ALLEN T. OLATUNDE
INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR: MOSES AUDI
TITLE OF THE BOOK: UNDERSTANDING GOD AND DESTINY
PUBLISHER: CHARISA PUBLISHING
DATE OF PUBLISHING: 2010
PLACE OF PUBLISHING: IBADAN, NIGERIA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Moses Audi, systematic theologian, seasoned writer, missionary to the Fulani’s, trainer and lecturer in Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, is unique in amplifying argument to simplify the issue for common man to understand.
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
INTRODUCTION
Language plays a key role in communicating certain facts. The issue of destiny lies on this word, “compel.” There area two parties that argued that fact that God does compel a man to do certain thing and others say that, God does not compel anyone. The thesis focuses on argument made by Calvinism and Armenianism. The response to these facts must acknowledge both the sovereignty of God and human responsibility as a result of freedom.
CHAPTER ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT
Compelling has to do with enforcing action whether acceptable or not to the person or persons enforced. It can also be absolute expression of authority or to lead or encourage someone to act in a direction one would not have chosen or thought about. Can we say God compel by these definitions? Does God force His absolute authority on us all times? However, theological responses to this meaning in view of Calvinism thought of positive. Compelling is seen as overwhelming presence of God, expressing hatred, oppressing, negating freedom, gratifying self, destroying fulfilled, being unfair, negating human dignity, being unconcerned about God in and of others, expressing anger etc. Agents that compel God’s presence are leadership, circumstances, human conscience, law, knowledge and truth.
CHAPTER TWO: THE ABILITY OF GOD TO COMPEL
Some factor led to the belief that God compels, such as the nature of God, understanding human personality and God-human relationship. The nature of God is seen from His attribute and His works in which can help to know the compelling God. God is seen as creator, sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. What we know about human personality such as being a creature, having complex life with sociological realities and transcendence of religious realities. Relationship of God and man can be seen as perfect with imperfect, divine and mundane. However, the greatness and ability of God to bring to pass irrespective of possible obstacles supports that God compels.
CHAPTER THREE: ARGUMENTS FOR THE BELIEF THAT GOD COMPELS
This argument is divided into three: Biblical, contemporary and theological aspects. For Biblical aspects, linguistic expression of account that narrates divine compelling into ministry or personal salvation is seen in the life of Moses with series of complaint that yet compelled the mission on him. Experience of Jonah to Nineveh, Peter and the trance that revealed the acceptance of Gentiles for salvation in his heart and Paul situation that led to conversion experience without his intent shows compelling nature of God. Argument from contemporary context is much recent by our daily experience as people became causality to life in respect to disobedience to God’s call. It may be frustrations of our plans for His will. Church even concluded that way to raise hope on God’s dependability. Theological arguments view it in this way of irresistible grace, eternal security, limited atonement, unconditional election, predestination as Calvin coined in doctrine of predestination. All these argument assert that God compels to ministry and salvation.
CHAPTER FOUR: ARGUMENT AGAINST THE BELIEF THAT GOD COMPELS
This argument also will be seen from Biblical, contemporary and theological view of the belief that God doesn’t compel. In the Bible, men were preached to reject evil but they refused which led to their destruction in the time of Noah. Abraham consent was given high priority on sacrifice of Isaac to God. God did not force him but allowed him to show his loyalty to Him. In NT, Paul in his mission work did not force anyone to believe but persuade men. If Jesus ministry never compelled, but with condition of ‘if’ on every decision, then, God doesn’t compel man. Contemporary argue that invitation to accept Christ after sermon is optional, even the mandate to win the world that was given to church is not forced, thought churches have neglect the task for business of their choice. The reality of evil and good in the society has link to human choice and responsibility as theological argued. Freewill of man made God to offer salvation on provisional basis. The argument that God doesn’t compel but man’s choice is obviously stated.
CHAPTER FIVE: EVALUATION OF THE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION
The evaluation is on dialogue technique. The experiences of Biblical heroes formed the basis for the evaluation on scriptural refection that anyone desiring godly things would cherish the persuasion enough to yield and to anyone to please God has privilege to ask question on uncertainty. Jonah experience ended with vow fulfillment which is not compelling from God. Peter had good meaning of the vision as the problem got solved by teaching and guiding of God. Yet we can seen God compelling when He directs and men refuse then He punished as an evident against the argument. A contemporary evidence for the argument is that human response is required because responsibility is involved. While point against the argument is that our adequacy as man is not enough in ministry that is why men fail.
Theological approach to the argument supports with the irresistible grace of God to men to ask question for understanding of His reality. Unconditional election and eternal security reveal the extent of our sin and the bigness of God to men and the assumption that whatever does, if saved will remain saved. Yet there are evidence against the facts that the ability to evaluate between good and evil is in man but revealed through disobedience to God. God created man with a capacity to desire, evaluate and perceive whatever is good. The danger of overemphasis on the argument either for or against mat affect the church on human involvement in faith; motivation for service to the Lord; living a purposeful life; and judgment of other people’s action towards us in the church. The attempt to combine the two led to doctrine of permissive will of God, yet no man’s action can change His will.
CHAPTER SIX AND SEVEN THEOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF THE AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE RESPONSE AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE CHURCH
The problem that God compels raises problems for the church that God’s sovereignty supercedes mission as Calvin stated. Mission is not compulsory as long as God will save those who He desires. Also, that God’s ability equal actual occurrence. This encourages the notion that the action of compelling is right if it is God doing it while it is oppression and marginalization if done by people one to another. God compels the world to godliness. There will be rejection of Great Commission. The injunction that God compels destroys the necessity for the existence of the church, and also domesticates religion. There will be no endurance and church will lack word to explain faith once God compels human beings.
CHAPTER EIGHT: SYNTHETIC RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION
The attribute of God are not datable. We cannot all understand God by our human standard. God discloses truth and failure to use the truth is human’s fault. The author balanced the judgment by excellent comparison of compelling of human and that of God. When God compels, there is splendid atmosphere of joy, justice, liberty etc. instances when God compels are when there is divine force, grace, and love over desires. He desires his children to get result desired. God does not compel without a moral principle. Human beings are made that any rejection of known or knowledge continues to hunt.
CONCLUSION
Nothing should make the church to devalue the two arguments. We affirm that God’s sovereignty is real yet human freedom is also real. God has absolute power. The sense of judgment makes man have sense of responsibility on his part
ACHIEVING OF GOAL
Yes! The author achieved his goal by striking hard the issues on every side to nail every doubt out of the argument without bias. The author maintained balance on the flow and he could diagnose factors that might lead to compelling matters that God might or might not involve with. The author scholarly retraced the issues from its genesis to date. The achievement of placing the issues on scale of scholarship is worthy of appreciation.
STRENGTH
- The book has good flow of thought with theological ideas.
- The author has excellent work in playing with words and figures to actually hit conclusion.
- He does not impose his view on the reader but emphasize the benefit of digging deep into the issue.
- The argument is really debatable with points on both sides. The author is not bias in language and in worldviews of the evidences displayed.
- The book has element of dealing with other bigger issues.
- The author had good display of comparison without three views of biblical, contemporary and theological scope.
WEAKNESS
- The author exchanged the word ‘destiny’ with other words.
- He did not traditionally view the destiny as a issue that was passed from ages to ages.
- He did not relate with other religion their view on destiny.
- The author led the reader into confusion of conviction by reading further.
- The book treated issues that bother people in the society but examples in the church world and bible were used.
- The author placed his view on the old theorists and contemporary view of second hand news, instead of personal interview or questionnaire to sample opinions of range of people to reach conclusion on the matter.
- The level of reason in the book is theological and intellectual than just literal for a layman mind to conceive easily.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Destiny as Yoruba people view it is that the automatic plan of life or layout of life which a man cannot change but plays round it for the fulfillment. It is often use when life becomes unbecoming. The response of people to situations is to accept the written code of life that is unchanging. The trick has been used to clam a worried soul and to slow down the toiling of men in life. It is accepted that God is supreme over man and what He has ordained for man cannot be manipulated. When poverty or riches as portion, destiny chooses the path of life. In other religion, the acceptance of disasters and life tragedy are part of religious rite. That God has written the incidence before it happed and nothing can stop it. This understanding handicapped them to think deep why the occurrence. To cheap others, we lied on destiny. Human responsibility on the scenario has disappeared because they see man as powerless before God that is great.
PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION
My view over God and destiny is right sharpened by the thought derived in the book. The sovereignty of God is undeniable over humankind and man also has good level of freedom to choose. Destiny becomes tools for us when we acknowledge our guilty but uncovered; we then covered with God concurrence over the matter. Destiny exists yet God does not conclude the writing. Both party contributed the plan. God has a plan but man also plans. The rejection of God’s plan that is perfect led us to error in that backfire and to escape the guilt, we accord the blame to God. Man has power to deny God and face life consequences but the end that is unseen for men bears the blame. God is good and not evil, I believe this. All His plans for us is good, but the fulfillment of this plan revolves round our response to godliness and truth of life that is acknowledged in Jesus Christ.
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