Larry Hughes
Puritan Board Sophomore
Jacob,
Don't you see that these two together are inconsistant. What else do you have to look at except God's character which He has revealed in His word? How do you know God's character is holy and just? By His word, yet you know His character. How do you know God is gracious and merciful - Christ alone! Yet, again via the Word revealed.
For Christ is, "...the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." & "For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (2Cor Vs. 4 & 6)
You see Christ reveals the mercy and truth of God. This is what you have to set both your confidence and conscience upon and those whom you would advise. Otherwise one abscures Christ when He is needed the most!
Furthermore, you are going down the hyper-calvinistic path whether your aware of it or not. How? Because you are peering too much into Divine election rather than faith. Though it is a fact of Scripture, this door is closed to you and all men. We are not to seek out election but trust in Christ by faith. The whole of Scripture is toward faith in Christ alone, not faith in election per se. It is faith you must view and at that faith in Christ alone. Thus, your answer to such a couple must be via faith and since that faith necessarily must be fixed upon Christ Who is the merciful revelation of God your answer must follow that. Anything else is absolutely worthless. Not election first. Election allows for non-conditional salvation but it is faith that hopes (expects) in the mercy of God in the believer. The direction is that those of faith in Christ alone are the elect, the direction is not that those who know their election infallibly are of the faith. For then what need there be of faith in Christ alone?
At the end of the day neither you nor me know our election infallibly whereby we may rest in it - rather we believe and trust upon Christ alone Whom we may rest upon infallibly.
Thus, why would you point a couple in a direction away from Christ and faith, and away from that which you yourself must rely?
If you answer to such a couple, "I don't know" pretending to be pious toward election, then all you have done is engendered doubt and unbelief and actually cast dispersion upon the character of Christ. Which is the exact opposite of a gospel ministers call. If one does this one has foresaken their call.
Also, be careful that you are not worshipping the text of the Bible rather than the One Whom the text speaks of.
Blessings,
Larry
Looking at the character of God and his mercy, and other verses that speak of Gods grace. I think that scripture leans toward the side of grace in the question of an infant.
But I can not say with confidence and in good concience that God certainly elects all infants. And I could not in good concience tell a grieving parent that their child is in Heaven. I am not to make judgment on such a thing.
Don't you see that these two together are inconsistant. What else do you have to look at except God's character which He has revealed in His word? How do you know God's character is holy and just? By His word, yet you know His character. How do you know God is gracious and merciful - Christ alone! Yet, again via the Word revealed.
For Christ is, "...the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." & "For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (2Cor Vs. 4 & 6)
You see Christ reveals the mercy and truth of God. This is what you have to set both your confidence and conscience upon and those whom you would advise. Otherwise one abscures Christ when He is needed the most!
Furthermore, you are going down the hyper-calvinistic path whether your aware of it or not. How? Because you are peering too much into Divine election rather than faith. Though it is a fact of Scripture, this door is closed to you and all men. We are not to seek out election but trust in Christ by faith. The whole of Scripture is toward faith in Christ alone, not faith in election per se. It is faith you must view and at that faith in Christ alone. Thus, your answer to such a couple must be via faith and since that faith necessarily must be fixed upon Christ Who is the merciful revelation of God your answer must follow that. Anything else is absolutely worthless. Not election first. Election allows for non-conditional salvation but it is faith that hopes (expects) in the mercy of God in the believer. The direction is that those of faith in Christ alone are the elect, the direction is not that those who know their election infallibly are of the faith. For then what need there be of faith in Christ alone?
At the end of the day neither you nor me know our election infallibly whereby we may rest in it - rather we believe and trust upon Christ alone Whom we may rest upon infallibly.
Thus, why would you point a couple in a direction away from Christ and faith, and away from that which you yourself must rely?
If you answer to such a couple, "I don't know" pretending to be pious toward election, then all you have done is engendered doubt and unbelief and actually cast dispersion upon the character of Christ. Which is the exact opposite of a gospel ministers call. If one does this one has foresaken their call.
Also, be careful that you are not worshipping the text of the Bible rather than the One Whom the text speaks of.
Blessings,
Larry