Plantinga Chapter 5

Today in class when my group discussed this chapter that is centered around Vocation, There was interesting discussion.  One member of my group is PRC, of which he claims does not believe in the whole 'vocation' thing (if I understood correctly).  I am neither PRC nor CRC, so I did not feel educated enough to comment.

Essentially, our conversation was dominated by discussion on predestination.  I guess that this was derived from the disagreement about vocation...that, if God is going to redeem the world, there isn't a reason to, as Plantinga puts it, reform the secular institutions.  As I said before, I have no dog in this fight.  However, I did respond with several questions predicated on this belief, including, "Well for that matter, what is the point in spreading the gospel if all will be redeemed by Jesus' second coming?"  Obviously, it didn't take long for the conversation to end with predestination (just follow the train of thought...get it?).  Anyway, in the discussion about the "p" word, as I'll call it, the response was that of a passage in Romans; that God uses the Word to call out those who are predestined.  One would think that this would answer the question, but I am not he.  "So," I said, "If God tells me to tell someone about Jesus, and I ignore it because it would be embarrassing, does that someone lose an opportunity in eternity?"  The answer was a quick, "no" because that person was obviously not predestined.

As you can see (or at least as I see it), it is a circular argument when talking about the "p" word.  That being said, to say I have no belief bu t only 'stupid questions' would be a lie.  I do believe that God knows all, as he is omnipotent.  He knows the fate of every man.  I also believe that we can not simply write some situation off as a matter of someone being predestined or not predestined.  We know nothing,so we must not make it an issue.

At the end of the conversation of Plantinga's book, I had one major conclusion.  As much as I may disagree with someone about something so minute, she is still my Sister that I should not exclude from an Inner Ring in which she might otherwise be a part of.  If I can worship the same God, pray to the same God, and earnestly seek truth alongside a man, he is my Brother.  For those who would claim that the "p" word IS a big deal, I say that it is just as big of one for me, but in the end we do have a common ground.  We must balance the finding of truth, and the ability to practice Agape with one another.