John MacArthur asks and answers, Does God So Love the World? Answer: Yes.We must understand that it is God's very nature to love. The reason our Lord commanded us to love our enemies is "in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). Jesus clearly characterized His Father as One who loves even those who purposefully set themselves at enmity against Him.Read the entire article here.
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2 comments:
On display here is the essential conundrum that we discussed the other day. MacArthur ends up caught in the pincers of the I and L of TULIP.
I am with the Coast Guard and come upon a wrecked ship with people in the water. If I have the resources to save everyone in the water but I pick and choose to whom I throw the lifeline, can it be said that I care about those I did not attempt to rescue?
Pink goes all in and just says no. MacArthur attempts to make it sound as if I do love those people even though I make no effort to rescue some, despite my ability to do so. Pink goes to the logical end of the I and L. MacArthur attempts to have it both ways, but his argument ends up making no sense as a result.
The I in TULIP says God's grace is irresistible, therefore the logical conclusion must be Pink's:
God is choosing to rescue some and giving others no option for rescue. From that reasoning, there are some He simply does not love. MacArthur says that is not the case, but it seems to me the only case based on the presuppositions.
Yes, and that's why I conclude all of God's attributes work together for His glory and the error made is to look at this solely in the context of "love". I think these either I fail to completely understand perfect love or fail to understand how attributes, e.g., love and justice, somehow work together in a God in whom there is no contradiction.
I think these need to first more fully understood love and how seemingly contradictory attributes work together before attempting to deconstruct the doctrine of election based on love.
My opinion only ... and we know what that's worth ...
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