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(We continue to receive comments and questions following the devotional on 1 Tim. 2:4 regarding God’s will for the salvation of all men, and for all this interest we are most grateful. The following is a comment sent by Engedi supporter, devotional subscriber, and good friend, Keith Turner)
How can God choose man and man have a will? How can man choose God and God be sovereign? These questions are volatile. At one time we have Christ Himself saying that we will give account for every idle word on the day of Our Lord's coming (Matthew 12:36-37) and at another, by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit, Paul writes that our God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and compassion on whom He will have compassion (Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19).
We see a seeming paradox in these statements. Man has a will and exercises it. God has a will and exercises it utterly with all of His purposes coming to pass. How can we be held accountable for our actions if our God has a sovereign immutable will that none of us can stop? I will let Paul answer that. “Who are you, oh man, to reply against God?” Paul in his response to the very questions we are considering is not concerned with us understanding or reconciling the two seemingly contradictory ideas. He is concerned with only one thing, or rather person, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Later in Romans Paul talks about the righteousness of God and in Proverbs we learn of the wisdom of God. Those two things are embodied in Christ. Christ is the righteous mercy that is talked about in Micah 7:18-20. In I Corinthians 1:24, Paul calls Christ the power and wisdom of God. So then our conclusion about the questions at hand should be that their focus is wrong if that focus is to gain any wisdom other than Christ.
So I ask a more pertinent question. Are we seeking the wisdom that is in Christ with our questions or are we justifying self-seeking ambitions? We are warned about those kinds of things by our brother James (James 3: 13-19). “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” |
