The next objection Boettner mentions against the Reformed doctrine of predestination is found in chapter XVI. The objection is this:
“That it is inconsistent with the free agency and moral responsibility of man” (p. 208).
In the Biblical doctrine of predestination man has absolutely no free agency relative to His Maker. NONE. Mans’ moral responsibility before God has NOTHING to do with whether he is “free” or not, but whether or not his Maker has determined to judge him for his sin. The clear Biblical teaching is that God actively causes the reprobate (non-elect) to hate His glory, persecute His people, and oppose His gospel, that He may justly punish them. Thus man is NOT accountable to God because he IS FREE, but because he IS NOT FREE. If man WAS FREE, then he would NOT be accountable.
The basis for mans’ accountability is God’s sovereignty — God is the sovereign Judge who justly holds men responsible for the sins He unconditionally and actively causes them to commit.
You will then say to me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will? (Romans 9:19)
The typical Calvinist bases his accountability or culpability for his sin on whether or not he is “partially sovereign.” In fashionable Calvinism man is sovereign in his acts of sin (before and after regeneration) and his “god” is sovereign in the initial regenerating act and the fruits thereof. In this scheme “the man” is “partially sovereign” and “the god” is also “partially sovereign” — so I guess in that sense the Reformed doctrine of predestination IS consistent with the Reformed doctrine of “the free agency and moral responsibility of man” due to the so-called “creature” and so-called “creator” each possessing their own share of “sovereignty” (with the creature possessing THE LION’S SHARE insofar as the pervasiveness of sin in the world is concerned).
“It is, of course, admitted by all that a person’s acts must be without compulsion and in accordance with his own desires and inclinations, or he cannot be held responsible for them” (p. 208).
Really Boettner? Is this ALL that’s on your list of requirements God has to meet in order to be considered just and righteous in your sight? Of course it ISN’T since the Pharaoh in Romans 9 and the King in Isaiah 10 are NOT being compelled to sin by a less-than-omnipotent-god; rather, they are being ACTIVELY CAUSED TO SIN by an omnipotent God who desires to display His power and wrath in them.
Just as the woodsman actively and efficiently swings the axe so God actively and efficiently swings the Pharaoh and the King. Both men acted according to their own desires and inclinations because God was actively controlling their desires and inclinations. What was that objection again?
You will then say to me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will? (Romans 9:19)
Yep. That is correct, sir. That’s the age-old objection offered by those ocular degenerates who count the Potter as the clay and who blur the distinction between the creature and the Creator (see Isaiah 29:16; Romans 9:20-21). Next Page (33)
Agrammatos 