Of the justice of God’s predestination
(Discuss in 2 larger groups or, for more participants, let several groups engage with the same set of questions)
GROUP 1: Read Mt 25:14-30
1) Why did not all servants receive an equal number of talents?
2) (How) can we be sure that the third servant was no believer?
3) What can we learn from this parable about the apparent injustice in God’s dealings, including predestination?
GROUP 2: Before the study, read the concluding chapter (xix) of “The bondage of the will” by Martin Luther (ISBN 13: 9780800753429), entitled “Of faith in the justice of God in His dealings with men” (sections CLXIII – CLXVI in the CCLE online version)
1) In the section CLXV (p315), Luther concluded that God’s justice is and should be incomprehensible to man. How did he arrive at this conclusion? cf Ro 11:33
[God is incomprehensible – i.e. all his attributes are superior to ours, incl. power, strength, wisdom, knowledge and substance. Therefore, also the justice in his judgments must be expected to surpass ours]
2) Luther suggested that without faith, human reason left to itself must conclude that either there is no God at all or else he must be unjust (p315; or section CLXVI). Why? cf Ps 73:12
[p316: Human reason cannot find it just that the righteous suffer while the unrighteous flourish in this world] =>
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How did Luther see the problem of this apparent injustice disappear in the light of faith? [By one word of the gospel that promises retribution and reward in the afterlife]
3) How could Luther himself believe in the biblical doctrine of God’s foreordaining predestination without yielding to the appeal of atheism?
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Hint: What advice did he give to his readers? [Faith trusts God that His justice will one day be evident to all in the light of glory] =>
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In section CLXVI, Luther distinguished three lights that enlighten the justice of God:
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The light of nature (rational): It can see the justice in “eye for an eye”, but not more.
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The light of grace (spiritual): reveals the justice of reward and retribution in the life after this life for the wicked that flourish, and for the righteous who suffer here.
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What then should we expect to become clear in the light of glory (eternal)? [Only this future light will reveal the justice in God’s judgments of predestination]
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4) If in this life we cannot yet comprehend the justice in how God predestines, why is predestination nonetheless taught in the Bible?
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What can and should we know about predestination, and (why) does it matter? cf Deut 29:29,
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In the chapter “on God preached and not preached…” (p169-171; or CCEL section LXIV), Luther distinguished the preached (revealed) will of God from his secret will. Do you agree with him that Deut 29:29 justifies to make this distinction? Why or why not?
- How are believers supposed to learn and trust the revealed will of God, also in matters of predestination? cf Ro 10:17 [where the context is all about predestination]
- On the other hand, what aspects of predestination remain an unsearchable secret to human reason?
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What will be the result of any attempts to penetrate aspects of God’s will that have not been revealed in Scripture and thus are not preached? cf Ro 11:33; Ps 139:5-6; Rev 15:8
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