Romans 9 : Clarification 5 - God's Purpose in Election

 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[d] 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

God's purpose in election here is purpose to create the nation of Israel through Jacob alias Israel. His purpose in electing to create Israel is to bring Christ into this world through the seed of Abraham , who are according to his Choice , like Isaac over Ishmael , like Jacob over Esau. 

 First act of God in bringing Christ to the world then is the creation of Israel as his people. Second act of God in this regard is the preservation of Israel till the messiah comes. As God was sovereign in electing and creating Israel , God was also Sovereign in preserving Israel though they went to the brink of extinction many occasions. The purpose of God in electing Israel is Christ . The purpose of God in preserving a remnant of Israel is also Christ. If not for God's plan to bring Christ through them , God would have completely annihilated them. Romans 9

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
    only the remnant will be saved.
²⁸ For the Lord will carry out
    his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”^[k]

²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously:

“Unless the Lord Almighty
    had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
    we would have been like Gomorrah.

God was going to fulfill his plan of bringing Christ and implementing his plan of salvation , inspite of the disobedience of the Jews and through their disobedience.  God used Israel , whether they obeyed him or not , though they lost because of their disobedience.

      God's plan of salvation for the world is through Christ dying for the sins of the world. Anyone who believes , Jew or non - jew , elect or non-elect , irrespective of his ethnic background . When God sovereignly implemented this plan of Salvation , the majority of the Jews rejected it ,because they were pursuing righteousness by works of the mosaic law. Many of the Gentiles accepted this offer of God , the offer to justify them and make them righteous if they repent and believe and thus became the Children of God. This was prophecied by many prophets 

²⁴ even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
    and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”^[i]

²⁶ and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘children of the living
 God.’”^[j]

^{The response of the Jews to the Gospel was also prophecied earlier} 

³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. ³² Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.  
³³ As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

So the Purpose of God in electing Israel is to bring Christ , God ,  forever be praised. The purpose of Christ is to bring salvation to all the world , to whoever who will believe him as their saviour from sin and hell and Lord of their life.

  

The Most Neglected Doctrine

Overcoming evil with good. We have it and forgotten it. We have neglected it . How ? We have not meditated on it , not preached it , not applied it , not modelled to the extent it deserves to be .

" Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies. Fast on behalf of those that persecute you; for what thank is there if ye love them that love you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? But do ye love them that hate you, and ye will not have an enemy."  - The Didache

The Didache is the teaching of the Apostles to the gentiles.

Here is what their master actually taught them.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
                                                                                      --- Jesus  

Let us repent of our neglect and let us submit to the commands of Christ.

Romans 9 : Clarification 4 - ?Objects of wrath/Objects of mercy?

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? ²³ What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴ even us(the church), whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 

                                                                                                                     -----   Romans 9


The objects of wrath are the whole body of unbelievers both Jews and Gentiles . The Objects of mercy are the whole body of believers , the Church , who have received God's mercy. God in his foreknowledge knowing that there will two types of people , the ones who trust him and the ones who don't , has designed things in such a way that he uses the whole body of  unbeleivers to reveal some character of himself to the
 believers . He uses the unbeleivers to show his patience in delaying the judgement they deserve thus revealing his goodness, patience and justice to those who have submitted to his mercy.  

Who are the "objects of wrath" and the "objects of mercy"?

First we must understand that these two categories form two groups . First group is made up of objects of wrath . God chose that group for destruction , though he did not choose who all will be in that group. Second group are the objects of mercy. God chose this group for glory , though he did not determine or particularly choose each and every member of the  group. 

Understanding the relationship between God's kindness and repentance 
In Romans 2 , Paul writes ,

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed."    (Romans 2:4,5)
These are the "objects of wrath" , people who resist the kindness of God which leads to repentance.
The "objects of his mercy" are those who received the kindness of God which leads to repentance.These come from both Jews and Gentiles and form the Church Universal , the bride of Christ , prepared in advance for glory.

God in his foreknowledge knowing that there will be people who will receive his mercy ,instituted  the church and chose them , elected them to be his people , his ambassadors to bring others who also would believe and share the Gospel to those who he knew will reject his offer. These people receive or reject God's mercy extended to mankind , the Gospel of Christ ,by their own free will .  God's foreknowledge is not the same as his foreordination. The fact that he knows what people will choose in response to his mercy does not mean that he is the one making them receive or reject the Gospel. He does not because , he wants everyone to come to repentance.

 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 

 "who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:4

Contrary  what the calvinists would have you believe ,  scripture is very clear as to what God's intention is , will is , "Salvation for all mankind". God is love.

Romans 9 - Clarification 3 - Moses and Pharaoh

¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[f]

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{[g] 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

¹⁹ One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[h] 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

What then shall we say? - Denotes conclusion. What is the conclusion made from the election of Isaac and Jacob for the purposes of God? 

   

God is not unjust in his choice . God has a right to be merciful to whomever he wants to and use them for his purposes, as it was in the case of Moses, to whom God revealed himself for his own purpose. To be elected for God's purposes does not depend on human desire or effort but God's mercy. Abraham's desire was for Ismael, Isaac's desire to be the blessed of God was for Esau, but God rejected their Choices . He chose Isaac and Jacob in his own sovereignty.

In other words , God did not choose Israel as his people based on their works or on their merit. It was his free choice. For shows mercy to some and fulfills his purpose. God hardens some to fulfill his purpose. God foreknew Pharaoh's action and chose him to be used for his purpose of "declaring his glory among the nations". Pharaoh was not arbitrarily chosen. He could have been destroyed with the plague which affected their body. But God postponed his destruction so that he can use him to declare his name among the nations.

 Rahab, the prostitute says, that she heard what God did for Israel . Rahab, of course converted based on this report of what God did to Pharaoh. So Pharaoh served a higher purpose of God and God turned around what would have been a useless death by pestilence into a Glorious splitting of the red sea and drowning the Egyptian army. 

Moreover ,Pharaoh hardened his heart in spite of clear revelation , several times. God hardened Pharaoh's heart after that , to serve his own purpose. God foreknew and he planned to use Pharaoh , for a higher purpose , a purpose which would be fulfilled , when Pharaoh did what he wanted to do.

 Even here it's not about choosing Pharaoh to damnation and choosing Moses to eternal salvation. It is about God's free choice to use any of his creation according to his ways and purposes.

God should not blame us, says the hypothetical objector  ,because it is all God's work , showing mercy to some and hardening some.  As clay in the hands of the potter , so are we in his hands. How does God the potter choose to make vessels? God has the right to make choose some nations for noble purposes and some for common purpose . It is his wish . God is sovereign. God in his foreknowledge plans things in a such a way that both Moses and Pharaoh serve his purposes. 

God has a right as the creator to shape one vessel , Israel as an instrument of noble use. God has a right to shape other nations as instruments of common use.  His choice is his will. Now Israel  becoming unfitting of this noble purpose , does not nullify God's sovereignty. God will still use their unfaithfulness and  bring gentiles into the kingdom as he explains in chapter 11. 

Again it is not as the Calvinists say, that election will lead to non resistance on the part of the elect. Here Israel in spite of being chosen , resisted and disobeyed and was ultimately rejected by God for rejecting him.
God's free choice did not interfere with man's free choice to choose to say yes or no to God's purposes. Whatever man's free choice was God was sovereign and still did what he exactly wanted to do . The loser in the deal being the unrepentant and disobedient side. God has no problem fulfilling his purpose , through our obedience or disobedience.


"The words of God to Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 19, show that God has a right to dispense his blessings as he pleases; for, after he had declared that he would spare the Jews of old, and continue them in the relation of his peculiar people, when they had deserved to have been cut off for their idolatry, he said: I will make all my goodness pass before thee; and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. As if he had said: I will make such adisplay of my perfections as shall convince you that my nature is kind and beneficent; but know, that I am a debtor to none of my creatures. My benefits and blessings are merely from my own good will: nor can any people, much less a rebellious people, challenge them as their due in justice or equity. And therefore I now spare the Jews; not because either you, who intercede for them or they themselves have any claim upon my favour, but of my own free and sovereign grace I choose to show them mercy and compassion. I will give my salvation in my own way and on my own terms. He that believeth on my Son Jesus shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned. This is God's ultimate design; this purpose he will never change; and this he has fully declared in the everlasting Gospel. This is the grand DECREE of reprobation and election."  - Adam Clarke, Commentary on Romans 9

 "I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy. This is in Exod. 33:19 , and is in answer to a request of Moses for a high privilege. The Lord grants it, not because he merits it, but of grace, because he "will be gracious to whom he willeth, and will have mercy where he will." The passage, as applied by Paul, asserts that God favors nations according to his pleasure. He exercises free choice. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth. When God is gracious, it is not because a human will (him that willeth), or a human work (him that runneth) lays him under obligation, and forces him to give, but the gift is of him, due to his mercy, which he has the right to bestow where he will. Isaac willed to bestow the blessing on Esau, and the latter run to obtain the venison ( Gen. 27:5 ), but Jacob had been chosen to become the founder of the chosen people, and received the blessing, which promised that he should be the father of a great nation. 17. The Scripture saith to Pharaoh. Exod. 9:16 . It is not said that Pharaoh was born for, but was raised to the throne for a particular purpose. That purpose was that I might shew my power in thee. It is not said that God raised him up to destroy him. His power might have been shown by Pharaoh yielding to his power. Pharaoh's conduct made it necessary to abase him. Here, again, the election is not of an individual to destruction, but of a man to be a king for a particular purpose. The destruction came upon him because, in that position, he resisted God. 18. Therefore hath he mercy. Verse 15 has shown that he hath mercy according to his own sense of right, not according to any human code. The case of Pharaoh shows, in addition, that whom he will, he hardeneth. "What must not be forgotten, and what appears distinctly, from the whole narrative in Exodus, is that Pharaoh's hardening was at first his own act. Five times it is said of him that he himself hardened, or made heavy his heart ( Exodus 7:13 Exodus 7:22 Exodus 8:15 Exodus 8:32 Exodus 9:7 ), before the time when it is at last said that God hardened him ( Exod. 9:12 ), and even after that it is said that he hardened himself ( Exod. 9:34 ). Thus he at first closed his own heart to God's appeals; grew harder by stubborn resistance under God's judgments, until at last God, as a punishment for his obstinate rejection of right, gave him over to his mad folly and took away his judgment."--Godet. At first Pharaoh hardened his own heart; God's judgments only made it harder, and then God "gave him over." God only made harder, by his judgments and by leaving him to his folly, one who had already hardened his own heart. That he was given over to madness is shown in the record. Even his magician said, "This is the finger of God" ( Exod. 8:19 ). He himself once said, "I have sinned; the Lord is righteous" ( Exod. 9:27 ). Had he not hardened himself again, the result would have been different. Then God gave him up to his own folly, "to hardness of heart and reprobacy of mind." The Jews approved of all this in the case of Pharaoh, but held that God could never abandon them on account of their sinful course. Paul's argument is, that if they, the favored people, should pursue Pharaoh's course, they might experience Pharaoh's fate. They, also, hardening themselves, might be "delivered over to hardness," for God is not limited by race, or by any limitation, but hardens whom he wills. He wills to harden those who harden themselves. I have dwelt upon this passage at greater length than usual because it is so little understood. Godet well says that in this whole passage Paul is not writing theology, but answering the arrogant pretensions of Jewish Pharisaism, and hence he asserts the Divine liberty. Had he been replying to those who have exaggerated this liberty into a purely arbitrary and tyrannical will, he would have brought out the opposite side of truth." - People's New Testament, Romans 9

Romans 9 - Clarification 2

 6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."  Romans 9
 Thus not everyone who is a descendent of Israel (Jacob) is an Israelite.There is an Israel according to the promise of the Gospel of God. There is an Israel according to the flesh.
 "For not all those out of Israel (the literal Jewish nation), these are Israel (the spiritual Israel)." This startling paradox is not a new idea with Paul. He had already shown ( Galatians 3:7-9 ) that those of faith are the true sons of Abraham. He has amplified that idea also in Romans 4:1 ff. So he is not making a clever dodge here to escape a difficulty. He now shows how this was the original purpose of God to include only those who believed. - Robertson's Word pictures of the New testament.  
In refutation of the Jewish claim that the natural descendents of Israel are all Israel , Paul says that there is a Spiritual Israel , the Church and a national Israel.

What is the purpose of God in electing Abraham ? How was the promise that abraham will be a blessing to all families of the earth , get fulfilled? 
     The purpose of electing Abraham , Isaac , Jacob and his descendents and making them into a nation was so that Christ could come into the world , in the form of a man , the 'seed of abraham' , as one of the descendent of the Patriarchs and atone for the sins of the whole world. Israel was chosen for the sake of Christ. The old testament is the history of the forefathers of Christ. The purpose of God preserving Israel as a people  and keeping a remnant was so that Christ would be born still as a descended of the friend of God Abraham , inspite of the rebellion and obstinancy of Israel. God chose a remnant , to preserve Israel from extinction.Why was Israel preserved ? Why did'nt God let them become extinct? It was for the sake of Christ. It was for the sake of the promise given to the partriarchs. 

What is the purpose in choosing Isaac? Again , promise of Christ being born as his descendent. God chose Isaac and not Ismael to be the forefather of the nation of Israel, forefather of Christ . That's his wish.It is not about choosing Isaac above Ismael for salvation.

What was the purpose of God choosing Jacob over Esau? God chose Jacob over Esau , in his sovereignity to be the father of the nation of Israel , to be the forefather of Jesus. When God  announced the birth of the Children to Rebecca , 
 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." Genesis 25:23

So when Paul talks about Jacob and Esau , he is actually referring to this verse, where Jacob and Esau are representatives of two nations Israel and Edom which the readers of Epistle were familiar with . Again it is not about choosing Jacob to be saved and Esau to be damned to hell. Paul never says anything in that line. 
Moreover Esau never served Jacob , whereas the Edomites the descendents of Esau were served Israel under David and Solomon too.
 Edom was periodically subjected to Judea [under David & Solomon (10th c. BCE) & the Maccabees (2nd c. BCE)].
   -----     virtualreligion.net/iho/idumea.html

So in the light of these biblical and extra-biblical evidences it can be safely concluded that God did not choose the person of  Jacob for Salvation and the person of Esau for damnation. It is about the lineage of Christ. In whose lineage would Christ come? God chose to be born as a descendent of Jacob and not Esau. 

Did God hate Esau? 

The word hate denotes non preference of the Esau for this purpose. As such ,we are all aware that God is love and that he loves every sinner though he hates the sin. Moreover when Jesus said , "If anyone does not hate his father, mother , wife ,children and even his own self he cannot be my disciple" , he was not asking us to hate our parents and family but to prefer him above them. It is in the same way God preferred not to choose Esau to be the forefather of Christ.He chose Jacob to be the forefather of Christ and the patriarch of the nation of Israel. 

Though Abraham had many Children , yet it was the child of promise whom God chose to be the patriarch of Israel and though Rebecca had two Children , it was Jacob who was chosen to be the patriarch of Israel. 

God chose abraham and his descendents through whom Christ will enter the world . He is the promise of God given to Abraham . In Christ is promised  salvation for whoever would believe.

Paul is tracing the lineage of Israel and says God is sovereign to Choose any nation to be his representatives and to bring forth Jesus in the flesh. 

It's all about Christ and for Christ. 

 


 

Romans 9 - Clarifications - 1

1 I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

The first reason Romans 9 is not about individual election for salvation is that Paul makes it very clear what he talking about . Paul is filled with sorrow for the elect people of God , the Israelites . Why is he filled with sorrow for them? Because they have rejected Christ , betrayed him and have killed him. They had enormous privilages , which included 
                       1. Adoption as sons
                       2. Divine Glory 
                       3. Covenants 
                       4. Law
                       5.Temple Worship
                       6.Promises
                       7.The Patriarchs - Abraham , Isaac , Jacob 
                       8. Christ - the incarnate Son of God

These were Paul's brother's in the flesh ,the Israelites , as opposed to the Christians who were brothers in the Spirit and in Christ,who were from both jews and gentiles.

Paul in the first 5 verses of Romans 9 is talking about his anguish for his brothers in the flesh , the Israelites. He is even willing to go to hell , if only that would save them. 



In Romans 3 , Paul says 3
 Then what ^[a]advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ² Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. ³ What then? If some ^[b]did not believe, their ^[c]unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? ⁴ May it never be! 

Israel was entrusted with the revelation about God. Something is entrusted so that it's purpose is fulfilled by those to whom it is entrusted. They were entrusted with the revelation , so that they can take it to the gentiles , be a witness to the gentiles. They had an advantage over every other nation.  They had the revelation. Even when some did not believe , it did not change their previlaged status as God's Elect.

What was the problem of God's elect?  The last part of the chapter 9 addresses the question. Here Paul summarises chapter 9

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Their problem was their approach to salvation. They pursued a law of righteousness, whereas the gentiles who received the gospel of Christ , obtained it by faith. 
  
Earlier in Romans 2,3,4 Paul explains how righteouness could not be obtained by observing the law of moses because everyone has sinned and has broken the law . They can only be saved by faith in Christ. The law of faith as Romans 3 says.

²⁷ Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. ^28 [r]For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works ^[s]of the Law. ²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since indeed God who will justify the ^[t]circumcised ^[u]by faith and the ^[v]uncircumcised through faith is one.

 By Grace through faith was the formula of God for salvation put into effect through Christ. The Jews were not able to accept this. The gospel of grace through faith in Christ became a stumbling block for them. 

We must understand this important concept . Gospel is not a lawless concept. The conflict is between Law of Faith (in Christ)  vs Law of works (Mosaic or anyother). God way is law of faith in Christ. Jews were trying to be justified by law of works , by observing the mosaic law. 


The first clarification is that Israel are the elect of God , privilaged ,even though as a nation  they  rejected the Saviour Christ and gave him up to be crucified. Contrary to popular belief that God's elect do not resist him,Israel's story is one of rejecting God through and through , culminating in the rejection of the Son of God. 

Calvinism, Slavery and Apartheid

One of the churches which openly supported apartheid and racism was the Dutch Reformed church of South Africa . Calvinism gave the necessary basis for the Church's racist agenda. How a Church could ever support any form of discrimination is still surprising. How the Dutch reformed Church went to the extent of supporting and maintaining apartheid is still more puzzling. But the support for the Apartheid policies came from Calvinism's view of the world and not from Christ.

 "The history of the Dutch settlers (later to become the Afrikaners), bound
to their strong Calvinistic beliefs, became the cornerstone of white South African
history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries."
                                                           ----Against Hate , Jennifer Nelson.
                                       http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/againsthate/journal2/GHS104.PDF

 The people responsible for the  creation, implementation and protection of the ideology of hate called apartheid were all Calvinists.They systematically implemented the ideology of apartheid , the ideology of hate in the name of the God of Calvin.
 

"Yet it(South Africa) is a country which roots itself firmly in Calvinism -- historic, sixteenth-century Calvinism --with every step it takes (even though the rest of the world may abandon it)."
                                                                                       - Rev. Prof. Dr. Francis Nigel Lee

             The international community did not abandon South Africa because it is Calvinistic but because of apartheid. Yet every step , including apartheid was rooted in Calvinism.

    George Whitfield, the friend of John Wesley was a Calvinist and he owned slaves. John Wesley , did not own much earthly wealth, let alone slaves. The slavery of blacks in America was not questioned or stopped by the reformed churches there. Instead the reformed theologians like George Whitfield , practiced slavery.

  Though England has had many great Calvinistic preachers none influenced the abolition of slavery . It was Willaim Wilbeforce influenced by the biblical teachings of the Wesley made it his life's ambition to fight against slavery and by the grace of God succeeded in it.

              Segregation a feature of  American Christianity and South African Christianity  was supported by the Reformed Churches officially. It was the Methodist church right from it's inception which fought against segregation and many of the Methodist churches had mixed congregations as a witness to the biblical truth and the glory of God. It was the Anglican Archbishop Rev.Dr.Desmond Tutu who fought tirelessly for the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa.
  
           Calvinism failed miserably to lead the Christians who were hanging on to it to love their neighbors as they would themselves, which was the command of Christ. It was the cold shoulder shown by Calvinists to Mahatma Gandhi which led to his ultimate rejection of Christianity, even though he liked Christ and followed the sermon on the mount to the best of his ability. The impression he gained from South Africa about Christianity from the Calvinists , seriously drove away  a potential convert from the truths of the bible.

   The biblical mandate is clear . Unity in diversity as seen in the trinity. This closes all the doors for segregation on the basis of race , colour and culture within the church and calls for deep authentic relationship as seen within the Trinity.

   The Bible does not support any ideology of hate. Rather it calls for love of the enemy and blessing those who persecute. Calvinism has comfortably cut out this aspect of Christianity and has not stressed nor taught or modelled these things which are direct commands of the Lord as much as it does about TULIP.  Calvinism over the years has been found to cause divisions . Unity as a doctrine to glorify God , social justice issues like racial segregation and race relations were neglected or worse resisted by Calvinism and it's preachers. So Calvinism is a twisted form of Christianity which though it is orthodox in it's doctrine is not biblical in it's practice of  Christianity. It's emphasis on Christian living and counter cultural lifestyle is rather appalling.


       
                                                                                                     

  

Patristic Theology - Learning from Irenaeus

         

Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor around 120 A.D .He was the disciple of Polycarp who was a straight disciple of the Apostle John. Around 150 A.D Irenaeus was sent to Gaul (France) to Pastor the people who emigrated from Asia Minor to Gaul. A persecution(161 - 180 A.D) broke out against the Church by orders of the Emperor Marcus aurelius and the Christians were killed using ingenious methods . Irenaeus escaped death as he was sent to Rome to fight the heretics.
   Irenaeus wrote an apologetic work called "Against Heresies" and a pastoral work called ,"Epideixis" also called  "Proof of the Apostolic Preaching".
St.Irenaeus of Lyon

The most important truth a Christian can learn from Irenaeus is his Theory of Redemption called "RECAPITULATION", which he taught as the Apostolic teaching about Christ's work of Redemption. This proved not only as a pastoral work but also as an response to the Gnostic heresies ,who denied the human nature of Christ , and consequently his incarnation , death and resurrection.

   "Caput" means head , and recapitulation talks about Christ being the head of the new human race who are none other than the born again believers . 'Adam is the head of the old human race which is corrupt as is it's head . Adam failed in garden and so does everyone who has adam as his head. Christ , according to Romans 5 is the second Adam. He triumphs where Adam failed. He obeys God perfectly in everything. Right from the temptation in the wilderness to even death on the cross , Christ obeys fully and remains perfectly holy. Those who have Christ as their head live the life of perpetual victory over sin , overcoming temptations by the power of the Holy Spirit just like Christ obeyed. These willing choose to come under the headship of  Christ through repentance and faith . They receive the sacraments . They receive the transformation which has this victorious , sin overcoming life as it's output. They receive a new nature and form a new human race with the hope of sharing in the immortality and the divine nature of  Christ.
             
      To participate in the divine nature is to
 1. Have a  new nature
 2. Live a life of overcoming sin
 3. Have hope of immortality - Eternal life

This happens when a person chooses Christ as his head (Lord)
  1. Repents of his old life under the headship of adam and the old sinful nature
  2. Believes in Christ
  3. Receives the sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion)

   For Irenaeus redemption was about getting restored to the God intended image i.e to the image of Christ. It includes forgiveness of sins and jsutification , but that does not end there. It proceeds to sanctification. It is during sanctification that a person is getting actually restored to the image of Christ through  transformation which begins at justification which inturn is accomplished when a person repents and believes in Christ.
    In recapitulation , we seen a reversing of corruption which was set into motion by Adam's sin. As the reversal of corruption occurs , there also occurs a progress in holiness or mirroring of Christ and divine nature and God's glory in the new man under Christ's head.

   "Irenaeus clearly envisioned salvation as a transformation of the humans into partakers of divine nature"
             Robert Olson , The Story of Christian Theology ; twenty centuries of tradition and reform 





BIBLICAL BASIS FOR THE RECAPITULATION THEORY OF IRENAEUS

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:4

    Irenaeus's theory is based biblical text and is provides a wholistic picture of redemption available in Christ . This is very important as an accurate understanding of redemption will help the Church in being the witness God intended it to be. 
  In the face of  Calvinism which stresses election and forensic justification at the cost of other aspects of salvation and in the face of the superficiality which stems from not stressing hard core discipleship and in the face of a Church which abuses the grace of God as a license for sin , Irenaeus' recaptulation theory of redemption proves to be a wholistic model which will help the individual believers and the Church as a whole to "Work out their salvation with fear and trembling " and will help shine the light of the glory of Christ in the pitch darkness of this world.

Is Acts 13:48 about election for salvation?

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
                                                          Acts 13:48

"Whatever τεταγμενοι may mean, which is the word we translate ordained, it is neither προτεταγμενοι nor προορισμενοι which the apostle uses, but simply τεταγμενοι, which includes no idea of pre-ordination or pre-destination of any kind. And if it even did, it would be rather hazardous to say that all those who believed at this time were such as actually persevered unto the end, and were saved unto eternal life. But, leaving all these precarious matters, what does the word τεταγμενος mean? The verb ταττω or τασσω signifies to place, set, order, appoint, dispose; hence it has been considered here as implying the disposition or readiness of mind of several persons in the congregation, such as the religious proselytes mentioned Acts 13:43, who possessed the reverse of the disposition of those Jews who spake against those things, contradicting and blaspheming, Acts 13:45. Though the word in this place has been variously translated, yet, of all the meanings ever put on it, none agrees worse with its nature and known signification than that which represents it as intending those who were predestinated to eternal life: this is no meaning of the term, and should never be applied to it."
                                                                                                 - Adam Clarke's Commentary


 It is God's ordination that those of humble, teachable, honest hearts, seeking the truth and life, shall come to life when it is offered, and such accepted the gospel on this occasion.
                                                                                                  - People's New Testament

Because the Jewish people believed they were predestined to eternal life by virtue of their descent from Abraham , therefore the idea that many gentiles were ordained to eternal life could be offensive - but was exactly what Isaiah 49:6 implied. 
                                                      - The Bible Background commentary of the New Testament
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=cnAAOuN2_JIC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false


13:48 As many as were ordained to eternal life - St. Luke does not say fore - ordained. He is not speaking of what was done from eternity, but of what was then done, through the preaching of the Gospel. He is describing that ordination, and that only, which was at the very time of hearing it. During this sermon those believed, says the apostle, to whom God then gave power to believe. It is as if he had said, They believed, whose hearts the Lord opened; as he expresses it in a clearly parallel place, speaking of the same kind of ordination, Acts 16:14, and c. It is observable, the original word is not once used in Scripture to express eternal predestination of any kind. The sum is, all those and those only, who were now ordained, now believed. Not that God rejected the rest: it was his will that they also should have been saved: but they thrust salvation from them. Nor were they who then believed constrained to believe. But grace was then first copiously offered them. And they did not thrust it away, so that a great multitude even of Gentiles were converted. In a word, the expression properly implies, a present operation of Divine grace working faith in the hearers.
                                                                                             - Wesley's Note 


So this passage is not about predestination or election for those words are not used here as demonstrated above. 
 The Jews rejected the Gospel , but the gentiles were happy i.e they did not reject the Gospel and God ordained such open minded seekers to eternal life. He helped them to believe because they did not reject the message of Paul but were rather happy and honored the word of God. 
   An important lesson could be infered from here . God presents the Gospel to people , those who reject/resist it are not given help to believe  whereas those who are happy to hear it and honor God for it were given appointment for eternal life. This is what this passage means. It has nothing to do with preordination or unconditional election for salvation.

Romans 9 ,10,11 vs 2 Peter 3:9 . Are they contradictory?

 "In Romans, chapters 9, 10 and 11, Paul is primarily writing to the Jewish church in order to get them to understand that the chosenness that God had given to them was a privilege with concomitant responsibilities.  He goes on to show that their privileged position was given to them because someone had to be a mouthpiece to the world and God chose the least of all the nations.  He did not choose the philosophers in Greece; He did not choose the imperial might of Rome; He did not choose the splendor of Babylon.  He chose a tiny little nation with whom and through whom He was going to pronounce the oracles to the rest of the world.  Now, with that great privilege came a proportionate responsibility.  So that chosenness was one of instrumentality, and to whom much was given much was also required.  In the same way, I believe this principle applies to preachers.  Just because we are called upon to stand in front of people and proclaim, it does not necessarily mean we have a better deal going for us.  The fact is that our lives must be proportionate to the privilege and responsibility.
So to sum up once again, the chapters of Romans 9, 10 and 11 are Paul’s theological treatise to the Jews to alert them to the fact that this great privilege does not let them get away scot-free.  They have an enormous and a proportionate responsibility.  He goes on to alert other nations that, rather than complaining about it, they should be glad that a privilege was given to someone, and through that someone this message has come to them also.  In fact, if you read Romans 1, 2 and 3, you will find out that the privilege that the Jew had, in many ways, for many of them, turned out to be a disadvantage.  If you read Romans 5, you will find out that even though God called Abraham, it was the faith of Abraham that justified him.  Once again you see the sovereignty and responsibility.
The passage in Peter(2 Peter 3:9) expresses God’s desire for all mankind. "
                                                                   ----  --DR. Ravi Zacharias .
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 

So Romans 9,10,11 is not about choosing individuals for salvation. God's will for all mankind,every individual  is that they all must be saved and he is patiently waiting and giving us humans time to repent. 

Ezekiel 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? Ezekiel 18:32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'

"who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:4

So please don't confuse Romans 9,10 and 11 to be about salvation for the few elect individuals . God's will is clearly that everyone should be saved as the passages above reveal.