Solomon was a Calvinist. In January Alistair Begg and his staff at Parkside Church/Truth for Life invited WLQV to broadcast The Paul Edwards Program live from their Basics 2007 Pastor’s Conference. The conference began yesterday and runs through Wednesday at Noon.
I was excited about the invitation. I have appreciated Alistair Begg’s preaching ever since I first met him in 1988. He had come to Temple Baptist Church in Detroit as one of the speakers for our annual Summer Bible Conference. Since then I have made it a habit to visit Parkside Church in Cleveland as often as possible. To be invited to broadcast my program from there was a high honor.
So the plans were made. Hotel reservations, contacting all of the speakers at the conference to arrange on-air interviews during the conference, travel arrangements, etc. But God had other (better?) plans.
Back to Solomon: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). I planned my course, God determined my steps. He determined my steps using a ladder, a screwdriver, and a window shutter.
While re-hanging a freshly painted shutter at our house last Friday, my wife fell about five feet off a ladder. A trip to the emergency room five hours later revealed a torn spleen. She was just moved from ICU last night. God is good: no surgery is necessary, just a long homebound healing process.
And so if it’s Tuesday, it should be Cleveland – according to my plans. But if it’s Tuesday – according to the course determined for me by a sovereign God – I am right where I am supposed to be. And Lord willing I’ll be right back in front of the microphone this afternoon in the beautiful state of the art studios at WLQV Radio in Detroit. Thanks for praying for Terri.
By the way, Tim Challies is live blogging the Basics 2007 Pastor’s Conference from Cleveland. God to www.challies.com to read the updates.
You can also watch and listen to the Basics Conference here.
Schuyler
John Calvin probably wasn’t even a Calvinist, at least not a 5 pointer. In his commentary on 1
John 2:2, he writes;
“He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world”–“CHRIST SUFFERED FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD, AND IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD IT IS OFFERED UNTO ALL MEN WITHOUT DISTINCTION, HIS BLOOD BEING SHED NOT FOR A PART OF THE WORLD ONLY, BUT FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE; FOR ALTHOUGH IN THE WORLD NOTHING IS FOUND WORTHY OF THE FAVOR OF GOD, YET HE HOLDS OUT THE PROPITIATION TO THE WHOLE WORLD, SINCE WITHOUT EXCEPTION HE SUMMONS ALL TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST, WHICH IS NOTHING ELSE TAN THE DOOR UNTO HOPE.” Augustus H. Strong, in Systematic Theology Vol 11, Doctrine of Salvation, p 778
Then again in the Harmony of Matthew, Mark, and Luke Vol. 111, p 139, John Calvin writes on Mark 14:24–“And He said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.”–“The word many DOES NOT MEAN A PART OF THE WORLD ONLY, BUT THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE.” and also in his commentary on Romans and Thessalonians, he writes; Romans 5:18, “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”– “Paul makes grace common to all men, not because it in fact Extends TO ALL, but because IT IS OFFERED TO ALL, and is offered by the goodness of God WITHOUT DISTINCTION TO ALL MEN, yet not all receive him.” p 829.
As most will agree on both sides of this issue, John Calvin was not nearly the Calvinist that the Calvinist of today are.
Notice in his Last Will and Testament, he begs God to accept him, “I humbly implore of him to grant me to be so washed and purified by the blood of that sovereign Redeemer, sited for the sins of the human race, that I may be permitted to stand before his tribunal in the image of the Redeemer himself”– the human race again. Also please note the apparent lack of confidence in his perseverance. What a sad state of affairs to come to the end of your life, given to the Word of God, and not know what your destiny is.
Paul said; ” for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which have committed, unto Him against that day.”
May the Lord of glory guide us.
Glad to hear Terrie is improving.
So was Solomon was a Calvinist, or was Calvin a Solomonist? = )
Sorry to hear the news about your wife, its good to hear you back on the air today.