1689Dave
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2022
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- 1,871
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- Religious Affiliation
- Baptist
- Marital Status
- Married
- Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
- No
First, when is God's Glory the greatest in salvation? Pelagius said people are not incapacitated by sin. They can save themselves without any help from God. In this, we can see Pelagius gets all the glory in salvation. Anyone who knows the bible might say he steals God's glory heaping it on himself.
Many say instead that God loves the world and saves those who save themselves through various forms of obedience. So if the world is lovable, that speaks well of them and they share a certain amount of God's glory just in being born. And especially if they increase their value by the righteousness involved in saving themselves through obedience. So they glory in themselves and God gets the rest.
But then Augustine and the Reformers come along and point out that people are born wicked and can do nothing but sin, even when doing well. Because whatever is not of faith is sin. That is, Cub Scouts helping old ladies cross the street is a sin if not done in faith towards God, but it is a worse sin if they don't.
And then add the fact that God hates sin and sinners. At this point, we can see God's glory in salvation in full bloom. God in Jesus pays for those he hates, directing his own wrath for them upon himself. Thereby abolishing his wrath owed to them on the cross. Thereby sending His Spirit into their hearts causing them to hate sin and love Him and righteousness instead.
He correspondingly glorifies his goodness and justice in sending the rest to hell. So we see God's full glory in saving from out of the depraved masses a people to glorify his mercy. And omitting the rest to glorify his goodness, justice, sovereignty, and wrath for sin.
Many say instead that God loves the world and saves those who save themselves through various forms of obedience. So if the world is lovable, that speaks well of them and they share a certain amount of God's glory just in being born. And especially if they increase their value by the righteousness involved in saving themselves through obedience. So they glory in themselves and God gets the rest.
But then Augustine and the Reformers come along and point out that people are born wicked and can do nothing but sin, even when doing well. Because whatever is not of faith is sin. That is, Cub Scouts helping old ladies cross the street is a sin if not done in faith towards God, but it is a worse sin if they don't.
And then add the fact that God hates sin and sinners. At this point, we can see God's glory in salvation in full bloom. God in Jesus pays for those he hates, directing his own wrath for them upon himself. Thereby abolishing his wrath owed to them on the cross. Thereby sending His Spirit into their hearts causing them to hate sin and love Him and righteousness instead.
He correspondingly glorifies his goodness and justice in sending the rest to hell. So we see God's full glory in saving from out of the depraved masses a people to glorify his mercy. And omitting the rest to glorify his goodness, justice, sovereignty, and wrath for sin.
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