Resurrection Day

Previously I wrote about death being inevitable. I presented the Biblical truth concerning it as tactfully as possible and emphasized that our physical demise isn’t the end of our existence. Everyone will be resurrected from the grave.

Jesus preached, “I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming – and is now here – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live… Don’t be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come out – the ones who’ve done what is good to the resurrection in life, and the ones who’ve done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation“ (John 5:25,28-29).

For Christians this is wonderful news. Thomas Watson wrote, “At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgement, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity… We’re not as sure to rise out of our beds as we are to rise out of our graves.”

We get our body back! The Bible doesn’t say we’ll have a different body. Rather, the body we had before will be completely refurbished. “…The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality“ (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). Is this mysterious? Yes. As it should be.

Calvin wrote, “It’s foolish and rash to inquire into hidden things, farther than God permits us to know. Scripture, after telling us that Christ is present with believers, receives them into paradise, and that they’re comforted, while the souls of the reprobate suffer the torments which they’ve merited, goes no further. What teacher or doctor will reveal to us what God has concealed?”

Resurrection Day isn’t wishful thinking. The Scriptures confirm it. “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous“ (Acts 24:15). John wrote, “I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne“ (Revelation 20:12). In other words, nobody stays deceased. When Gabriel’s trumpet sounds the saints will rejoice. Those who denied Jesus will gnash their teeth at Him.

Our Lord’s defeat of death and walking out of His tomb are crucial events. They give every Christian hope. Paul addressed skeptics accordingly: “Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there’s no resurrection of the dead? But if there’s no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ hasn’t been raised, then our preaching is futile, and your faith is empty“ (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).

Some still object, insisting that, in the case of those interred centuries ago or those who’ve been cremated, there’s no body left to resurrect. Yet only a fool underestimates the power of God. The body of the person reading this right now is technically an incredible conglomeration of fundamental atoms and molecules. To think that God Almighty can’t summon those same atoms and molecules together to assemble an even more incredible body than before is unfounded. God is omnipotent.

Watson wrote, “Though the bodies of the saints shall rot and be loathsome in the grave, yet afterwards they shall be made illustrious and glorious. The bodies of the saints, when they arise, shall be comely and beautiful…” R.C. Sproul opined, “God will clothe His people with a new kind of body, one superior to the current model. We will not abide forever as disembodied spirits.” Jesus proclaimed His own will be “…like angels in heaven“ (Matthew 22:30). Imagine that!

Christian apologist Norman Geisler commented, “1 John 3:2 has been used to argue that the resurrection body will differ from a physical body. It reads, “Dear friends, now we’re children of God, and what we’ll be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him like He is.”

Geisler explained, “When John speaks of not knowing what we’ll be he’s referring to our status in heaven, not the nature of the resurrection body. For he’s contrasting it with our status now as ‘sons of God,’ claiming he doesn’t know what higher status we may have in heaven. He does know we’ll be like Christ. Paul said the same thing in Philippians 3:21: God will use His power to ‘transform our lowly bodies so that they’ll be like His glorious body.’“

The Rapture will be spectacular. Spurgeon preached that when Christ returns, “There will be some who’ll be found living, of whom the apostle says, ‘Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord’“ (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

He then added, “We know that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom. But it’s possible that they’ll be refined by some spiritual process that will preclude the necessity of dissolution… How glorious is the thought that Christ has vanquished death, that some men will not die.”

Oh, to be in that number!

J.I. Packer wrote, “My present body is like a student’s old jalopy; care for it as I will, it goes precariously and never very well, and often lets me and my Master down (very frustrating!). But my new body will feel and behave like a Rolls-Royce, and then my service will no longer be spoiled.”

He summed up his urgent message with: “Ask God to show you how Jesus’ life, body and soul was the only fully human life that’s ever been lived, and keep looking at Jesus, as you meet Him in the Gospels, till you can see it. Then the prospect of being like Him will seem to you the noblest and most magnificent destiny possible… But until you see it there’s no hope for you at all.”

Serving God Humbly

Humility is a rare commodity these days. Too many people insist their personal view about everything must be seen and heard by everyone. They believe humility is a sign of weakness and/or cowardice; that meek folks don’t get noticed and are, therefore, insignificant.

However, the greatest, most influential person who ever walked the earth self-identified as being “gentle and humble in heart“ (Matthew 11:29). Yet those traits never once lessened the authority and power He displayed in His words and actions. Therefore, every Christian should strive to serve God and our neighbors gently and humbly.

Jesus was transparent about His mission – to faithfully serve His Heavenly Father. He publicly acknowledged, “I’ve come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the One who sent Me. Now this is the will of the One who sent Me – that I should not lose one person of every one He’s given Me, but raise them all up at the last day“ (John 6:38-39).

He also openly preached that the sovereign Father has preordained everything that occurs. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will“ (Matthew 10:29). Ian Hamilton wrote, “Did this knowledge leave our blessed Savior proud, distant, clinically distant of unenlightened sinners? Did He parade His ‘Calvinism’ for all to see? The very reverse was true. He was God’s chosen Servant, His own dearly beloved Son.”

Christ’s demeanor showed His followers how they’re to conduct themselves. As Isaiah had prophesized about Him centuries earlier, “He’ll not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. He’ll not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick…” (Matthew 12:19-20). Nevertheless, our gentle and humble Lord permanently altered the course of human history.

Jesus never said His gentle and humble countenance was different from His Father’s. On the contrary, He proclaimed, “The Father and I are one“ (John 10:30), confirming that our Father God is loving and merciful, too. Dane Ortlund wrote, “The sins of those who belong to God open the floodgates of His heart of compassion for us. The dam breaks. It’s not our loveliness that wins His love. It’s our unloveliness. Our hearts gasp to catch up with this. It’s not how the world around us works. It’s not how our own hearts work.”

Will serving God humbly make our lives run smoother? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But humbling ourselves before our Lord isn’t optional. Humility is the key to sincere and acceptable worship. Hamilton wrote, “Whatever else marks Christian worship, a deep sense of the greatness and glory of God, and the littleness of man, will be a compelling note in our church gatherings.”

“Since we’re receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. For our God is indeed a devouring fire“ (Hebrews 12:28-29). Sadly, many modern-day churches have turned their services into “extravaganzas” wherein the preacher and/or the musicians involved become the focus of the congregation’s attention, not the soul-saving gospel. That’s a shame. They’re robbing themselves of the joy found in being reverent before God.

A truly gentle and humble pastor relies only on the power and grace that flows from the Holy Word for expanding God’s kingdom. Some of the most effective preachers have been soft-spoken orators (Martyn Lloyd-Jones comes to mind.) God doesn’t need us to be charismatic or instantly likeable in order for the gospel message we share to transform hearts from stone to flesh. Simply telling somebody Christ died on a cross to atone for their sins is all that’s required. The Holy Spirit does the rest.

Often my “cleverness” gets in the way of delivering the “Good News” efficiently. At our local Celebrate Recovery ministry I sometimes emcee the large group session. What I often find myself doing, though, is racking my brain to come up with something “thought-provoking” to end with when the fundamental gospel truth is more than enough. God doesn’t need my help. He just wants me to tell the truth about Jesus.

In my previous blog, I wrote about misconceptions surrounding Calvinism. One is that Calvinists deem themselves “privileged characters” because they know they’re among the elect. Wrong. Calvinism, by its very nature, dissolves any trace of pride a person like me might harbor. When I contemplate that despite being an unholy and unrighteous sinner God has adopted me as an heir to all He’s created, it drives me to my knees in gratitude.

I have nothing to be proud of. I’m literally “like a burning stick snatched from the fire“ (Zechariah 3:2). I believe with all my heart what Christ told His disciples about Himself: “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing“ (John 15:5). The only pride I have lies is in knowing Jesus as my friend and redeemer.

I agree with Paul, who said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world“ (Galatians 6:14).

John Calvin wrote, “When viewing our miserable condition since Adam’s fall, all confidence and boasting are overthrown, we blush for shame… It’s impossible to think of our primeval dignity without being immediately reminded of the sad spectacle of our ignominy and corruption, ever since we fell from our original in the person of our first parent. In this way we feel dissatisfied with ourselves, and become truly humble, while we’re inflamed with new desires to seek after God.”

Defending Calvinism, Hamilton opined, “Calvinism is proud, but only of the Savior; proud of His glory and of His grace; proud that, though He was rich, yet for our poor, judgment-deserving sakes, He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich.” He rightly concluded, “Proud Calvinism is the ultimate oxymoron.”

The One About Calvinism

I’m not a Calvinist. I’m a Christian; a grateful disciple of Jesus. While I do agree with Calvin’s theological viewpoint, I follow my Savior only. Paul wrote, “Whenever someone says, ‘I’m with Paul,’ or ‘I’m with Apollos,’ are you not merely human? What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us“ (1 Corinthians 3:4-5).

Raised in an Arminian-leaning church, I avoided for decades anything associated with John Calvin and his ilk. It was God’s servant R.C. Sproul’s writings and online classes that led me to actually read for myself Calvin’s remarkable Institutes of the Christian Religion. I couldn’t have been more wrong about Calvinism.

Over the last decade or so I’ve delved into books by Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Sproul, etc., as well as a host of Puritan writers. They all base their opinions and teachings exclusively on the Holy Word of God. I’m not saying Arminian authors don’t. I just find those of the Calvinistic persuasion more persuasive.

Sadly, there’s an ugly and very undeserved stigma surrounding Calvinism. Many believers, because of its doctrines of election and predestination, assume it presents God as being anything but loving, merciful and patient. That’s truly an example of unsubstantiated “misinformation.”

Truth is John Calvin was humble. So is his theology. Commenting on James 4:10, he wrote, “As a tree must strike deep roots downwards, that it may grow upwards, so everyone who doesn’t have his soul fixed deep in humility, exalts himself to his own ruin.”

Calvinism’s unwarranted reputation isn’t Calvin’s fault. Ian Hamilton wrote, “It can hardly be denied that men claiming to be Calvinists have behaved arrogantly and censoriously, coldly and clinically. The problem is, in behaving like this they expose themselves as men who have no notion at all as to the true nature of what’s called Calvinism.”

Bear in mind that prior to the mid 15th century invention of the printing press the Bible was pretty much unavailable, even to scholars. Thus, when monks like Luther finally discovered what it actually taught it was, for them, akin to literally encountering God. They realized Scriptural truths had been kept from becoming widely known because the religious hierarchy wanted to maintain power over Christians.

Beholding God Almighty is a humbling experience. When Isaiah “saw the sovereign master seated on a high elevated throne“ it didn’t inflate his pride. Rather, he exclaimed, “Too bad for me! I’m destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the LORD who commands armies“ (Isaiah 6:1,5).

Calvinism reveals our sinful nature boldly without distillation, confirming what God’s Word proclaims – that unless we belong to Christ, we’ll spend eternity in hell. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that a human being will become aware of that fact and then boast that they’ve earned God’s grace.

Calvinism is a “religious consciousness” more than a “theological system.” It’s an attitude, if you will, centered on God’s unfathomable love for His adopted children. To think it’s all about “free will” is to miss the point. It’s about acknowledging God’s absolute sovereignty concerning our eternal destination.

Benjamin Warfield wrote, “He who knows it’s God who’s chosen him and not he who’s chosen God, and that he owes his entire salvation in all its processes and in every one of its stages to this choice of God, would be an ingrate indeed if he gave not the glory of his salvation solely to the inexplicable elective love of God.”

Understand, non-elect people possess no longing to know the God of the Bible. They feel no need for Him or His commandments. Their idea of torture would be to serve and worship the Trinity Godhead forevermore. Thus, their Creator grants their wish and leaves them be. They condemn themselves to endless separation from the source of all goodness.

One foundational creed of Calvinism is “Blessed are the meek“ (Matthew 5:5). Calvin believed that “He who is deeply abased and alarmed by the consciousness of his disgrace, nakedness, want, and misery, has made the greatest progress in the knowledge of himself. Man is in no danger of taking too much from himself, provided he learns that whatever he wants is to be recovered in God.”

Abraham Kuyper wrote, “Calvinism doesn’t seek God in the creature, as Paganism; it doesn’t isolate God from the creature, as Islamism; it posits no mediate communion between God and the creature, as does Romanism; but proclaims the exalted thought that, although standing in high majesty above the creature, God enters into immediate fellowship with the creature, as God the Holy Spirit.” As to its relevance, Kuyper added, “Calvinism still carries in itself a wondrous power for the future of the nations.”

Don’t get me wrong. Calvinism doesn’t try to answer every question about God. It wisely recognizes humankind’s inherent limitations. Martin Luther wrote, “A distinction must be observed when the knowledge or, more precisely speaking, the subject of the Divine Being is under discussion. The dispute must be about either the hidden God or the revealed God. No faith in, no knowledge and no understanding of, God, insofar as He isn’t revealed, are possible… What’s above us is none of our business… Let God rather keep HIs decrees and mysteries in hiding.”

Calvinism and the Reformed Theology movement in general has never claimed to be a “new revelation.” God’s Holy Word is sufficient. God has merely called some to preach the gospel and to encourage Christians to love, praise and worship God foremost.

Sproul wrote, “Running through the works of the great theologians – like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Owen, and Jonathan Edwards – is the grand theme of the majesty of God. These men stood in awe before His holiness.”

Calvin said it best: “Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they’ve contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”

Our Will Ain’t “Free”

I’ve waded into the “free will” quagmire previously but, since I’m further exploring God’s absolute sovereignty, the subject deserves being broached again.  Bottom line: “free will” is something only conceited human beings boast of having.  The Bible clearly asserts, “…The one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of His good pleasure – is God” (Philippians 2:13).

Few concepts are more fiercely contested among Christians.  Billions worldwide believe they accepted Jesus solely by personal choice.  For corroborating evidence they point to Scriptures like, “Let the one who’s thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).  Trouble is not everybody “wishes” to drink the life-giving water Jesus offers.  Why?

The Bible repeatedly insists that, in their natural fallen state, while men and women do have the power to reject Christ, they don’t have the power to believe in Him.  Everyone chooses what they truly prefer to choose.  And therein lies the complication.

“…The outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it doesn’t submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8).  In other words, no one freely wills themselves to love, worship and obey God unless the Holy Spirit first regenerates their spiritually-dead heart, granting it the ability and yearning to do so.  As Jesus said, they must be “born again.”

Now, anybody can insist they “decided” to follow Christ.  That’s no sin.  But, as Martin Luther wrote, “It’s one thing to say that a certain thing was done by ‘free will’ and another to prove it.”  I dare say any so-called “proof” flies in the face of what’s expressed above in Philippians 2:13.

Reformers insist that if we can decide – on our own – to accept Jesus as our Savior then we have valid reason to brag about how much better, righteous and more holy we are than non-believers.  But to think that way contradicts what Paul wrote: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it’s the gift of God; it’s not from works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

I’m no less sinful than anyone on earth.  This wretch spent decades ignoring God.  Yet I’m saved.  The only explanation is that God finally opened my eyes to the truth of His majesty, His mercy, His forgiveness, His love and His Word.  Left to my own devices I would never have acknowledged and so gladly welcomed Christ’s sovereign kingship over my life.

Addressing believers, A.W. Pink wrote, “Before you ‘yielded’, the Holy Spirit overcame the native hatred of your mind against God, and this ‘hatred’ He doesn’t overcome in all.  Should it be said this is because they’re unwilling for their hatred to be overcome, none are thus ‘willing’ till He’s put forth His almighty power and wrought a miracle of grace in the heart.”

There are various definitions of the “will.”  One is “the faculty of choice, the immediate cause of all action.”  But that raises many questions.  Is our will self-determining or is it determined by something/someone else?  Does it rule or is it ruled?  Does it control our mind or vice-versa?

Making a “choice” necessitates turning down one or more options and acquiescing to another.  We predictably go with the most positive or least negative alternative.  Yet what influences that determination?  What’s the causative agent?  Undeniably, we’re slaves to our own best interest.  But our will can’t be sovereign and enslaved simultaneously.  And, if it’s not sovereign, we can’t claim our will is totally “free.”

If our will is determined that alleges there’s a determining factor and that factor’s different in everybody.  For some it’s their sense of logic.  Some obey their conscience.  Some follow their emotions.  Some succumb to the devil’s temptations.  Others rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit.  In the end, though, the allegiances of one’s heart determines which factors wield the greatest influence.

R.C. Sproul wrote, “The problem isn’t that we can’t make choices.  Natural men make choices all the time.  The problem is that, in our fallen condition, we make sinful choices.  We make these choices freely.  We sin precisely because we want to sin, and we’re capable of choosing exactly what we want to choose.”

In other words, we have a heart problem.  Humanistic philosophy posits our will governs our behavior but the Bible teaches the decision-making center of our being is our heart.  Jesus said, “From within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride and folly.  All these evils come from within and defile a person” (Mark 7:21-23).  Get the picture?

We must therefore be cautious when we’re advised to “go wherever our heart leads.”  Trusting our fickle, rebellious heart isn’t only dangerous but often it’s disastrous, too.  Our heart’s “…more deceitful than anything else.  It’s incurably bad.  Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

If you think I’m saying believers don’t make bad choices you’re mistaken.  Sproul opined, “Christians do have a desire or will to do good.  But we don’t always do that good.  At times we give in to our desire for evil.”

Paul, perhaps the ultimate Christian, confessed: “I don’t understand what I’m doing.  For I don’t do what I want – instead I do what I hate…  For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I want to do the good but I can’t do it.  For I don’t do the good I want, but I do what I don’t want!” (Romans 7:15,18-19).

He sounds pretty hopeless, doesn’t he?  But a few verses later he delivers the astounding “Good News” of “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).  Is God knocking on your door?  Open it.  Don’t hesitate.  Greet the author of salvation.  His name is Jesus.

What Paul Said

Previously we explored God’s predestining Pharaoh’s heart to “harden.”  The Apostle Paul expounded on the subject in Romans 9:18, writing, “Therefore, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.”  By using the word “therefore” Paul confirmed that our sovereign God does what He pleases, that His will is resolute and that humans have no say in the matter.

 

It’s the “…He chooses to harden” part that deeply offends many.  They’d prefer it read, “all people who reject God’s truth.”  But it doesn’t.  Paul makes it clear God purposely chose to harden Pharaoh’s heart.  Pay attention to what the Scriptures tell us:

 

“Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in Him, so the word of Isaiah would be fulfilled.  He said, ‘Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’  For this reason they couldn’t believe, because again Isaiah said, ‘He’s blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so they wouldn’t see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn to me, and I would heal them” (John 12:37-40).

 

This passage explains why some folks will never believe in Christ no matter what they see or hear.  It’s not because they’re stupid.  It’s because God has made their hearts so stony they can’t believe.  Paul, anticipating the inevitable objection, writes, “You’ll say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault?  For who’s ever resisted His will?’” (Romans 9:19).

 

Notice Paul doesn’t say there’s no fault for God to find or that people don’t try to resist God’s will.  He is saying we have no right to complain about or argue against what God has decreed.  The modern-day accusation addressed is, “Paul, you’re implying we’re just preprogrammed robots.  And, if that’s so, is it fair for God to ‘find fault’ with anybody?”

 

Paul boldly responds: “But who indeed are you – a mere human being – to talk back to God?  Does the thing formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (v.20).  The apostle puts the questioner on the defensive by reminding them they’re nothing more than a “thing formed” and, thus, in no way qualified to interrogate their Maker about His intentions.

 

Paul never dodged controversial subjects.  He was unafraid to pen precisely what the Holy Spirit inspired him to write.  He continues, “Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?  What if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?  And what if He’s willing to make known the wealth of His glory on the objects of mercy He’s prepared beforehand for glory?” (v. 21-23).

 

Obviously the potter is God Almighty and the “power” mentioned is both His creative right and sovereign prerogative.  However, some scholars rationalize that, while God does make some vessels for special purposes, it doesn’t mean the other vessels get discarded.  But Paul clearly states God creates both “objects of mercy” and “objects of wrath.”  It’s not a mistranslation.

 

For an apt illustration we need merely recap what we learned about Pharaoh.  There’s no doubt God created him to be “…an object of wrath prepared for destruction.”  Common sense tells us self-destruction likely wasn’t Pharaoh’s goal in life.  Surely he simply wanted to be a happy-go-lucky tyrant with no problems.  But Paul says Pharaoh’s destiny-of-preference isn’t what God had ordained.

 

Verse 23 doesn’t skirt the truth.  Robert Haldane commented, “The sum of the apostle’s answer is that the grand object of God, both in the election and the reprobation of men, is that which is paramount to all things else in the creation of men, namely, His own glory.”

 

Another reason for Paul’s “God the potter” allegory is that it humbles our pride.  Clay is inanimate matter, corrupt, decomposing and therefore a suitable representation for fallen humanity.  We’re spiritual dirt clods unless and until the Holy Spirit graces us with the gift of faith.

 

John Calvin expressed a Biblical truth many don’t want to hear, writing, “There are vessels prepared for destruction…  They’re also vessels of wrath.  Paul might have otherwise said that the reprobate gave up or cast themselves into destruction, but he intimates that before they’re born they’re destined to their lot.”

 

Later on Paul quips, “What then?  Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it.  The rest were hardened” (Romans 11:7).  The reader can’t miss a distinction being made between “the elect” and “the rest.”  In his letter to one of the early churches Paul wrote, “For God didn’t destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).  That statement would be superfluous if God hasn’t “predestined” some people to suffer His wrath.

 

St. Peter didn’t disagree.  He told Christ-followers, “…You who believe see His value, but for those who don’t believe, the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over.  They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (1 Peter 2:7-8); i.e. Some people don’t “get it” because they can’t “get it.”

 

One need only observe the criminal behavior and cruel brutality being allowed to run rampant in many American cities to realize some people don’t give a crap about God.  Peter wrote, “…These men, like irrational animals – creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed – don’t understand whom they’re insulting, and consequently in their destruction they’ll be destroyed…” (2 Peter 2:12).

 

I’ve cited but a few passages of Scripture that confirm the fact not everyone goes to heaven.  But keep in mind reprobate souls don’t want to go there, anyway.  They hate God and despise His sovereignty.  Heaven’s the last place they want to be.  They’ll get their way.