Protestant
Well-Known Member
The heart-stopping video of the 3-year-old boy, Isaiah, taken captive by Harambe, the 450 pound Silverback, will not be easily forgotten. Millions have viewed the video with intense inquisitiveness, and with equally intense differing points of view.
But how many of the viewers discerned the heavenly eternal truths contained in this earthly, terrifying incident?
Before the gorilla dragged the boy like a rag doll through the water, his mother could be heard shouting, “Mommy’s right here. Isaiah, mommy loves you.”
Mommy could do nothing for the boy who was in eminent danger of death.
All she had to offer was sincere assurance that she was near and loved him.
But such assurance was meaningless without the assurance that, in addition to love, she would actually save him.
It took the death of Harambe, shot by an expert marksman, to assure the boy was saved.
Isaiah, like Adam and Eve, allowed curiosity to lead him into temptation.
And like the fall of Adam and Eve, Isaiah’s world became fraught with horrifying consequences as a result of his fall.
Now, how to rescue little Isaiah?
Unlike Isaiah’s mother who offered only words of love, our Lord offers more than mere words.
For our Lord understands full well the impotent condition of fallen man, as well as the overwhelming power of sin which has dominion over him.
Fallen man, like the 3-year-old in the grasp of Harambe, is no match for sin and Satan.
He has the power to take us captive at will, dragging us like limp rag dolls wheresoever he wills (2 Timothy 2:26).
The theology of our Pelagian, Arminian, non-Cal friends which states God loves all people, yet despite His love, cannot actually save the souls of all the people He allegedly loves, posits an impotence in our Lord which parallels the love of Isaiah’s mother.
“God loves you; now by the strength of your own power of self-determination free yourself from the stronghold of sin and Satan, and come to Christ by faith,” is the underlying message of our friends who preach ‘free will.’
But our Lord teaches the contrary: No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him (John 6:44).
The drawing of the Father includes giving the gift of the Holy Spirit who illumines and regenerates the slaves of sin and Satan who are, by nature, spiritually blind and dead.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father (John 6:65).
Christ has slain the strong man, Satan, of whom Harambe is a type.
This Christ achieved at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15), on behalf of the Elect.
The Elect are those given Him by the Father, who are loved by the Father.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day (John 6:39).
Those whom the Father loves, He actually has the wisdom and power to save to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25).
He is not willing that any of His Elect perish (2 Peter 3:9).
And His eternal, immutable will of purpose to save His people can never fail (Isaiah 46:10; Matthew 1:21).
This is the Gospel we preach; to the praise of His glorious grace.
But how many of the viewers discerned the heavenly eternal truths contained in this earthly, terrifying incident?
Before the gorilla dragged the boy like a rag doll through the water, his mother could be heard shouting, “Mommy’s right here. Isaiah, mommy loves you.”
Mommy could do nothing for the boy who was in eminent danger of death.
All she had to offer was sincere assurance that she was near and loved him.
But such assurance was meaningless without the assurance that, in addition to love, she would actually save him.
It took the death of Harambe, shot by an expert marksman, to assure the boy was saved.
Isaiah, like Adam and Eve, allowed curiosity to lead him into temptation.
And like the fall of Adam and Eve, Isaiah’s world became fraught with horrifying consequences as a result of his fall.
Now, how to rescue little Isaiah?
Unlike Isaiah’s mother who offered only words of love, our Lord offers more than mere words.
For our Lord understands full well the impotent condition of fallen man, as well as the overwhelming power of sin which has dominion over him.
Fallen man, like the 3-year-old in the grasp of Harambe, is no match for sin and Satan.
He has the power to take us captive at will, dragging us like limp rag dolls wheresoever he wills (2 Timothy 2:26).
The theology of our Pelagian, Arminian, non-Cal friends which states God loves all people, yet despite His love, cannot actually save the souls of all the people He allegedly loves, posits an impotence in our Lord which parallels the love of Isaiah’s mother.
“God loves you; now by the strength of your own power of self-determination free yourself from the stronghold of sin and Satan, and come to Christ by faith,” is the underlying message of our friends who preach ‘free will.’
But our Lord teaches the contrary: No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him (John 6:44).
The drawing of the Father includes giving the gift of the Holy Spirit who illumines and regenerates the slaves of sin and Satan who are, by nature, spiritually blind and dead.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father (John 6:65).
Christ has slain the strong man, Satan, of whom Harambe is a type.
This Christ achieved at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15), on behalf of the Elect.
The Elect are those given Him by the Father, who are loved by the Father.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day (John 6:39).
Those whom the Father loves, He actually has the wisdom and power to save to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25).
He is not willing that any of His Elect perish (2 Peter 3:9).
And His eternal, immutable will of purpose to save His people can never fail (Isaiah 46:10; Matthew 1:21).
This is the Gospel we preach; to the praise of His glorious grace.
