God Wholly Sovereign, Man Wholly Responsible

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Au contraire. The billionaire has already cut the check and endorsed it to you. His doing so depended on nothing inherent in you, only his love for you. So the check is good -- all you need do is thankfully accept it and believe he's trustworthy enough to not put a stop on the check when you go to cash it (which, for the purposes of this analogy, he [God] won't).

Again, mere potentiality, not actuality, given your view that the check may not be accepted.

Let's be thorough here. In your version, the billionaire also damns for eternity everyone he secretly never cut a check for, and tells everyone he's doing so on the grounds that they refused to accept the check he offered to them. :AMR:

Yes, let's be more complete. In my version the billionaire is actually the one who created all around Him, God, if you will. Hence one's duty is not to seek to apprehend the secret will of God, but to obey the revealed will of God. That revealed will is patently clear that this perfect God holds man responsible, whether or not man is able to do what he ought to do. There is no "moral necessity" for God to limit His commands to that which men can naturally perform. The possibility that a creature might resent God for such a command is irrelevant; and resentment would only occur to the sinful creature anyway, while a good creature would only be too-willing to die in the attempt. "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

When one is not fully aright with the impacts of the fall of Adam, much confusion arises...

How can God command people to obey the law knowing it was impossible for them to do so? See Rom. 3:20. A command does not necessarily imply ability. This is sufficiently clear in the case of the law.

Man willingly (though his will is in bondage to sin) refuses to obey God and chooses sin. He is not forced to sin, he sins willingly.

How else can man be responsible for not obeying God seeing that his nature is sinful? He, that is, man, or the human race, as represented in Adam, had ability to will and to do what is good, and lost it by sin; and that, therefore, man is responsible for the want of it.

Man was able to obey the law, to discharge this whole duty, in the condition in which he was created. If he is not in a different condition—one in which he is no longer able to discharge this duty—this does not remove or invalidate his obligation to perform it. While man has lost his ability to obey, God has not lost His right to command. Nor does man's inability to obey render the command ineffective. Regenerating grace breaks the heart of stone and inclines the renewed man to obedience.

God is wholly sovereign, man is wholly responsible...

In Acts 2:23 we read, “Him [Christ], being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death”.

This verse clearly teaches that the crucifixion of our Lord was planned, predicted, and determined before it happened and all the devils in Hell or men on earth could not keep Jesus from the cross—it was determined by a sovereign God. Yet at the same time, wicked men—acting freely—were charged with this wicked act. In Acts 4:24—30, God puts these two truths side by side without apology or explanation. Here this apparent contradiction and seeming conflict is expressed in a prayer.

“So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: “Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ.” For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

Peter and John were in prison when they prayed this prayer. Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were said to be carrying out what God had purposed and determined was to be done before it was actually done.

In the first truth we see that God is one hundred percent sovereign in planning and determining. At the same time the verse teaches the second truth, that wicked men are one hundred percent responsible for their wicked deeds.

If we examine these two truths separately, we will conclude that from Genesis to Revelation the Bible teaches that the God of the Bible is one hundred percent sovereign—sovereign in creation, sovereign in redemption, and sovereign in providence—and that from Genesis to Revelation the Bible teaches that man is one hundred percent responsible for his sin. Therefore, we have no alternative but to believe both are true, even though with our finite minds we cannot reconcile them or harmonize them.

Factor the above underlying presuppositions into my version and your objection has been answered. :AMR:

AMR