Is Monergism Actually A Viable Theology
“Human history is not merely a preordained play, played out perfectly to a pre-ordained script. On the contrary while there is a blue-print, or a general script, God has allowed, indeed invited us to make the drama like a night at the Improv, improvising our roles as we go, and making viable choices of moment and consequence along the way. Are we supposed to follow the general instructions in the script? Well yes, as they provide the boundaries beyond which we ought not to go and show us what character and kind of roles we should play. But of course we may fail to play our parts well, or indeed at all.”
How does he come to this conclusion?
“One of the more interesting sayings of Jesus with equally interesting theological implications is found in Mt. 18.18–” I tell you whatever you (i.e. Peter and the gang) bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The Greek here is straight forward, and the contrast between the present and future tenses have clear enough implications. One can point out of course the use of ean plus the subjunctive form of verbs, which with the future of the verb ‘to be’ in this case refers to a ‘future more probable’ condition, but the point remains the same. If the Evangelist, and/or Jesus before him had wanted to say “whatever is bound on earth, was already bound and determined in heaven” he could certainly have done so, first in Aramaic and then in a Greek rendering of the same. The fact is that Jesus here says the opposite…”
I believe in the sovereignty of God. I believe in it much stronger than many that I know. On the other hand, however, one cannot discount the fact that God exercises His sovereignty in such a manner as to allow men to make choices (which God does foreknow, but does not facilitate so as to render the choice of man effectually null), and He exercises His sovereignty in response to those choices. This does not mean that God is not in control. It does mean that God chooses to control things differently that you and I, who believe strongly in His sovereignty, would wish to acknowledge.
Just musing…