More Discernment Blog Folly: Negotiating with Prophets of Zero Sum Life
“Um, excuse me, but if you are a child of God, it is not even just for God to forget your good works (Heb. 6:10), why would He be just in slaying you? And, isn’t God’s last enemy death? (1Cor. 15:26).”
Observing life does teach us about the Bible to a degree. One criticism we often hear about God is that He is cruel. After all, in the Old Testament, we find that He instructed Israel to completely wipe out certain people groups; men, women, children, livestock, and pets.
John Immel made a brilliant observation at this year’s TANC conference. In Europe, where our American spiritual roots came from, religious wars dominated their history. In America we can’t have religious wars, so people fight over the color of the carpet, and you have the ongoing drama such as the latest Acts 29 episode with Mark Driscoll and the J.D. Hall controversy.
Then you have the war correspondents; the discernment blogs. They “cry for justice” on behalf of the victims, but no justice will come. Why? When the sum of life is zero, you don’t deserve justice, you only deserve death. Consider the quotation sent to me by a reader from one of the premier evangelical leaders of our day:
My late friend James Boice and I frequently flew to various conference and events. I am a white-knuckle flyer whereas he loved the bumps and the feeling of exhilaration that comes from flying through the air. While I looked anxiously out the window, he said, “What is the matter. R.C.? Don’t you believe in the sovereignty of God?” I replied, “Jim, that is my problem. I do believe in the sovereignty of God, and I know that he would be perfectly just to crash me into the ocean right now. That is why I am so nervous.”
Um, excuse me, but if you are a child of God, it is not even just for God to forget your good works (Heb. 6:10), why would He be just in slaying you? And, isn’t God’s last enemy death? (1Cor. 15:26).
God commanded the Israelites to wipe out certain people groups because they had a philosophy of zero sum life. You can’t negotiate with such people. If they are your neighbors, they will be constantly seeking to dominate you because you are enslaved to the earthy senses that value life. You are bad for the collective. Plato got it from the Hindus, Augustine got it from Plato, and Luther/Calvin got it from Augustine. And the Neo-Calvinists got it from Calvin. Their zero sum life theology is TULIP, and the doctrine is predicated on man’s total depravity which is a total sum zero of life.
Why John Piper and Calvinists are ISIS
In the following video, John Piper states that all people die from God’s hands because he is sovereign, and in doing so, he does no one wrong, we all deserve death. RC Sproul reflects the same kind of idea in the following statement:
My late friend James Boice and I frequently flew to various conference and events. I am a white-knuckle flyer whereas he loved the bumps and the feeling of exhilaration that comes from flying through the air. While I looked anxiously out the window, he said, “What is the matter. R.C.? Don’t you believe in the sovereignty of God?” I replied, “Jim, that is my problem. I do believe in the sovereignty of God, and I know that he would be perfectly just to crash me into the ocean right now. That is why I am so nervous.”
Hence, the atrocities committed by ISIS in Iraq, like the one pictured below, are done by God and are not wrong. Furthermore, how indignant should we be towards these terrorists when they are merely the vessels God is using to bring about His will? Do you see now why abuse in the Reformed churches are not dealt with? Do you see why the victims are blamed? They are merely getting what we all deserve by the hands of those doing God’s bidding.
Why are we giving these people our money? And do you think this kind of Christianity does not pave the way for full blown terror in any given geography?
You would be egregiously wrong if you think not.
Aggressive Love Without Fear
It’s a matter of being free to aggressively love without fear. The whole problem with the church is it’s preoccupation with the uncertainty of eternal life. Calvinism’s way of dealing with it is, “Jesus does it for you.” The anti-Lordship way of dealing with it is “no commitment.” Jesus’ way of dealing with it is…”It is finished!” Doing keeps a clear conscience. Doing feeds the soul. We were created to do. My motives are pure…Jesus finished the work of salvation…this is all about love. But both camps tell us to cure our conscience and fear with more trust, with more faith alone because they see salvation as unfinished.
We have all said it: “Santifcation is the growing part of salvation.” No it isn’t. Salvation does not grow–the Chrsitian grows. Supposedly, work in sanctification is a work for justification. Yes, doing sanctification right so that we don’t mess up our justification is very tricky business. Doing by faith alone is very complicated. That’s why you need them. That’s why you pay the temple tax. That’s why you pay the philosopher kings. Just trust them and all will be well. People say to me…”Paul we all doubt our salvation.” Yes, and what a pity…for there is no fear in love. We doubt our salvation because we are closet progressive salvationists.
Stop “living by the gospel.” Stop preaching the gospel to youself. Stop talking about the gospel at church, and encourage eachother unto good works. Come out from among them and be free. Come out from among them and love.
paul
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