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LETTER TWO BY MRS. MARJORIE
BOND
1505 Scotland Street
Calgary, Alberta
November 6, 1959
Part 11
Dear Dr. Cole:
2. The sovereignty of God justifies it–He has the same rights
over us as the potter with the clay, etc., emphasising such
qualities of God as His absolute Righteousness, Holiness,
Omniscience, Self-Existence, etc. which entitles Him to act in
a sovereign way.
3. The righteousness and Holiness of God safe-guards it; it
cannot be unjust for it is absolutely impossible for God to do
anything wrong, be unfair, unjust, Unfaithful…”he cannot deny
Himself”. Regardless of how it may appear to us we have this
knowledge and comfort that the Judge of all the earth will do
righteously.
Well, after I had made my points, the members asked
questions. I felt really sorry for one woman in my class. She
has come to our church from the United Church. I think she is
saved–but periodically one detects in her thinking and from
her remarks, a throwback to the United Church doctrine of
salvation through works! Evidently she has been really
wrought up over this subject–which I consider a good sign. I
told her she couldn’t have been any more disturbed than I was
at first. She cannot see that it is not unjust of God. I thought
your illustration of being on the fence and God pushing them
to one side or the other excellent, so I elaborated on that. I
think, with most of them, they finally began to see a glimmer
of light that if God hadn’t elected some, none would be saved.
We all seem to have the same reaction–that if the decision
had been left to us, we had a better chance of getting saved
than by having God settle it all in Eternity; because we don’t or
won’t accept that teaching that of ourselves we are incapable
of reaching out for God. I told them that in our natural state,
we are dead in trespasses and sins and a corpse just cannot
flicker even an eyelash! So they were just deceiving
themselves if they thought for one minute that they would ever
accept Christ, apart from God taking certain measures to
make them.
Well, our discussion went on for about 1 1/2 hours! This
woman also thought as did others that Scriptures elsewhere
we contradicted by Election–such as John 3:16; I John 2:2. I
was glad to have your explanation of “all” and “world” rarely
being used in the absolute sense.
Also, John 6:37…”him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise
cast out”…I told them to look up the first part of that verse and
they would get a shock! I had! “All that the Father hath given
unto me shall come unto me…etc.” Of course Christ wouldn’t
cast out any who came because any who came would be
those whom the Father had given! They were simply stunned!
But seemed to react more as if it made sense and were
opening up new worlds of thought.
Afterwards, while we were waiting for tea, this one particular
woman came to me. I did feel so sorry for her; she was
flushed and almost tearful and I said, “Edythe, is it any
clearer?” She hesitated and said, “Yes, in some respects. But
there are other things that I just feel I can’t reconcile with my
ideas of God and the Bible”. I said, “Don’t try, Edythe, Dr. Cole
told me not to attempt to reconcile all points of this teaching
with other passages of Scripture because I would only
confuse myself, and I believe he is right”. By the way, that was
a wonderful help to me, personally, what you told me about
just getting a confused mind. I just let go all the arguments,
after reading your letter, and told the Lord that I guessed I had
struggled long enough trying to crowd the ocean of His
theology into the teacup of my mind and I wasn’t going to fuss
anymore about the points I didn’t understand. He understood
them and that was good enough for me. And it is since then
that I have had such peace.
I tried to tell something of this to Edythe; she said, “Marjorie, I
have nearly gone out of my mind this week”. And her voice
broke. She said, “I can’t think of anything else and I go over
and over it until I am nearly crazy”. I just ached with pity for
her because I had been through the same thing until I got your
letter back.
It flashed across my mind that perhaps your letter would help
her too. So I asked her if she would like a copy of my
questions to you and your reply. She was terribly grateful. I
had them with me so was able to let her have them right
away. Would you pray with me that she will get peace and
learn, by the help of the Holy Spirit to love this doctrine as we
do?
One other member, a new-comer to my class although she
has been in our church several years, said to me with the
sweetest smile afterwards, “I am like you; I know now I have
been elected and it is simply thrilling. I wish you could have
seen my husband, though. He wanted to come so badly
tonight–he asked me if I thought you would mind if he slipped
into a back seat”! It seems her husband took her pamphlet
and read it; was so thrilled and worked up over it, he read it
again and said that never in all his life had he heard anything
like it–why don’t we hear about it? And do you know, Dr. Cole,
person after person has said that to me; “Why don’t our
ministers preach it??”
One girl, also from the southern states (Texas–but not the one
I mentioned in my first letter; she wasn’t out last night) has
been very keen on this, but admitted to me on different
occasions that it simply upset a lot of her ideas and
understandings! However, last night, as I closed she said, in
front of all the others, almost with a blissful sigh, “Well, it
certainly takes the fear out of dying, doesn’t it”? And you
know, that is what I have felt so strongly. I just stared at her
for a minute when she said it–it was the echo of my own
heart. Sometimes I feel I can’t wait to get to heaven and learn
more about Election and all the rest of the Bible.
A third woman, mother of a 6 year old boy, said to me,
“Marjorie, I don’t know. It is wonderful. I feel that since this
study and the thought I have given to Election that everything
has cleared up in my mind. And so many passages of
Scripture fit in and make sense now when they didn’t before”.
Yet another girl has talked to me different times and said that
at first she felt (when I taught my first lesson in Sept.) that she
was opposed to it. But the more she read your pamphlet and
thought about it, the more she thought the doctrine really was
taught in the Bible and therefore she should be willing to
believe it and leave the parts she didn’t understand until she
got to heaven! Last night, after we were finished, she
whispered to me across the table, “Well, I’m happy too,
tonight Marjorie. But I’m afraid some aren’t. But it’s more a
case of won’t with them.
However, I am praying that the Holy Spirit will do His work in
the hearts of those that are confused or resisting. I feel their
very interest is encouraging and, as you so truly put it, none of
us likes this doctrine; it takes the Holy Spirit to teach a person
to love it.
Now, I promised you I wouldn’t write such a long letter and I
have. I do hope you aren’t bored. But I am so full of it all and
so indebted to you that I felt I had to overflow to you. Have
you, by any chance, had any of your other teachings put up in
pamphlet form? I was looking over some old Witnesses the
other day and saw several of yours in serial form, on Sin,
Salvation, etc. I should love to have them complete. I sent
away for 40 copies of your ELECTION pamphlet and
distributed them to my class in Sept., so they have had them
to study and mull over ever since! I can never thank you
enough for your article. Certainly God must have led you to
have it printed.
It would be so wonderful to sit under that kind of preaching
today. Why don’t ministers preach doctrinal sermons
anymore–instead of this milky, predigested, topical preaching
that so many give? No wonder Christians today aren’t strong
and virile and know what they stand for–they have never got
off the milk of the Word onto the strong meat. I heard one
Baptist minister say that we are “snackbar” Christians today
when we should be dining-room Christians. And I think he had
something.
Now, I must go. Again, my heartfelt thanks for all you have
done for me. I pray God’s richest blessings upon you and
yours and your ministry for Him which will be fruitful, I am
sure, beyond your deepest imaginings and hopes.
Yours in Him,
(Mrs.) Marjorie Bond
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
Doctrine of Election C. D. Cole Part 11
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