Deliberate obfuscation by Jesus?

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Scott,

You wrote:


> How could this possibly be twisted from the plain sense of what it

> means?  Jesus is very clearly saying that he is speaking in parables so

> that those who are "without" will not understand, and will not be able to

> have their sins forgiven.

> 

> Go ahead, twist your god's words if you wish...



To which I reply: I am certainly glad that the true and living God of
the Scriptures in my God. AND you are right to read Jesus' statement to
be an open admission that He was BY DESIGN speaking so only His elect
(the called) would "hear" Him. As it is written:

1 John 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is
not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error.

And also:

1 Cor 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them
that believe.
1 Cor 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after
wisdom:
1 Cor 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1 Cor 1:24  But unto them which are CALLED [emphasis mine], both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

So you see Christ is very selective in who He saves. But note, it is not
on any basis originating from the creature (man) that He chooses whom He
will save. As it is also written: 

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

All are born with an ontological defect that causes a hatred of God and
an ethical rebellion to Him because of original sin. Therefore God is
perfectly just damn everyone to Hell forever. The fact that He saves
whom He will is a display of His mercy. If we are entitled to it, then
it is no longer mercy by definition. So He is free to select whom He
will, and display His Mercy in them. Likewise He is free to damn whom He
will and display His perfect justice in them. The London Baptist
Confession of 1689 Ch 3 sec 3 expresses the idea this way: 

"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and
angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus
Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in
their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious
justice." (I Tim. 5:21; Matt. 25:34; Eph. 1:5, 6; Rom. 9:22, 23; Jude 4) 

So now the only question is: Are you among those whom God has chosen; or
do you persist in your rebellion to His rightful authority setting up
RIVAL ethical codes of your own imagination? 

sincerely,
Graham Dugas

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