The Doctrine of Reprobation

                                                              

 Determining at which point to address this issue is difficult. But since it fits with either Unconditional Election or Limited Atonement I choose to address it here. The Doctrine of Reprobation is often misunderstood to mean that God has predestined some people to eternal punishment. This is simply not true. The word "reprobate" basically means castaway or unapproved. Doctrinally in means that while some are elected to the glory of God, others are passed over to the Glory of God!

     When we consider the condition of the unsaved and that the Scripture says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10-12); "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23) and "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" (Ephesians 2:1,2); "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:"  (Ephesians 2:12); and "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  (John 3:18), we can see that all men are in a lost condition, condemned already, without Christ, without God, and having no hope. Here is a case where all means all. We also learn that there are none righteous, that there are none doing good, that none are seeking God, and that without the quickening Spirit of God they will be left dead in trespasses and sins and considered children of disobedience.

     When Paul makes his argument concerning God's choices regarding whom will be the objects of His mercy he tells us that we have no right to object to God's choices! Paul writes, "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? " (Romans 9:20,21) And then he follow with this: "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" (vs.22-24)

     The truth is that all men are sinners. All human beings, born into this world, are born under sin and each and every one will be guilty of practicing sin as well. So we are all "condemned already" (John 3:18) and have, but for the mercy of God, "no hope" ((Ephesians 2:12). But God, according to his plan and purpose, chooses some to Himself, having no respect of persons, but, as a potter creates a vessel of honor and a vessel of dishonor out of the same clay, God, by His Divine Appointment elects some to the praise of His Glory.

    God is not obligated to elect all. I tend to look at it through this lens: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13,14) Let's face it, no one can clearly comprehend the mind of God. We only know what He tells us in His word. As I look at this doctrine I see all of mankind as on that wide road that leads to destruction, but I see a God of Grace reach down and pull me from that wide path. The he gently places me in the narrow way. It is all of grace.

     You may say, "Wait a minute, who determines why one deserves salvation and another does not if it's all God's choice?" That's just the point! No one deserves salvation, that's why the Bible teaches salvation is by Grace through faith! Secondly, it is God who makes that determination as Paul clearly points out, "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." (Romans 9:16)

     The Doctrine of Reprobation then, is that Biblical teaching that God chooses some to salvation and leaves others on the wide road that leads to destruction. You may have questions like "Should not God just shew mercy to all?"or "Wouldn't it be fair to save by merit rather than Grace?" I will leave you to work these questions out with God, but let me just add that God is just in all His works!And, as for the attitude of the elect, we all know that God is merciful in not giving us our just deserts, but that He is most gracious in giving us what we do not deserve.