I guess you could say I'm not a Calvinist. My belief in God's all-knowingness (omniscience) is secure. He knows all, from before time began until after it is abolished. "From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God!" (Psalm 90:2) Inherent in that omniscience is the understanding that He knows every single choice we will make, before we even think of making it. Calvinists fully believe in God's omniscience, but they also adhere to an additional belief --- that He makes those choices for us, deciding who will come to know Him through Jesus Christ, as well as (for some) totally negating the concept of free will.
In a way, the Calvinist position is comforting. Why witness to the lost if it doesn't matter? God will see that "the chosen" come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ...somehow. Why live a life of holiness, struggle with sins "that so easily trip us up" (Hebrews 12:1)? God knows what we are going to do anyway. We really don't have any choice in the matter. It has been fore-ordained.
You see...if you take away from mankind the ability to choose Jesus Christ, or not....
if you take away man's "free will" about salvation, you must also take away basically all choice from him. It's not "pick and choose". And, if we really have no choices, why then did Paul write Galatians 5:16-26?
The passage is an "oreo" passage, or in music we would say it is in ABA form. The first black cookie (or "A") consists of verses 16-18 (NET)
16 But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Paul goes on to describe what a life lived serving one's own selfish desires looks like. He calls this "living according to the flesh" (vs. 19-21a), the works of the flesh. Next, he describes what a life lived led by the Holy Spirit looks like. He calls this the fruits of the Spirit. All this is the "B" section, the creamy filling of the Oreo.
The second black cookie ("A" again) is contained in verses 24-26 (NET)
24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.
First, let's examine the "A" sections. Read them over again, one after another. Do you see that living the Christian life is all about choices? There is this spiritual battle raging in each of us who know Jesus as Savior. Some believe, mistakenly, that the battle is less intense after a person accepts Christ as Savior and Lord. No. The battle intensifies. The new believer is ratcheted up in Satan's attention. Satanic attempts to neuter, neutralize, disarm and hamstring the believer begin, from the moment of salvation.
Yes, our salvation is settled and secure from the moment we are saved, from that instant we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. As we live this life, though, as a Christian, we are faced with a seemingly unending array of choices - - - for the kingdom of God or against it. God has always dealt with mankind this way. Don't you remember when Joshua told the children of Israel:
"Choose you this day whom you will serve"? (Joshua 24:15)
Now, let's look at those two words I underlined in the passages above. Note that the choices motivated by our own selfishness (the flesh) are called "works". In other words, these are things we do in our own power, in our own human strength. By contrast, when we choose to be led by the Holy Spirit, it is HE who produces the characteristics in verses 24-26. Those are fruits which the Holy Spirit produces in our lives.
If you read verses 24-26 and say, "I'm going to try my best to be more gentle," then you've got it backwards. As a Christian, you make choices to allow the Spirit of Jesus Christ to possess you ... or not. That is what Paul means by verse 24, that "crucifying of the flesh". It is He, then, who produces in the believer those "fruits of the Spirit".
If you are like me, you read that list of "fruits" and think with panic, "I'm not able to do that!" And, then I realize, "That's exactly right!" In my flesh, my own power, I can't. But, He can. In so doing, He gets all the honor and glory due Him, for the marvelous works that He does in me.
Dear Holy Spirit, consume in me all the impurity that brings my Savior dishonor. I want to be led by You, to follow You, so that You may be glorified through me. In Jesus' name, amen.
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