In the previous post I interacted with some of Cheung’s comments on God’s sovereignty and some objections thereto. Here are the remainder of Cheung’s comments (again, this is not an endorsement of Cheung as a true Christian). Cheung writes:
“We must not back away from the biblical doctrine, but we must advance and attack those who seek to undermine the glory of God, and make them regret their insolence. Instead of absorbing the opponent’s blow, we ought to take the grenade and throw it back in his face” (Vincent Cheung, Emotional Grenades).
Apparently, these insolent ones show greater concern for the little children of Adam than for the even littler Child ordained to be for the Consolation of Israel.
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name [was] Simeon. And this man [was] righteous and devout, eagerly expecting [the] Consolation of Israel. And [the] Holy Spirit was upon him. And it happened to him, having been divinely instructed by the Holy Spirit, he was not to see death before he would see [the] Christ of [the] Lord. And by the Spirit he came into the temple. And [as] the parents [were] bringing in the child Jesus [for] them to do according to the custom of the Law concerning Him, even [Simeon] received Him into his arms. And [he] blessed God and said, Now, Master, You will let Your slave go in peace according to Your Word; because my eyes saw Your Salvation, which You prepared before [the] face of all the peoples; a Light for revelation [to the] nations, and [the] Glory of Your people Israel. And Joseph was marveling, also His mother, at the things being said concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, Behold, this One is set for [the] fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against…so that [the] thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:25-35).
Would these hypocritical objectors ALSO say that
‘If God ordains and causes all things, then this also applies to the [crucifixion of the One set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed]’?
Presumably they would say that, yes? But perhaps — to their carnal minds — God’s sovereign ordination and causation of the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory does not carry with it the degree of emotional weight that the welfare of the creature does. The “welfare” of the creature is exchanged for the redemptive glory of God revealed in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
“… who changed the truth of God into the lie, and worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25).
“For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible; whether thrones, or lordships, or rulers, or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).
“Because of Him, and through Him, and to Him [are] all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:36).
“But now so says Jehovah who formed you, O Jacob; and He who made you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I called [you] by your name; you [are] Mine. When you pass through the waters, I [will be] with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk in the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle on you. For I [am] Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt [for] your atonement; Ethiopia and Seba instead of you. Since you were precious in My eyes, you are honored, and I love you; and I give men instead of you; and peoples instead of your soul. Fear not, for I [am] with you; I will bring your seed from the east, and I will gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up! And to the south, Do not hold back! Bring My sons from afar, and bring My daughters from the ends of the earth; everyone who is called by My name, and I have created him for My glory; I have formed him; yea, [I have] made him” (Isaiah 43:1-7).
“Lord, You are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because You created all things, and through Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
Cheung writes:
“The Bible says that even Christ’s crucifixion was foreordained by God (Acts 2:23, 4:28), and that ‘it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer’ (Isaiah 53:10). The rape of a child is indeed terrible. Anyone who commits such a crime should be executed. But even the rape of a child, or fifteen trillion children, is still insignificant compared to the shame and suffering that the divine Christ had to endure. Can you not see, that if you are offended at this, or even a little uncomfortable, it says something about you? It tells me that you treasure children more than God, and more than Jesus Christ. Your values are man-centered” (Vincent Cheung, Emotional Grenades).
The Judge of all the earth will do right (cf. Genesis 18:25). Those who engage in such vile wickedness will be judged. All who are predestined by God to remain in Adam — the non-elect or reprobate — will perish justly for their sins (Romans 3:1-20). All who are chosen from eternity in Christ will be saved in a way that is consistent with God’s holy law and justice (see Romans 3:20-26 and Isaiah 45:21).
Creature-man IS RESPONSIBLE to God for his sins which God ordains and causes (see Romans 3:5-8 and 9:13-24). Man is responsible, NOT because he is free from God’s decretive control and active power, but because God is the Sovereign and Righteous Judge who holds man responsible. If creature-man were free, then he would not be responsible. God is Sovereign and man is not free.
Consider the wickedness perpetrated since the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Consider the extremely violent and wicked starvation of multitudes by Joseph Stalin. Consider the even more wicked murderer of the souls of multitudes, C.H. Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers for the Prince of Darkness (cf. Matthew 11:20-24).
Cheung concludes:
“We are but dust, and should continuously give thanks that we are allowed to live. But the Most High ordained and caused his own Son, a person of infinite glory and value, to visit sinners and to receive insults, persecution, and even death from them. If the opponent is ignorant of this, it exposes him as incompetent. If he assumes that we would care more about the child, then he assumes that we are bad Christians. In many cases he would be on target, but not this time. And even if some stumble over this, it still does not refute the doctrine, but it means only that the opponent has discovered some bad Christians. And if the opponent claims to be a Christian, then he has exposed himself as a bad Christian. He cares more for a child than he does the Lord Jesus” (Vincent Cheung, Emotional Grenades).
Who are these “bad Christians”? Are they Cheung’s regenerate (albeit, a bit muddled) brethren? Anyway, it is quite clear that certain professing Christians DO in fact, care more for a creature-child than for the redemptive glory of God seen in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). This is CERTAINLY NOT to make light of sinful sexual perverts who prey upon children. NO INDEED. True Christians believe that the
“fear of Jehovah [is] the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy One [is] understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
True Christians have been imbued with a knowledge of the Holy One. And thus they have understanding that it is a matter of, shall we say, infinite PROPORTION. Jesus Christ is the true believer’s Passover; He is the PROPITIATION for their sins (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2, 4:10).
“Who has meted out the Spirit of Jehovah, or a man His counsel taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and [who] trained Him and taught Him in the path of justice; and taught Him knowledge, and made known to Him the way of discernment? Lo, nations [are] as a drop from a bucket, and are reckoned as dust of the scales. Lo, He takes up coasts as a little thing. And Lebanon [is] not enough to burn, nor are its beasts enough [for] a burnt offering. All the nations [are] as nothing before Him; to Him they are reckoned less than nothing and emptiness” (Isaiah 40:13-17).
Consider the COMPARATIVE MAGNITUDE of JESUS CHRIST in relation to, well, everything else. To quote Matthew 10:24-42 (paragraphing mine):
“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above his lord. [It is] enough for the disciple [to] become as his teacher, and the slave as his lord. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household? Therefore, you should not fear them, for nothing is covered which will not be uncovered; and hidden, which will not be made known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light. And what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. And you should not fear the [ones] killing the body, but not being able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him being able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.
Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Then do not fear; you are better than many sparrows.
Then everyone who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in Heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father in Heaven.
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I came to divide a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law. [Ones] hostile [to] the man [shall be] those of his [own] house. The [one] loving father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And the [one] loving son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
The [one] finding his life shall lose it. And the [one] losing his life on account of Me shall find it.
The [one] receiving you receives Me, and the [one] receiving Me receives Him who sent Me. The [one] receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the [one] receiving a just [one] in the name of a just [one] will receive a just [one’s] reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold [water to] drink to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, In no way will he lose his reward” (Matthew 10:24-42).
Agrammatos 