There are few doctrines in the Bible that as misunderstood as
the doctrine of election. There are those for whom the doctrine cannot possibly
mean what it clearly describes since that would make God an “unfair” God who
chooses whom he wishes and fails to choose whom he wishes. Then there is the
other side which acknowledges the necessary difficulties with the doctrine,
but that nonetheless acknowledges and understands that what God has chosen to
do and what he has revealed in his word is entirely within his own will and
purview. After all, He said to Moses that he would have mercy on whom he wished
to have mercy (Exodus 4). An injunction that is repeated by Paul in Romans nine
to make the point that God indeed determines the course of history, going so
far as to use the imagery of the potter and the clary to make his point.
Recently
my wife and I decided that we would begin meeting with a different church group
than the one we had met with for decades. Although we have changed physical
locations many times since we met in the early 80’s, we have attended and been
members of churches of Christ for the entirety of our 32-year marriage. Thus,
it is not lightly that we came to the conclusion that God wants us where we are
now meeting (Grace Baptist Church) rather than continuing to be members of the
church of Christ. And the reasons for our change of heart are rather simple to
explain, but were immensely difficult to accept.
The other day my wife and our family went to visit the Witte
Museum in downtown San Antonio. We spent about an hour or so touring an exhibit
in the museum called “The Mayas.” As the title would indicate, this exhibit has
to do with the Mayan civilization that dominated great portions of Mexico and
Central America during the pre-Columbine era. Although not a very extensive
exhibit, it did contain the highlights of a civilization which spanned over two
millennia and which left an indelible imprint on the culture and the society of
the Americas. It was not until the Spanish invaded the New World, that the
Mayan civilization began to wane and, eventually, disappear. Although there are
still many people who claim their ancestry from this once proud civilization,
the empire was quickly devastated and eventually absorbed by the unstoppable
wheel of progress.
