Many controversies, rather, arise from the "how" of this salvation. That is, how are we saved? Does Jesus do all the work? Or do we have some part in our being saved through free will?
Without directly answering these questions at this time, instead I propose an analogy:
If a there was a fire in a building, and a woman was trapped inside. Imagine that she is discombobulated from the smoke, and therefore direction-less and confused.
Who is most worthy of being praised? Is it the firefighter that shouts out to her and guides her out of the burning building, without taking a step into it?
Or is it the firefighter that risks his life by entering the building? Only this firefighter does not only look for her regardless of the harm that may come to him, he finds her. And once he finds her, he picks her up and carries her out to safety.
Who is most worthy of being praised?
The firefighter that relies on the incapacitated free will of the woman, or the firefighter that takes it upon himself to save the woman?
Who is most worthy of being praised? Is it the firefighter that shouts out to her and guides her out of the burning building, without taking a step into it?
Or is it the firefighter that risks his life by entering the building? Only this firefighter does not only look for her regardless of the harm that may come to him, he finds her. And once he finds her, he picks her up and carries her out to safety.
Who is most worthy of being praised?
The firefighter that relies on the incapacitated free will of the woman, or the firefighter that takes it upon himself to save the woman?
We do have a part in salvation. But our part, our role, is in being the saved ones, not the saviour. If we do try to wrest that role from God, then we are glorifying ourselves. It would be like that woman saying that she was the one who ultimately walked out of that building alone, so she deserves the credit.
The firefighter, then, is not the one most worthy of being praised, but only partially worthy. Similarly, God is not the one most worthy of being praised in the hearts of those who deny the sovereignty of God.
One person told me that there is nothing wrong with having different opinions about how God is in control. But I sincerely pray for him to understand that there is something very wrong. And that is, as a people whose ultimate end is to glorify God, we must believe that God is most worthy of being praised!
Who sent His son to die on the cross? Did we?
Who died on the cross for our sin? Did we?
Whose story makes possible our salvation? Us?
By no means! It is God!
Who died on the cross for our sin? Did we?
Whose story makes possible our salvation? Us?
By no means! It is God!
2 comments:
I struggle with this. Because although the grace and the saving is 100% HIM, I believe that we do have a slightly bigger role than that of simply being the subject of grace.
Take this twist to the anology into consideration:
When that firefighter calls, and the flustered and discombobulated woman heeds his or her call, does she not need to do a few things before taking the necessary steps towards them?
1. She must trust the firefighter through her panic and have the courage to move out of frozen fear (or whatever may inhibit her from doing the rational self-preserving thing)
2. She must not grab (and cling) to her treasured posessions but value only life. (related to 1st point)
My point is that, bound to flesh and born in sin, mistakes are inevitable. However, we are not inanimate and irrational objects but willing and living children of God. Our being saved by him is that much more of a wonderful thing when our will comes into play. Our will to deny our limitations and, in turn, trust and receive his grace.
I completely neglected to add in my comment that the firefighter analogy was interesting but in my opinion not quite reflective of how we are saved by Christ.
Unless of course we are assuming a total argument of predestination, which is too controversial to get into in what is supposed to be a short comment space.
I believe that there is a delicate line between predestination and free will that God majestically maintains and I believe that the firefighter simply running in and grabing the woman to come out (point blank) cancels out free will without letting it even slightly factor into the equation.
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