In his novel The Light and the Dark, C. P. Snow expresses a theological challenge in the words of a tormented man name Udal. At one point in the novel Udal addresses a friend named Ralph: "I’ve had the absolute conviction - it’s much more real than anything one can see or touch - that God and his world exist. And everyone can enter in and find their rest. Except me. I’m infinitely far away forever. I am alone and apart and infinitesimally small - and I can’t come near."

…"could there be a world, Ralph, in which God existed - but with some people in it who were never allowed to believe?"

"It would be a tragic world," replied Ralph.

"Why shouldn’t it be tragic?" Udal cried. "Why shouldn’t there be some who are rejected by God from the very beginning?"

What these two fictional characters are discussing is the question of predestination. How does salvation work? Has it been decided in advance that some are included and others excluded? Are some destined now and forever to loneliness and death while others are destined to life in the fullest sense? Is it a tragic world we live in - for some people at least?

To all of those questions Calvin, the architect of our reformed movement, would say, "Yes." Simply put predestination for Calvin means some are included and some are excluded. It is a double predestination - the elect and the reprobate; and since this interpretation of predestination is often considered the one position you are supposed to believe if you are a good Presbyterian, I hope you’ll stay with me on what can be a heavy, but important, topic.

At the outset, I want to assure you, you do not need to believe in double predestination to be a good Presbyterian. Like most other Christian doctrines Presbyterians approach this doctrine with a wide variety of views. It is true that Calvin himself taught it, and it is strongly affirmed in the Westminster Confession of Faith and in the Canons of the Synod of Dort. But other Reformed confessions such as Calvin’s own Geneva Catechism, the Scots Confession, the Second Helvetic Confession, and the Heidelberg Catechism do not teach it. Nor do any of the 20th Century Presbyterian Statements of Faith. It is only one of several possible views in the Reformed tradition. I personally have a strong aversion to double predestination.

Shortly before his death, an interviewer asked Carl Sandberg: "What is the ugliest word in the English language?" Sandberg replied in his unique voice, "...the ugliest word... the ugliest word...the ugliest word...the ugliest word...exclusive." I believe Sandberg has something there and I believe the triune God of the Christian faith does not create some people for eternal inclusion in God’s love while at the same time creating others for eternal exclusion.

I remember a few years ago my daughter participated in rush at her college. The experience was a little bumpy for Erin, but in the end largely positive. Still, I was struck by the familiar tales of injustice, as some were included, some excluded from sororities for no good reason. God’s plan of salvation is more than a glorified college rush program where some new freshmen are elected while others are rejected, even before they get to campus.

Now, one argument for double predestination is that it is confirmed by experience: we can see with our own eyes that some people are in the church and some outside. Some people hear the Christian message and believe; others hear it and do not believe. Some people join a church and only show up on Christmas and Easter. Others wouldn’t think of missing a Sunday. Millions never even have a chance to hear and believe, simply because they were born at the wrong time or place. Some like the man in Snow’s novel may desperately want to believe and enter in and cannot. How can we explain that?

The doctrine of double predestination jumps to the conclusion that those whom we observe to be "insiders" must be chosen and loved by God, whereas the "outsiders" must be rejected or passed over. But is that a legitimate conclusion? Is it God or we ourselves who choose and reject? How do we know that those who seem to be "out" to us may not finally be "in" with God, and that some who seem to be "in" to us will not finally be "out" with God? Is it not an arrogant presumption to conclude that God’s choosing or rejecting corresponds to the differences we observe between people?

One of my favorite seminary professors, Bert Atwood, used to have a test for any sermon. He would ask us, "Where’s the good news?" Clearly, the doctrine of double predestination is not good news. For some at least, it is very bad news indeed. Imagine a minister standing before an Easter morning congregation and saying, "Christ died and lives for you – maybe." "God loves you – maybe." Now we get to the heart of my objection. I believe in a loving, merciful, patient God, a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The God I have come to know in Jesus Christ is eternally inclusive, not exclusive. And, I believe the New Testament when read in its entirely supports such a view.

We read for instance: "God is our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). The Lord is "patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17). Jesus is the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). "As all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ" (1Cor. 15:22). "As one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all" (Rom. 5:18). "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven" (Col. 1:19-20). "For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all" (Rom. 11:32).

Let me draw a supermarket analogy. Let’s say we go to something like Dorothy Lane Market – we’ll call it Predestination Market. For Calvin, and others who believe in predestination, God places us in a supermarket (creation) and we are to walk the aisles until we get to the checkout counter (judgment). As we walk the aisles looking for packages, we discover we can’t reach them by our own effort. While in some sense the shopping cart is ours, it is God who fills the cart for us with good things that we are unable to reach by our own effort. We should rejoice if our cart is filled with good things. And we may hope for those whose carts appear to us as empty - that they too will be filled someday by our creator. We are grateful if our cart is filled with faith (election) and we can say that empty carts lead to reprobation.

Thus, in answer to the tortured man in Snow’s novel who we met at the beginning of the sermon, those who believe in the Predestination Supermarket, like Calvin, would have to answer: "Yes, it is a tragic world - for some people anyway. Some are rejected from the very beginning. They cannot and never will be able to enter in and experience God’s love, forgiveness and acceptance. They are doomed to be infinitely far away forever. Perhaps you are one of them. But if so, you have no right to complain. God owes you nothing. You deserve the wrath of God for your sinfulness, and you will get only what you deserve."

Now…is that a Christian answer? I think not. Let’s imagine another supermarket. We’ll call it Universal Supermarket. God places us in this supermarket (creation) and goes to the checkout counter to wait (judgment) leaving us to wander up and down the aisles on our own (free will). All the packages are within reach. In this supermarket if we choose a package of faith, we are saved; if we choose unbelief, we are not saved.

But this is a gracious supermarket. And God does not just stay at the checkout counter; God walks the aisles with us. This market is open 24 hours a day. And, from time to time over the loud speaker we hear, "Attention all shoppers! Attention all shoppers!" And God points the way (if we will listen) to packages of faith. There are even polite helpers of God willing to place these faith packages into our carts, if we will assent. These packages of faith are not forced on us. If they were, we would lose our freedom as shoppers and thereby our distinction among creatures of God’s creation.

Thus, in the Universal Supermarket, in answer to the tortured man in Snow’s novel, we can say, "No, this is not a tragic world. God has made the first move and offers all salvation in Jesus Christ. It is a free gift. But like all gifts it must be opened and claimed for our own. Although God’s mercy is endless, it can be rejected. Perhaps, part of the gift is the ability to open and claim the package.

The Bible is a photo album filled with pictures of God's love for all. One striking image is found in the pages of 2 Samuel. The setting is the palace of King David. Gold and bronze fixtures gleam from the walls. Lofty, wooden ceilings crown each spacious room. In the banquet room David and his children gather for an evening meal. Absalom, tanned and handsome, is there, as is David’s beautiful daughter Tamar. The call to dinner is given, and the king scans the room to see if all are present. One figure, though, is absent.

Clump, scraaape, clump, scraaape. The sound coming down the hall echoes into the chamber. Clump, scraaape, clump, scraaape. Finally, the person appears at the door and slowly shuffles to his seat. It is the lame Mephibosheth seated in grace at David’s table. And the tablecloth covers his feet. Now the feast can begin.

Let us pray -

O God, we give you thanks for your steadfast love whereby you accept each and every one of us where we are, as we are. Help us to accept the fact that we are accepted. Amen.