Paul's Passing Thoughts

As PPT/TANC will invariably move toward a more solution oriented vision while moving away from blogosphere drama that seeks to save the institutional church, which is un-save-able, and founded on the false gospel of Protestantism, evangelism is a very important subject to us. And let’s face it; a Protestant view of predestination/election is a disincentive to evangelize. I have been a Protestant Baptist for many years, and know full well that most Protestants would rather kiss an alligator than witness. I believe this indifference to the Great Commission can be laid at the feet of Protestant orthodoxy.

Don’t get me wrong, my argument isn’t based on a desire to see more evangelism. If predestination is true, so be it. But the fact is—it’s not biblical. It has taken many years for me to come to this conclusion, and there are still a lot of pieces to put together, but in all my research on this issue of late, 2Peter 3:1-13 is the passage that has led me to this foundational conclusion:

God did not predetermine or choose some for salvation and others for hell. Man can be persuaded to believe.

I know that the typical lazy thinking Protestant Calvinists will call me an “Arminian,” but I have never read Jacobus Arminius, nor have I read anything about him. My conclusions come from reading the Calvin Institutes and the Bible. I also find it interesting that Neo-Calvinists find the same angle that I have settled on so intimidating that they changed words in the ESV to hide the meaning of “willing.” That doesn’t exactly dissuade me from thinking that I am on to something.

In 2Peter 3:1-13, Peter is reminding Christians of the following:

3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Notice that men “deliberately” overlook the truth because it is inconvenient to their own desires. That’s a choice. Men are not completely blinded, they are aware of the truth, but they deliberately suppress it (Rom 1:18,19). In this case, they deny the second coming by pointing to how long the earth has been functioning normally for thousands of years. Peter then defines their deliberate and false assertion:

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The first discrepancy is the ESV’s (a Neo-Calvinist translation) use of “you”—but is patient towards you. This implies a second person plural which infers a continuing same salvation for believers as well as unbelievers. The correct translation (KJV) that fits with the context is “us-ward” (third person plural) which implies mankind in general and their need for salvation. The second person plural goes hand in hand with Calvinism’s progressive justification.

More interesting is how the ESV translates the word “willing” as “wishing” in this text—not wishing that any should perish. The actual word follows:

g1014. βούλομαι boulomai; middle voice of a primary verb; to “will,” i. e. (reflexively) be willing:— be disposed, minded, intend, list, (be, of own) will (- ing).

The idea is “intent,” or to “will.” This is what settled the issue for me. It is clearly NOT God’s “will” or “intent” that any parish. If God predestined certain men for destruction, that is clearly His intent and will. But that is not the case. But it gets better: on the one hand, God does not predetermine people for destruction because that is not His will or intent, and on the other hand, he desires all men to be saved:

1Timothy 2:1 – First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

The word for “desires”—who desires all people to be saved is,

g2309. θέλω thelō; to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas 1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i. e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i. e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly);

Here, the ESV uses a proper word; God desires for all people to be saved, but of course, that’s not going to happen. But on the other hand, he doesn’t will or intend for people to be eternally condemned. That must mean it’s by their own choice, and contrary to God’s desires, will, or intent. Calvinists plainly do not like these renderings in holy writ and consider them a threat to their doctrine of predestination. They replace “will” and “intent” with the idea of thelo, or “wish.” Also, Note how the ESV translates Matthew 11:27.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

The ESV uses the word “chooses”—anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Shockingly, this is the exact same word used in 2Peter 3:9—βούλομαι boulomai. In 2Peter it is wishful thinking according to the ESV, but the same word in Matthew 11:27 is a CHOICE or a choosing, or predestination on the part of the Son. Here is how the KJV properly translates the verse:

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

If the ESV was consistent with their questionable rendering of the word in Matthew 11:27, here is how 2Peter 3:9 would read:

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not choosing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Well then, the long list of Calvinist scholars that endorse the ESV agree with me:

God has not chosen anyone for condemnation.

paul

Addendum:

The word for “choose” follows: “g1586. ἐκλέγομαι eklegomai; middle voice from 1537 and 3004 (in its primary sense); to select:— make choice, choose (out), chosen. AV (21)- choose 19, choose out 1, make choice 1; to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one’s self.” Selecting the English word “choose” for boulomai (“willing”) in one place, and “wishing” in another seems to be a deliberate attempt to skew intended meaning.