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The God Who Is
Reprobation and the Permissive Will of God
In the matter of salvation, it has been proposed that although God elects some men to salvation, He simply passes by others. In all honesty, is not God's passivity active? Is it not true that when God passes by most men in the matter of salvation, it is His deliberate and conscious decision to do so?
Someone may object saying, "What about the testimony of Ezekiel that God `has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live?' (Ezekiel 33:11). And, again God asks, `Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' saith the LORD GOD: `and not that he should return from his way and live?' (Ezekiel 18:23). And again, He declares, `I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,' saith the LORD GOD: `wherefore turn from yourselves and live' (Ezekiel 18:32). Do not such verses prove that God has a permissive will?"
No, they do not. The truth expressed in such passages as these must be understood in a comparative sense and not in an absolute sense. For instance, if by war, famine, disease or by enslavement the will of God is fulfilled, does this not bring God pleasure? And if by such means Justice is served, His honor is vindicated, and His truth is established, does this not bring God pleasure? And, how much more pleasure must it bring Him if by these means the wicked are reclaimed and brought to repentance!
The Lord does take delight in the exercise of judgment and righteousness, for Jeremiah testifies "(Thus saith the LORD), `...Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight' saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:24).
Although God laughs at the calamity of the wicked (Proverbs 1:24-33), yet He takes no pleasure in afflicting them: He takes pleasure in their repentance and reformation. The sword, famine, disease and enslavement are the works of the Lord as the prophet Amos testifies (see Amos chapter 4), but this is His "strange work," as John Gill calls it, because He is a God who delights in showing mercy.
When Moses declares that God did not give Israel "eyes to see, or ears to hear," it is heterodoxy to teach this was by God's "permissive" will. God willed not to do it. Would it not be more accurate, and therefore more prudent and safe to allow the Scriptures to stand?
"But," someone may ask, "are there no Scriptures that clearly teach that God has a permissive will?" No. There is no Scripture to support that teaching.
Predestination and Salvation
In the parable of the Marriage Feast, Jesus said, "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, `Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, `Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness;' there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:11-14).
In I Timothy chapter 5, in verse 21, we read, "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one another, doing nothing by partiality." God has predestinated some men and angels to eternal life. The doctrine of predestination extends both to men and to angels. From the fact that some are "elect," it is obvious that some are not "elect;" that among men, "many are called, but few are chosen." The angels that sinned became devils, or demons, and were not the elect of God.
In I Thessalonians chapter 5, the apostle wrote beginning in verse 8, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him" (verses 8-10). The apostle is exhorting believers. What a blessing it is for the people of God when they come to the realization that the Lord has not appointed them to wrath! But here is an even greater blessing: He has appointed them, or predestinated them, to obtain salvation through "our Lord Jesus Christ."
When God brought darkness upon all the land of Egypt, He singled out His people in the land of Goshen and gave them light. When the cattle were dying with murrain in Egypt, the cattle in Goshen did not die because God had not appointed His people to wrath. It is no different now.