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. - 2Peter 3: 9 (ESV)
God desires all to come to repentance. Not some. Not those He elected -- all. This one verse eviscerates election theology but when you look at Scripture collectively, as we have done here, the evidence is staggering. If God desires all why would He then hold it back for some and not others? Based upon whether they want Him or not. That is always the response to the Gospel. Faith or derision. Keller would continue:
2) But if everything is fixed and certain, why pray, evangelize, or do anything at all?
This is an excellent point against Calvinist teaching but Keller tries pointlessly to swat it away. First he offers that if everything was not planned by a holy and loving God that we would be terrified at getting up in the morning. This misses the mark on many fronts. First of all, it would be terrifying to think that God was not sovereign over everything; not that He plans everything. Under this thinking we are all just bit actors in a cosmic play. Everything scripted and robotic. Does Pastor Keller actually think that the chaos and depravity seen every day in this world is planned by God? Not even close. He of course allows it through His permissive will because ultimately He is always sovereign. Keller seems to intimate that unless God is planning everything there is no control but that is not true. God's sovereignty means He is in control -- not that He exercises that control constantly over His creation. The next rationale offered is that somehow there would be enormous pressure on Christians when they evangelize. That our own inarticulateness could result in a person missing their shot at salvation. Once again. Let us turn to the Bible for our answers:
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55: 11 (ESV)
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. - 1Corinthians 1: 17 (ESV)
The Gospel is the power of God unto the salvation of men, not the wise and persuasive words of men. The scenario Keller presents would empty the cross of its power. That we would rely upon the smooth preaching and eloquence of man as opposed to the Holy Spirit who draws men through the preached Word of God. I remember once at my old church there was a Friday night message by a new preacher that was horribly executed. He lost his focus, lost his train of thought, and the sermon was an organizational wreck. Yet when it came time to pray the altar was covered with the biggest response that year. God's Word does not return void beloved. When I was first called to preach, I used to be so worried about "screwing up" God's Word. A wise pastor told me I needed to get over myself. His Word is His Word and it will not return void. It always succeeds for the reason God sent it.
The second thought offered by Keller here is even more off the mark. He says that we ought to view it a privilege to share in the work of God. Talk about missing the point! There is no work under Calvinist theology! It has all been decided! That is what this second question is trying to get at. If you believe in election then the work of sharing the Gospel and evangelizing makes no common sense. If Suzy is elected to heaven, she does not need the Gospel. If Johnny is going to hell, then the Gospel cannot help him; according to the doctrine of election. Why even go through the cross and Calvary at all? Why sacrifice His Son? If it is simple matter of a roll of the dice, cast the lots and be done with it. If everything is pre-planned, why pray? We always hear about a praying grandmother when someone comes to the Lord but according to this theology her prayers meant nothing. There is no point in praying for the lost at all because God has already decided. Sorry but the vast majority of Scripture disagrees. Keller then says we are not supposed to "second guess" God by guessing who might be elect and who is not. Keller says that God calls all to repent and so should we. Wow. I am stunned at the disconnect from such good Bible expositors. It is the point that God calls all to repent that destroys the doctrine of election! Why would God call all to repent and then say, just kidding! If there are a group of elect then He would just call them, no? Remember, if you start getting into the fact that He knows who will respond to His call to all then you are arguing foreknowledge, not election. Keller offers a final thought on this second question:
"The point is this: the person you pray for and/or share the Gospel with may be one of God's elect, and you may be part of the way God has ordained to bring them to faith."
Wait a minute. Two minutes ago Keller claimed it would be too frightening to think of a world where things were left up to the control of man and now this? The definitions of words do not fluctuate based upon human behavior. Elect is elect, regardless of anything we may or may not do. In non-Calvinist teaching, everyone needs to hear the Gospel and be drawn by the Spirit but under election; the Gospel only has partial power. Evangelizing becomes an Easter egg hunt. We are looking for those special people, the elect. What a great doctrine. Well, if you are part of the special people. Here was the final question offered by Keller:
3) I believe the Bible and see all the teaching about election, but why do I still dislike it?
Seriously? The notion that this is a common question is laughable. Any "question" that starts with supporting the proposition in question it is probably a red herring. I believe the Bible but do not see any teaching of Calvinist election. I see a handful of verses, most of which have better interpretations when considering the context of the overall canon of Scripture. I see a doctrine of man being taught as if it were from God. Think for a moment how offensive this doctrine is for the un-elect and at the same time how convenient it is for the saved. That is the punchline problem of course. Everyone who espouses this theology believes they have been magically made part of the elect! No wonder they defend it so vociferously. Any faith whose starting position is that you hit the lottery is one you want to hold onto tightly!
One of Keller's closing points is that eastern philosophies and religions have always been more fatalistic, believing individual autonomy is an illusion. My answer is -- who cares? That is what makes God so much better than our way of thinking. That His ways are so far above our ways. I can agree with the first point of Calvinism which states that we are totally depraved. We need a Savior. The problem is that the remainder of Calvinistic teaching denies that Savior to swaths of humanity and then blames it on God. Whenever holes and flaws are pointed out in this theology it is met with one of two defenses. One is to misunderstand sovereignty and the other is to pull the mystical card. Both are resolved by reflecting back to His Holy Word. I do not mean a handful of verses but the whole thing.
Let me be clear here too. I understand why the Kellers of the world fall for this. They see as we all do the dumbing down of salvation within modern churches. This however is an over-correction. Just like when John MacArthur saw the abuses of the spiritual gifts so he decided he was a cessationist. Just because many abuse the path to salvation that does not mean you agree with a doctrine on the polar opposite side. I agree that salvation is not this "invite Jesus into your heart" thing that is sold for two minutes of your time in the purpose driven church model. I get that. It is not this five minute altar call that requires no sacrifice. I can also agree that it is entirely a move of God. We have no power to save ourselves. But we are not robots. We have a responsive role. It is the preached word that leads to salvation:
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10: 14-17 (ESV)
But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. Once again reinforcing that man plays a part. You come to believing faith by hearing the preached Gospel. Once again, Scripture verifying Scripture. Beloved, we serve a just God who desires everyone to come to salvation. Because He sees all time, He already knows who will accept Christ through faith and who will not. This is called foreknowledge and to those He foreknew, He pre-destined. Those He pre-destined He also called. That call is the draw of the Holy Spirit upon the sound preaching of the Gospel. We have a role to play in this. Not a controlling role but a responsive one. When Jesus hung on the cross He was in between two thieves. One chose to place his faith in Him and the other mocked him. Thus one would be in paradise that day and the other in suffering. According to Calvinism, the thief in paradise was elected before the foundations of the world and the other guy? Just wasn't his day. That is not the God who the Bible presents. The election theology Calvinist is the Pharisee looking down on the publican. At least I am not like this guy. I am chosen. I am special. I am elect. No Pastor Keller. You are a sinner who responded to the awesome gift of salvation. No matter how well intended you are pastor, please don't take that gift away from anyone else.
