The Book of Jonah is one of the greatest accounts of God's Mercy to a very sinful and wicked people, which shows beyond any doubt the wideness of God's Love and Mercy and Forgiveness, that is NOT limited to the "elect" as some distort to be the case. No "Calvinist" can ever explain the Mercy and Salvation of God to the people Nineveh, who were noted for the cruelty in the way they treated the Jews, and the main reason why Jonah did not want to give them the Gospel Message. Even Jonah's running away on the ship was used by God to save the sailors, who no doubt accepted the Lord (1:16). In chapter 3 we read of the people of Nineveh responding to the message from God, that they ALL should repent and turn from their evil ways, and hope on the Mercy of the Lord. Who responded by saving them. God tells Jonah, "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock" (4:11). Some have suggested that the total number in this city was about 600,000. Can any honest person say that ALL those saved, were only the "elect"? Surely this is one of the greatest PROOFS of the Great Love that our Great God has towards the ENTIRE HUMAN RACE, and shows that the teaching of Christ only dying for an "elect" few, is TOTALLY unbiblical. Also note in 3:10, "and God saw their WORKS", but not "works" to earn salvation, but as the text goes on to say, "that they TURNED from their evil way". Repentance is indeed something that we must DO, as we turn from our sins to the Living God for His salvation. So FAITH and WORKS is clearly in the Bible for salvation! ONLY the hard-line Calvinist, who is more interested in his "theology", and less in what the Bible actually teaches, will find some excuse to dismiss this mission story in Jonah, where God saves ALL who will truly repent and turn to Him for salvation. Praise His Great Name!!!
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Jonah and Universal Atonement
- Thread starter ICHTHUS
- Start date
Yes, God did choose to save these people, but ONLY if they repented when they heard the Gospel preached to them by Jonah. Repentance is the prerequisite for salvation, and NOT election as it is falsely taught by Calvinists. Read the account and see the condition placed on these people, to either repent and be saved, or reject the message and be damned. This is clearly free-will, as they had a choice given to them by God, something that Calvinism denies.
The story of Jonah is one of God's patience in delaying His wrath. It must be noted that 100 years after Jonah, God destroyed the city.
Second, while God physically spared the residents of Nineveh, there is no indication that he spared individuals from His eternal wrath for their personal sin.
Therefore to equate the story of Jonah to atonement for sin is a false correlation. What is an accurate correlation is to say that cultural repentance may lead to God's immediate relenting of judgment and a deference to another point in time. We see this throughout the nation of Israel's history. This is NOT universal atonement. It IS God's willful choice to withold judgment to a future time and date.
Second, while God physically spared the residents of Nineveh, there is no indication that he spared individuals from His eternal wrath for their personal sin.
Therefore to equate the story of Jonah to atonement for sin is a false correlation. What is an accurate correlation is to say that cultural repentance may lead to God's immediate relenting of judgment and a deference to another point in time. We see this throughout the nation of Israel's history. This is NOT universal atonement. It IS God's willful choice to withold judgment to a future time and date.
You are very much mistaken to assume that the story of Jonah does not deal with Atonement for sin. The WHOLE teaching of this great book is to show the wideness of God's Mercy, and that He does forgive the worst sinners, people whom many would not even bother take the Gospel to. Sure God destroyed the nation 100 years later, but none of those whom He saved in the time of Jonah would have been among those destroyed. Only those who cannot accept the Bible as teaching that Jesus died for "everyone with exception", will have problems with any passage in Scripture that teaches what they do not like. This is very clear from the Calvinists handling of passages like John 3:16-17, where they would argue that "world" here means "elect", but solely for the purpose to get support for their pet teaching of particular redemption, or limited atonement, or their warped idea of "election".
You are projecting your own opinion on the text, ichthus. That is called "forcing." You have done a poor job of exegeting the book of Jonah.
The problem with most on the doctrine of election is this... Numbers... Calvinist are accused of using the word Limited Atonement instead of Unlimited Atonement... But the Limited Atonement states all that the Father gave unto his Son Jesus Christ to save shall be saved... To my understanding of scripture if you can number the stars of the sky and the sand of the sea there is your Limited Atonement... In the resurrection of the saints in Revelation the view in heaven is of a great number that no man can number... Saved by Jesus Christ alone, by his grace alone, by his faith alone... Since natural man cannot see the heart and the working of God in it sometime in a persons life they will be saved... From the cradle to the grave... Every child of God who he has purchased with his own blood Christ in you the hope of glory will acknowledge his or her God... The whole family of God will praise him around his throne, and not a one will be left out... That's how I understand the scriptures teach the doctrine of election... Christ is ALL in ALL!... Brother Glen
Ephesians 1:4-11
[4]Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
[5]God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
[6]So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
[7]He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
[8]He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
[9]God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.
[10]And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
[11]Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
[4]Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
[5]God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
[6]So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
[7]He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
[8]He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
[9]God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.
[10]And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
[11]Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
You cannot show from the Bible that sinners have still real free will!
Yes, because Jesus taught it. While talking to the unconverted, rebellious Jews, Jesus said:
"But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:38-40)
ONLY if His hearers had FREE WILL, could Jesus had said these words. Here Jesus not only criticizes them for not WILLING to come to Him, but says that this COMING TO HIM was for ETERNAL LIFE, only possible if Jesus actually had died for them on the cross.
Likewise in Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"
Note, NOT WILLING
Which is ONLY possible if they could WILL either to ACCEPT or REJECT Him, which is what FREE WILL is about!
Looks like your mind is made up!
Thanks for sharing from the Word, but what is you point exactly?
Of course they are not willing. None of us are. God must capture us and save us by HIS will.
We will always run from God and flee from Him, just as Adam and Eve did in the garden after the fall.
Why do you insist on taking the authority for issuing salvation away from God and having it in your hands instead?
Poor response. Your projection is obvious.
Proof your opinion is wrong.
I think you have blinkers on, and only see what you want to! The FACT that Jesus tells them that they are UNWILLING to come to Him for salvation, is ONLY possible if they possessed FREE WILLS, to ACCEPT or REJECT.
Does NOT prove anything
They were not welling to come to him, as sinners by their very natures will keep on rejecting His light!
Ephesians 1 proves God's choice in determining salvation. Your rejection of God's word is your problem. Look at Ephesians 1 again. Only a blind person cannot read it and comprehend God's sovereign choice in salvation.
No, their very sin natures put the blinders on them, and ONLY the Spirit can remove them!