Why mourn the lost?

**Ted Logan** · 02-04-2003, 01:44 PM

If the Reformed are correct in their assertion that all is preordained by God according to His good pleasure, such that nothing could have been done any differently, and there is nothing of our own will to cooperate in the engine of salvation...

Why should we mourn those who are not saved? Isn't it impiety to feel pity for those that God has no pity for? Likewise, isn't it impious to love those whom God has not?

smitty2622 · 02-04-2003, 01:47 PM

So we should be delighted about the lost because it is through them that God shows us His mercy.:kshock:

Peace

wjbkirk · 02-04-2003, 01:53 PM

The incessant mischaracterization of Calvinism by Arminians never ceases to amaze me.

We mourn for those who are not saved because it is a sad thing, and because Jesus wept for them as well.

But you see, both Calvinists and Arminians affirm that God desires for all men to be saved. Both Calvinists and Arminians also affirm that, while this previousstatement is true, God desires to preserve something greater than this desire. Arminians believe God values human freedom more than this. Calvinists believe God values His own freedom more than this.

smitty2622 · 02-04-2003, 02:05 PM

So tell me why under Calvinism would someone not be saved?

Peace

**Athanasius** · 02-04-2003, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smitty2622
So tell me why under Calvinism would someone not be saved?

Peace

Romans 9

Superman · 02-04-2003, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smitty2622
So we should be delighted about the lost because it is through them that God shows us His mercy.:kshock:

Peace

**Ted Logan** · 02-04-2003, 02:10 PM

wjbkirk, if I've mischaracterized Calvinism, please show me how. It's been said by many people on this site that God hates the sinner as well as the sin. Should we, then, hate the reprobate?

**Ted Logan** · 02-04-2003, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlwaysReforming
Romans 9

Hezekiah 24

wjbkirk · 02-04-2003, 02:12 PM

The ONLY sense in which we (arminian or calvinist) can ever delight in the destruction of the wicked is because it is a display of the justice and righteousness of God. But overwhelmingly, we can mourn that they never believed.

wjbkirk · 02-04-2003, 02:13 PM

Ted, I've said several times that there is a very real sense in which God loves the lost, as should we. But the love of God is very complex, and God loves is only promised to be unconditional towards His people.

**Ted Logan** · 02-04-2003, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wjbkirk
But overwhelmingly, we can mourn that they never believed.

But they never had the ability, or the offer, or the possibility, of belief. So then, we are mourning God's decision to withhold His grace...

Thus, we are being impious, for we show contempt for His divine judgment and that secret will I've been hearing so much about.