God a respecter of persons?

[_SamIam]

Acts 10:34-35 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

A commentator of a previous generation, who is a committed non-calvinist, considers this passage to completely refute the doctrine of unconditional election. It is held to do so on two counts; first if unconditional election is true, God would show partiality contrary to the reading of this passage, second, this passages seems to make God's acceptance of individuals dependent upon the individuals actions.

Is this a fair understanding of this passage? Do you know how a calvinist may respond to this argument?

[Guest]

Is this a fair understanding of this passage? Do you know how a calvinist may respond to this argument?


I agree that it contradicts Calvinism since it says "no partiality" and "anyone" but many other verses say similar things like "whosoever" or others that encourage making the right choice.
The Calvinist would respond the way they always do by claiming that we can't choose or believe or respond or be whosoever or anybody without God first dragging us to Him.

[Guest]

I don't think this really applies. Calvinism, if anything, teaches that *anyone* could be elect. It's just that if you're not, you can't be, and if you are, you can't *not* be. Wow...I didn't know it was possible to confuse myself...

What I'm trying to say is, Calvinism has no problem with the idea that God chooses without regard to Jew/Greek, male/female, Packers/Bears fan...

[Guest]

Calvinism, if anything, teaches that *anyone* could be elect. It's just that if you're not, you can't be, and if you are, you can't *not* be. Wow...I didn't know it was possible to confuse myself...




But the verse says "anyone who fears Him" and that IMO does contradict Calvinism because in the real world there must be some people who fear God yet are not among the elect. There are people in this world who fear God yet don't even know Christ.

[_SamIam]

What I'm trying to say is, Calvinism has no problem with the idea that God chooses without regard to Jew/Greek, male/female, Packers/Bears fan...

It seems reasonable to read Acts 10:34-35 to mean that God accepts those of every nation (Jew and Gentile) precisely because he does not show partiality to any individual over any other individual, regardless of ethnicity. This seems incompatible with unconditional election.

[Guest]

Hi

I don't think this verse helps the non-Calvinist. (I don't think it hurts either.

1. The context is about a Gentile, Cornelius, coming to faith. The partiality would favoring Jews and excluding Gentiles.

Act 10:28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

2. God has the right to choose beforehand who his witnesses would be. There is a sense that is a kind of partiality. God is partial to believers, He opposes the proud, and gives grace to the humble. perhaps even to "would-be" believers, like Cornelius.

Act 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
Act 10:42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.Act 10:43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

[Guest]

Acts 10:34-35 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

A commentator of a previous generation, who is a committed non-calvinist, considers this passage to completely refute the doctrine of unconditional election. It is held to do so on two counts; first if unconditional election is true, God would show partiality contrary to the reading of this passage, second, this passages seems to make God's acceptance of individuals dependent upon the individuals actions.

Is this a fair understanding of this passage? Do you know how a calvinist may respond to this argument?

A Calvinist would respond that Peter is speaking to the justice of God.

Peter is saying that God will not refuse anyone who fears Him and does what is right, but happens to be Greek, or from any of the other nations.

The Calvinist gladly affirms the truth of God's justice, and relies on it for assurance. We who have Christ's righteousness and the sanctification of the Spirit will be judged Holy by the Father on the day of Judgment, regardless of race, socio-economic status, etc.

The Calvinist, however, recognizes that salvation does not come through God justly and impartially judging, but through Grace and Mercy. Thus, Peter is not addressing how Cornelius came to worship God, but only the fact that God does not refuse non-Jews who worship Him.

-Turretinfan

[Guest]

Peter is saying that God will not refuse anyone who fears Him and does what is right, but happens to be Greek, or from any of the other nations.

The Calvinist gladly affirms the truth of God's justice, and relies on it for assurance. We who have Christ's righteousness and the sanctification of the Spirit will be judged Holy by the Father on the day of Judgment, regardless of race, socio-economic status, etc.

The Calvinist, however, recognizes that salvation does not come through God justly and impartially judging, but through Grace and Mercy. Thus, Peter is not addressing how Cornelius came to worship God, but only the fact that God does not refuse non-Jews who worship Him.

-Turretinfan

And this applies to (and refers to) people before they are regenerated, correct?

[Guest]

Peter is saying that God will not refuse anyone who fears Him and does what is right, but happens to be Greek, or from any of the other nations.

The Calvinist gladly affirms the truth of God's justice, and relies on it for assurance. We who have Christ's righteousness and the sanctification of the Spirit will be judged Holy by the Father on the day of Judgment, regardless of race, socio-economic status, etc.

The Calvinist, however, recognizes that salvation does not come through God justly and impartially judging, but through Grace and Mercy. Thus, Peter is not addressing how Cornelius came to worship God, but only the fact that God does not refuse non-Jews who worship Him.

-Turretinfan

And this applies to (and refers to) people before they are regenerated, correct?

A) Peter does not mention regeneration here, so if you are asking whether Peter answers that question here, the answer is, "no he doesn't say that this refers to unregenerate man."

B) If you are asking about the condition of unregenerate men (i.e. whether there is a group of do-good unregenerates), the teaching of Scriptue is summed up by Paul thus: "There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ...."

C) If you wonder whether those gentiles that heard what Peter said were already regenerate, or whether they still needed to become regenerate, the the evidence provided by the outpouring of the charismatic gift of tongues on them, which absolutely shocked the believing Jews who had accompanied Peter to Cornelius' house, should be persuasive evidence of their not being spiritually dead.

-Turretinfan

[Guest]

It is Arminianism that has God showing partiality not Reformed thought.

If you fear God, as some have been saying, is that not something which God is partial to, pleasing God, in the one who is "fearing" Him?

Calvinists fear Him, as a consequence of the new birth (regeneration), which is "Joh 3:8 "The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice; but you do not know from where He comes, and where He goes; so is everyone having been generated from the Spirit."
(John 3 and the freedom of God in salvation regarding Unconditional election).

Arminians teach regeneration consequent to faith/fear/seeking/repenting etc.
That equates to God showing partiality to those who exercise faith/fear/seeking/repenting etc.

Do you see it?

Calvinists do not know why God chose them, it certainly was not anything to do with us, whether that be faith/fear/seeking/repenting etc.

All we know is "that it pleased the Lord". (Gal 1:15)