Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve (Lk 22:3).For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! (Lk 22:22).Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (Jn 13:27).This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and prior choice of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23).27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place (Acts 4:27-28).
Arminians brand Calvinism as
“fatalistic.” The charge is equivocal, for “fatalism” has more than one
meaning.
However, the ultimate
question isn’t whether Calvinism is “fatalistic,” but whether the word of God
is fatalistic.
There are different ways of
defining a word. One way is to define a word in reference to a paradigm-case.
In Greek literature, two Classical examples of fatalism involve Croesus and
Oedipus.
In these instances, a father
is given an oracle of doom concerning his son. The father takes precautions to
sidestep the oracle. However, his very precautions fulfill the oracle.
On this definition, fatalism
involves the following elements: (i) the dire outcome is predetermined. (ii)
The effort to escape one’s fate is the very means by which the fateful outcome
is achieved. Put another way, a protagonist facilitates the dire outcome
against his will.
Let’s compare this to the
crucifixion. According to Scripture, God predestined the crucifixion. And not
merely the event itself, but the means.
Agents like Satan, Caiaphas,
and other members of the Sanhedrin end up precipitating the polar opposite of
what they intended. The religious established viewed Jesus as a threat to their
authority. A threat to the religious loyalties of the rank-and-file. But by
their actions they created an unimaginable following for Jesus which continues
to this day.
Why did Satan possess Judas?
Presumably, Satan thought that engineering the execution of Jesus would defeat
Jesus. He would die a failed messiah.
In fact, I imagine that Satan
had been spoiling for an opportunity like this for millennia. This was his
greatest coup. To strike a crushing blow with one masterstroke. A decisive
victory for the dark side. It fell right into his lap.
Well, Satan had his plan, but
behind Satan’s plan was God’s plan. God planned Satan’s plan, and God planned
it to backfire.
Before Jesus could rise from
the dead, he had to die. Satan becomes the unwitting instrument to thwart
Satan’s designs. The very means by which he defies God turn out to be the means
by which Satan suffers an irreparable setback.
That’s a classic form of
fatalism. You bring about the very thing you fear through your efforts to cheat
fate.
Calvinism is no more or less
“fatalistic” Scripture.
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