“Brothers, truly my heart’s pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for [it]to be saved. For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes” (Romans 10:1-4).
Tolerant Calvinist: In the interest of not utterly discrediting myself in the responsible Reformed world, I must raise a mild and dispassionate protest against your faulty conclusion concerning theologically-zealous Israel. What’s that? I forgot to mention their ignorance of the righteousness of God revealed in Christ? So I did. But this world can get quite messy, you know.
Paul, this is not about making clean necessary inferences relative to Israel’s ignorance of Christ’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own. And contrary to what you write, I think “ignorant” Israel (as you call them) actually have a good functional grasp of grace even though their theology of it is a little muddy.
Last thing before I wave your puerile behavior good-bye. Methinks a daubing of your dour forehead with the washcloth of charity may cool your streak of hotheaded radicalism that takes pleasure in judging people such as zealous Israel, unregenerate.
Paul, your supposed “love of the truth” (2 Thes. 2:10) is a sham, a fraud, a mere pretext, nothing but a cantankerous cloak for your delight in judging people lost. It’s quite peevish and petty to consign Israel to the flames of hell for just being a bit off on a doctrine. What’s that — you say judging someone presently lost is not the same as “consigning to the flames of hell.” Well, one would think I ought to know that Biblically careful and cautious distinction. But it’s much easier to misrepresent your position, you see.
Further, my assertion of the falsehood that you’re consigning Israel to flames eternal — instead of the truth of you simply judging them presently lost — is an emotional and sensationalistic tactic of sorts. I somewhat resemble the preacher who wrote in the margin of his sermon outline, “Argument weak — shout slander here.”
Agrammatos 