Does God Owe Anyone Mercy?

Dr. Leighton Flowers confronts Dr. James White's faulty critique of Dr. William Lane Craig (and other non-Calvinists).

Often we hear the objection that God is not obligated to have mercy on anyone. That’s true. However, the fact that God is not obligated to be merciful towards all people is what makes the display of His mercy to all people so amazingly gracious and abundantly glorious. That God does what He is not obligated to do for no other reason than He desires to be merciful to all is glorious.

Anyone suggesting this display of mercy isn’t genuine (or that’s it’s just an outward/external “prescriptive” will of God, but that His real secret desire is only to show mercy to a preselected few) is diminishing the abundance of His mercy and the glory of His grace extended to every person.

Also, I think sometimes there is an assumption that mercy is weakness. But that could not be further from the truth. Mercy can only be handed down by someone in a place of judgement over another. If it is not within my power to pass condemnation on someone, then it is also not within my power to have mercy on them. Mercy is an expression of power, not of weakness.

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” -Ps 145:8-9

“For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” -Rom 11:32

[tacticalfilmfightingacadem]

Thats right Dr Flowers. Mercy can only be shown by someone who has authority or power over the one being shown mercy. Amen.

[apilkey]

God is not obliged to do or to be be anything that we think or say He should be.

However He IS obligated to be who HE SAYS He is.

HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS!

And God does NOT lie.

So yes, God is infact bound by His Word and He will not go back on it.

He’s not bound by you or me but He’s bound by HIMSELF and Who HE SAYS He is and He will uphold the truth of His Word which is states the very essence of who He is.

The essence that God in His Sovereignty set forth.

Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life.

They testify to who God is.

The reason God has mercy on anyone is according to His Word and who HE’S DECIDED to have mercy on.

Not according to you.

Not according to me.

According to His Word.

Not my word.

Not your word.

HIS WORD.

...According to Psalm 86:5 God has mercy on ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM:

PSALM 86:5

5 For thou, Lord, art good, and READY TO FORGIVE; and PLENTEOUS IN MERCY UNTO ALL THEM THAT CALL UPON THEE.

God is obligated to have mercy on all who call upon Him based on HIS Word that HE has given us.



...According to Proverbs 28:13 WHOSO confesses and forsakes their sin SHALL HAVE MERCY:

PROVERBS 28:13

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but WHOSO CONFESSETH AND FORSAKETH THEM SHALL HAVE MERCY.

God is obligated to have mercy on all who confess and forsake his sins.

God is bound by His Word.

He WILL do what He says He will do.

God doesn’t owe you or me anything except that which He’s told us in His Word.

[medicalmorning]

"Gods glory and power is best demonstrated in his mercy and love for all, not his control of all."
That hit me hard.

[calvinpeterson]

“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22

[craigjoyner]

James white equates “they are not given a chance” with “god owes them a chance”.

No one made that assertion. It’s simply as statement that if Calvinism is true, there are some who never had a chance. Ever. Period. Ever. For his glory???

Calvinism is false.

[winder]

God doesn't owe us anything but justice. We must choose this day (and every day hereafter) whom we will serve.

[jcthomas]

Yes! It would not be "unjust" of God if he left most people without hope of salvation, but it would be "unChristlike". Great way to put it!

[PixieDizzie]

This video by Leighton Flowers is so insightful and helps people understand God in His power, love, mercy and grace and when we seek God and find Him, we learn so much more wonder about Our Heavenly Father and Savior God through Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 4:29. When we seek Him we will find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts and all our souls. (I paraphrased this verse from memory).

[Dmlaney]

1 Timothy 2: 4 *Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth*

[Michelle-sqqi]

So eloquently stated, Dr Leighton about the goodness of our glorious God.

[a.k.]

I can't even take JW seriously anymore, his arguments are so lame.

[markgupton]

Ran across your vids a week or so ago and couldn't have happened at a better time. Was invited to join a mens Bible study a couple of months ago. Before Christmas break the leader of the group brought up adamantly for the second time once saved always saved. I mentioned during the break to the person who had invited me that I didn't believe that way. When the study resumed after Christmas I realized that he apparently passed that onto the teacher as the lesson was on once saved always saved. He made it a point that the group had been over this a year before but it had been brought up to him that some (me) still didn't get it. Not wanting to challenge him in front of about 25 men all united against me I'm sure, I chose to send him a email explaining my position. I was extremely diplomatic and the only thing that may have been a little harsh was I stated that of all of the warnings in Scripture about being cast away, falling away, etc to say they were directed at the unsaved in the church was in my opinion ludicrous. The response I got was a short thank you for your thoughts and since, the last 3 lessons always have things such as, unsaved can't discern these things, just because someone knows alot about the Bible doesn't mean they're saved and other thoughts I believe are for my benefit. I feel I've been labeled as divisive, heretical or a Judas just for having a different belief though I said I hoped we could agree to disagree. I
thought about bowing out gracefully as I know there will be other differences as some of the churches different men attend have women pastors, deacons and elders. Plan to hang in and try to present my beliefs humbly from Scripture.

[KISStheSON...]

Amen, hallelujah!!!
God is GOOD!
Psalms 94:8
“Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?”
WISE:
responding sensibly or shrewdly to a particular situation.


Proverbs 2:6
“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
Romans 10:17
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

[primeobjective]

*John Piper* used a similar argument to dismiss *Libertarian Free Will.* He said if you asked for forgiveness by your own *Free Will*, then *"God would be indebted to you".*
That doesn't work.

[SolitaireZeta]

Dr. Flowers: Is Calvinism just an error/secondary issue that can ultimately be begrudgingly tolerated, or is it an outright heresy that fundamentally distorts and perverts the essence of the gospel, God, free will and salvation? Which is it, and why?

[reddog]

Very good.

I would say no God doesn't owe us mercy, because by definition, God in His mercy is not giving us what we do deserve.

Another Calvinist STRAWMAN exposed by Soteriology101

[Jeremyb]

Grace and love are truly offered to the perishing... even to those who will ultimately reject it. It is not a mere offer, but rather one that is capable of saving. -- 2 Thessalonians 2:10 - "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." --- We see that they perish not because they are unelect, but rather because they have rejected the love of the truth. God truly loves them and offers them grace for the express purprose that they might be saved. The apostle Paul would never say this if it were not possible for them to receive the truth.

[suzanneyorkville]

Thank you. I have been struggling a lot and just a few days ago I started to look at God's mercy. You explanation has been helpful and a much needed comfort.

[robertvalentine]

Truth be told, we don't have "our verses" and they don't have "their verses".God has "his verses", and therefore all of them belong to "us".if we have "our verses", then not even these teach what we think they do..After all, Scripture interprets Scripture, and if we feel compelled to embrace some passages over others in order to maintain consistency, we haven't really understood "our verses ".