Quote:
Originally Posted by pelathais
There's a fundamental paradox at work. It's like trying to see both sides of a coin, in detail, at the same time. The more you focus your attention on one side of the coin, the less you can see of the other, until very quickly the other side is lost to your view entirely.
The only way to see and appreciate both sides of the coin is to study each side in detail and in turn. Sometimes when you're preaching this, you will need to really drill down on "grace" or perhaps your audience needs the "obedience" side. Either way, to be balanced you really need to emphasize each point of view in turn - and emphatically!
Don't back off on grace just to show "the brethren" that you're still a tough guy preacher. And don't ignore "obedience" just to mollify the folks at Charisma Magazine.
|
Paradox? Let's see, one side of the coin says "For many are called, but few are chosen," "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation," "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," and many mentions of "the elect". It's
God's choice who is saved. The other side of this paradoxical coin talks about whosoever will, and all ye who labor, etc. It's
our choice.
One way to resolve conflicts like this is to paint (interpret) one side to look more like the other. It's our choice, but only if God chooses us to choose! Or, God chooses everyone, but it's up to us to choose to be, uh, chosen! Or some such.
Another way to deal with it is to call it a contradiction. But, that's not allowed, so forget it! There
are no contradictions in the Bible. Only
apparent contradictions. And God
put apparent contradictions in His Word, just so we would have to exercise
faith to believe that it is God's Word. Or something like that.