If Total Depravity is true, why did Christ need to hide his message in parables?

"To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12*so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN." (Cross reference Luke 8; Matt. 13)

Notice that this passage tells us that Jesus used parables so that certain Jews wouldn't believe and be forgiven. But why?

If Calvinists assumption, that men are born unable to believe in Christ without an effectual calling, is true, then why would Christ need to hide the message in parables to prevent them from believing? Notice that it says they "might return and be forgiven," proving that the parables kept that from possibly happening.

Jesus must have believed that they could have believed and "returned" to Him, otherwise why would he say this?

In short, why would you hide a message from people so they can't believe it when those people were born unable to willingly believe or even understand that message in the first place?

Please refrain from personal attacks, questioning other's intentions, or responding in a non-Christlike way. Such posts will be reported and ignored. Just respond to the topic at hand or refrain from posting. Thank you.

 

Any answers to this question?

 

How does that explain the statement regarding how they, "might return and be forgiven," if not for hiding the message in parables?

How is that uniquely Calvinistic? We believe people can resist God's revelation too. Not everyone in Israel during the time of Uzziah refused to repent and believe, the group generally rebelled, but there is nothing to suggest they couldn't have done otherwise due to some inborn nature.

Agreed, which is why God sent his enemies an appeal to be reconciled to him. That message of reconciliation in Matthew 12 is being purposefully hidden so that they can not repent at that time.

Incorrect. In fact, in Acts 2 many of the same Jews who cried out "crucify him" came to faith after Peter's sermon. This was after the gospel had been sent into all the world and the Holy Spirit had come, before this point Christ wasn't drawing all men to himself.

Paul said, "11 Again I ask: Did they [Israel] stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them....23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Notice that Israel has been cut off or hardened, but that doesn't mean as you said, that, "They would not even be given the opportunity any more to accept the message, believe, repent." They can be grafted back in if the "leave their unbelief." Those being hardened can be saved once provoked by envy.

That is like saying: I turned out the lights on these people because I didn't want them to see the truth and respond. And then explaining it later by saying:

The people I turned the lights out on were born blind which is really why I turned out the lights on them. The passage specifically says that the light being turned off is what prevented them from seeing. It doesn't say, as you have presumed, that the light was turned off BECAUSE they were already unable to see.

Explain what this means please. What does he mean by "lure them toward a new attention?"

Again, can you explain what this means? What does the "accumulation of guilt" matter to a reprobate destined to an eternity in hell? And why doesn't he "address them directly?" Could it be as the passage states, that they "might come to repentance?"

 

First, the gospel is an appeal made by God to his enemies for reconciliation. To assert, as you have done here, that being "at enmity with God" somehow makes a divine message sent to bring reconciliation with an enemy cannot be received by enemies because they are "at enmity" is what is libelous.

And we know, that Israel, being hardened (not from birth but through rebellion and now through judicial means) are prevented from responding to the gospel temporarily.

From birth as Total Depravity presumes? NO!

The "become calloused" and they "grow hardened" over time after rebelling again and again. God chose to seal them in that rebellion by hiding the truth from them temporarily so as to accomplish redemption.

 

Correct.

But it has been my experience that this is where most Calvinists will bail in a discussion. They recognize the difficulty of this passage and how it completely undermines their system. They usually give one to two pat answers and rarely stick around for follow ups. I did the same thing when I was a Calvinist. Sometimes it is easier to ignore the difficult passage rather than deal with them objectively and honestly.

I was surprised by Luke's response. I look forward to his take on the subject. He sounded as if he would at least deal with the question objectively.

 

So, I'm wondering why few want to engage with this topic?

 

I know of people who have been turned off to Christianity and the gospel. It seems the worse thing you can do is try and shove it more down their throats. Once they have rebelled and grown hardened to it, continuing to preach it just hardens them further.

This was the state of Israel, who had been rebelling for generations despite Gods desire and effort to "gather and save them." (ref. Matt 23:37; Rom 10:21 etc)

Jesus quotes this passage as a reference to their current condition as well. Like Pharaoh, God chose to harden or blind Israel to seal them in their already rebellious condition. He knew that the gospel truth might persuade them to believe, so he kept it hidden in parables and sent a "spirit of stupor" to ensure they remained in their already rebellious condition for a time.

Why? To accomplish redemption when they killed Christ, and to allow room for the Gentiles to be grafted into the church. (Rm 11).

There is a very clear distinction between the Jews and Gentiles at this time in history. Israel was being hardened, but the Gentiles "will listen." (Acts 28:28) Which is why we know that a universal natural condition of total depravity is not a biblical concept.

 

Luke, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Go ahead and post here. We haven't been discussing anything on any other thread in a while anyway.