The Deification of Man

"We readily acknowledge that it is very humbling to the proud heart of the creature to behold all mankind in the hand of God as the clay is in the potter's hand, yet this is precisely how the Scriptures of Truth represent the case. In this day of human boasting, intellectual pride, and deification of man, it needs to be insisted upon that the potter forms his vessels for himself. Let man strive with his Maker as he will, the fact remains that he is nothing more than clay in the Heavenly Potter's hands, and while we know that God will deal justly with His creatures, that the Judge of all the earth will do right, nevertheless, He shapes His vessels for His own purpose and according to His own pleasure. God claims the indisputable right to do as He wills with His own."
-- Pink, A. W. The Sovereignty of God (Carlisle, PA; The Banner of Truth Trust, 1998), p. 48.

I have been tremendously blessed by A. W. Pink's writings both in the past and present. He has an unwavering commitment to the priority of the Scriptures and it really shows when you read him. After reading The Sovereignty of God, or any book of his for that matter, you will really wonder why there is even a debate between Calvinists and Arminians.

The reality that God is the sovereign Potter cannot be denied from Scripture. All those "theologians" who do so many hermeneutical gymnastics in order to preserve "libertarian free will" are simply making themselves God (as Pink describes, "the deification of man"). This is why I despise Arminian, Molinist, and Open Theist "theology." They are simply man's last ditch effort to dethrone God and take His place as the only potentate.

Why not simply let God be God? Why not accept the plain testimony of Scripture? Why not do away with all the philosophizing? Why not humble yourself before your Maker?!?!

Perhaps because "a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. "1 Corinthians 2:14

Or perhaps they just don't want to see...

Just some thoughts.