WORTH THE EFFORT TO CONVERT THEM?
Amazing that Arminians and 'Reforms' get along at all. We do, of course. But can't help noticing where we do part company, sometimes. One thing that stands out is the way our differences in doctrine sometimes can affect what we actually do about evangelism.
Many 'Reforms' do believe in evangelism, even practice it, although they believe that who will be saved is already pre-determined. Others think - openly or de facto - that it is probably a waste of time. For that matter, many Arminians seem to have decided it is a waste of time, since many apparent converts might not have converted after all, or won't last.
Is there room for agreement here? After all, as my old friend Juan Carlos Ortiz likes to say, these are the kinds of things we won't know for sure before we get to heaven anyhow, so why get out of sorts with each other here about them? (Well, that's not a real quote, but pretty close.) I think there actually is room for agreement.
It seems to me like a case where the storm may have taken out the bridge up the road. Some say it is gone. Others say it is still there. Which is the best we can do then, for the unwary traveler down the road - warn them that the bridge is out? Or since we are not sure it is out (it could still be there) just let them go on their way without warning? Surely the right thing to do is warn them away from the danger, even though it might be a waste of our time.
Just so, it would seem to me that we should do our best to convert all those we can. Perhaps it is a waste of our time. But then again - perhaps not. Perhaps it made the biggest difference of anything in their lives. After all, when can we know for sure? Upon our arrival in heaven, that's when! That could be too late for them.
The simple fact is that, on this earth and in this life, we simply have no way of knowing who is or is not chosen (per the 'Reforms') or (for weary Arminians) who is not going to work out very well after conversion. Not knowing ahead of time which is which could be an excuse for doing nothing. Or it could be a compelling reason to do our best to win a convert.
It seems to me that to follow the God who "gave up his only son" for us all, "who is not willing that any should perish," means to run after those who are perishing. What will we feel, a long time from now, if we could have, and chose not to? Surely, remorse only begins to describe it.
Can we not agree then, that all things considered, our most prudent, wise and highest course is to convert the most we can, when we can, and while we can?
Many 'Reforms' do believe in evangelism, even practice it, although they believe that who will be saved is already pre-determined. Others think - openly or de facto - that it is probably a waste of time. For that matter, many Arminians seem to have decided it is a waste of time, since many apparent converts might not have converted after all, or won't last.
Is there room for agreement here? After all, as my old friend Juan Carlos Ortiz likes to say, these are the kinds of things we won't know for sure before we get to heaven anyhow, so why get out of sorts with each other here about them? (Well, that's not a real quote, but pretty close.) I think there actually is room for agreement.
It seems to me like a case where the storm may have taken out the bridge up the road. Some say it is gone. Others say it is still there. Which is the best we can do then, for the unwary traveler down the road - warn them that the bridge is out? Or since we are not sure it is out (it could still be there) just let them go on their way without warning? Surely the right thing to do is warn them away from the danger, even though it might be a waste of our time.
Just so, it would seem to me that we should do our best to convert all those we can. Perhaps it is a waste of our time. But then again - perhaps not. Perhaps it made the biggest difference of anything in their lives. After all, when can we know for sure? Upon our arrival in heaven, that's when! That could be too late for them.
The simple fact is that, on this earth and in this life, we simply have no way of knowing who is or is not chosen (per the 'Reforms') or (for weary Arminians) who is not going to work out very well after conversion. Not knowing ahead of time which is which could be an excuse for doing nothing. Or it could be a compelling reason to do our best to win a convert.
It seems to me that to follow the God who "gave up his only son" for us all, "who is not willing that any should perish," means to run after those who are perishing. What will we feel, a long time from now, if we could have, and chose not to? Surely, remorse only begins to describe it.
Can we not agree then, that all things considered, our most prudent, wise and highest course is to convert the most we can, when we can, and while we can?
posted by Old Neocon at 9:45 PM
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