Thursday, May 12, 2011

This will be Controversial

I'm aware that this post will probably not be too popular for two reason: 1)Because the subject matter seems rather heartless, and 2) because of the difficulty of the language.

Romans 9:22-23
“Here it is evident the last verse comes in, in connection with the foregoing [Isaiah 43:3-4; Psalm 136:10; 10,15,17-20], as giving another reason of the destruction of the wicked, viz. showing the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy: higher degrees of their glory and happiness, in a relish of their own enjoyments, and a greater sense of their value and of God’s free grace in bestowing them”

“I am convinced that hell torments will be eternal from one great good the wisdom of God proposes by them, which is by the sight of them to exalt the happiness, the love, and joyful thanksgiving of the angels and men that are saved; which it tends exceedingly to do. I am ready to think that beholding the sight of the great miseries of those of their species that are damned will double the ardor of their love, and the fullness of the joy of the elect angels and men. It will do it in many ways. The sight of the wonderful power, great and dreadful majesty and authority and the awful justice and holiness of God manifested in their punishment will make them prize his favor and love exceedingly the more; and will excite a most exquisite love and thankfulness to him, that he chose them out from the rest to make them thus happy, that God did not make them such vessels of wrath, according to Romans 9:22-23”
~Jonathan Edwards “The End for which God Created the World” pg 226-227, footnote 85

Now, as to my first point of the unpopularity of this post I have this to say: This is not heartless, this is how Scripture presents the issue. In the beholding of the torments of the damned the redeemed will be all the more happy, thankful and joyful for, though nothing made them any better than those damned, God redeemed them from their just damnation for his own glory.

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