels" us to come in (compelle intrarre in Latin, or "compel them to come in").
Now we do have something to say about our final "lot"--we are free to accept Christ but on His terms. No one can ever claim that he wanted to get saved, but was on the wrong list (the election is sort of an inside secret of Christians, not to be spread abroad with the gospel message). Anyone who rejects Christ fully rejected of his own free will and not under compulsion. God neither impelled nor compelled him to make the choice, but he acted solely according to his nature and evil inclination. We can thank God that He has completed a work of grace in our hearts to turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (cf. Ezek. 36:26). We don't cooperate in our salvation but are saved by grace alone.
We don't get any credit for being noble, brave, wise, nor moral, but God just chose to work in our hearts (Soli Deo Gloria! or, to God alone be the glory! That is, we get no credit!). Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God! Why should God choose to save some and not others? He reserves the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy (cf. Romans 9:15,18). Have you ever given to a beggar? Why not to all of them? Clearly, you reserve the right to do so. There is much unnecessary consternation about this doctrine, and the false notion of double predestination (known as hyper-Calvinism), or that God goes out of His way to ensure damnation for the nonelect by predisposing them to evil. The truth is, that some receive mercy and grace, the others receive justice, but no one receives injustice.
We are elect "according to the foreknowledge of God," and "according to His purpose and grace," and even "according to the pleasure of His good will." (Cf. 1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:5). Remember the very words of our Lord: "You didn't choose me, but I chose you" (cf. John 15:16). The gospel general call goes out to many with evangelical pleas, but the Word says, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).
The only hardening that God does in a heart is to confirm the act already done and this is merely judicial hardening, such as He did to Pharaoh--God treats no one unjustly (cf. Isaiah 63:17). God makes no one do anything by force, that they don't want to do like they are robots or puppets. There is no outside force acting on us making us do something we don't want to--this is coercion. And we have input into our destiny, and so it is not fate or determinism. Salvation requires a prior work of grace, whereby the gift of faith is bestowed and we are to act upon it in obedience. Soli Deo Gloria!
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