An Observation on Americans and Predestination/Election
Here is an observation whether or not you believe in reformed doctrine:
One of the reasons why Americans find it difficult to accept the reformed doctrine of predestination and election is that it goes against everything that Americans inherently hold dear in our nation. We do not live by an allowing or accepting someone else’s choices for us without our consent. We reject to rule over us a despot, dictator, or monarch based on their particular choices. We make our own representatives, senators, and Presidents to deal for us in our nation. And if they do not do what we want, we throw them out of office. Even our rights we chose and wrote into our foundational documents be they good or bad.
`
By way of illustration, in the 1700s, America was “the great experiment” in the history of mankind’s government. Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat in the early 1800s, wrote a book called “Democracy in America.” He came from France and investigated what America was and could it be a continuing form of government. Out of the hugely magnificent work, (I suggest you read it but only if you chose to) one quotation lays claim to support this suggestion that Americans have a most difficult time with inequality and so therefore, the accepting of the doctrine of predestination/election. The reason? It is because of our inherent love of equality between men. Tocqueville writes about our forefathers, “Liberty is not the chief and constant object of their [Americans] desires; equality is their idol: they make rapid and sudden efforts to obtain liberty and, if they miss their aim, resign themselves to their disappointment; but nothing can satisfy them without equality, and they would rather perish than lose it.”
A little later he concludes with this statement, “They [Americans] have been allowed by their circumstances, their origin, their intelligence, and especially by their morals to establish and maintain the sovereignty of the people.” And so in our present world, we will have no one oversee us without our consent. We must allow it as individuals for it to be accepted. And in kind, everyone has freedom to speak his mind and be the captain of his own personal ship because we demand equality.
The problem is that God is not a God of equality. He gives to some blessed weather to grow crops and to others he gives harsh atmosphere that brings desserts. To some he gives health and to others disease. To some He gives long lives and to others only a few years. To some He gives wealth and to others poverty. So if I define equality as fairness, God is not fair. He treats people differently. He gives to some what He denies to others. But without doubt, He is just. His good pleasure is both just and merciful but mostly it is absolutely sovereign, and so as Americans we struggle.
One of the reasons why Americans find it difficult to accept the reformed doctrine of predestination and election is that it goes against everything that Americans inherently hold dear in our nation. We do not live by an allowing or accepting someone else’s choices for us without our consent. We reject to rule over us a despot, dictator, or monarch based on their particular choices. We make our own representatives, senators, and Presidents to deal for us in our nation. And if they do not do what we want, we throw them out of office. Even our rights we chose and wrote into our foundational documents be they good or bad.
`
By way of illustration, in the 1700s, America was “the great experiment” in the history of mankind’s government. Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat in the early 1800s, wrote a book called “Democracy in America.” He came from France and investigated what America was and could it be a continuing form of government. Out of the hugely magnificent work, (I suggest you read it but only if you chose to) one quotation lays claim to support this suggestion that Americans have a most difficult time with inequality and so therefore, the accepting of the doctrine of predestination/election. The reason? It is because of our inherent love of equality between men. Tocqueville writes about our forefathers, “Liberty is not the chief and constant object of their [Americans] desires; equality is their idol: they make rapid and sudden efforts to obtain liberty and, if they miss their aim, resign themselves to their disappointment; but nothing can satisfy them without equality, and they would rather perish than lose it.”
A little later he concludes with this statement, “They [Americans] have been allowed by their circumstances, their origin, their intelligence, and especially by their morals to establish and maintain the sovereignty of the people.” And so in our present world, we will have no one oversee us without our consent. We must allow it as individuals for it to be accepted. And in kind, everyone has freedom to speak his mind and be the captain of his own personal ship because we demand equality.
The problem is that God is not a God of equality. He gives to some blessed weather to grow crops and to others he gives harsh atmosphere that brings desserts. To some he gives health and to others disease. To some He gives long lives and to others only a few years. To some He gives wealth and to others poverty. So if I define equality as fairness, God is not fair. He treats people differently. He gives to some what He denies to others. But without doubt, He is just. His good pleasure is both just and merciful but mostly it is absolutely sovereign, and so as Americans we struggle.
posted by ipastorwill at 11:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home