Hard To Enter The Kingdom?

[gmm4j]

These few verses raise a number of questions; I hope someone can help me with.

Mark 10:21-23
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

Why would Jesus, not us, but Jesus who knew all men (John 2:24), directly call a non-elect person who He knew could not make a positive response to the call? Did He really want the man to follow him?

Did Jesus really love him? If He truly loved him and wanted him to follow wouldn’t the Spirit have regenerated the man? If Jesus truly loved him would He have directly told the man to follow Him knowing the man could not do so? Does Jesus love the non-elect or hate them (Rom 9, Jacob I loved, Esau I hated)?

And lastly, why is it “hard” for the rich to enter the Kingdom? Is it more difficult for the Spirit to regenerate a rich person?

 

[Eddie L]

Did Jesus really love him?

Yes.

If He truly loved him and wanted him to follow wouldn’t the Spirit have regenerated the man?

Nope.

If Jesus truly loved him would He have directly told the man to follow Him knowing the man could not do so?

Of course! The free offer of the gospel is to be given to all men, not just those who have the ability to obey it.

Does Jesus love the non-elect or hate them (Rom 9, Jacob I loved, Esau I hated)?

Both. Love and hatred is not a sentiment with God, it is a commitment, or an inclination. There is no denying from Scripture that God loves all people. There is also no denying that He has a particular, saving love for His people (the elect).

And lastly, why is it “hard” for the rich to enter the Kingdom? Is it more difficult for the Spirit to regenerate a rich person?

The Spirit can regenerate anyone, but certainly there is more work for the Spirit to do in those that have the ability to place their security in their own riches.

On forums like this we have to spend a lot of time talking about the sovereign will of God in salvation, if only because so many people want to argue with us on that. Most of our thinking, though, and certainly most of Scripture, addresses the means and secondary causes of salvation.

In other words, we can't let what we're forced to focus on in a debate forum turn us into hyper-calvinists who never consider secondary causes. Our understanding of God's sovereignty is a foundation that never negates secondary causes.

 

[gmm4j]

Hi Eddie L,

Thanks for your reply. Good to hear from you. Could you also answer one of the questions you missed. Did Jesus really want the man to follow Him?

I'm stepping out the door so I'll look more thoroughly at your responses later.

Blessings!

 

[Eddie L]

Did Jesus really want the man to follow Him?

I can't answer that, because I can't go beyond what the text says without speculation. I would say "yes", in a certain sense. I think the exchange was more for us than for the rich, young ruler, though.

 

[Clare73]

Love and hatred is not a sentiment with God, it is a commitment, or an inclination. There is no denying from Scripture that God loves all people. There is also no denying that He has a particular, saving love for His people (the elect).

What do you make of Ps 5:5-6, 11:5; Pr 3:32, 11:20, 16:5; Jer 12:8; Hos 9:15?

"You hate all who do wrong. . .bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors."

"the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates."

The LORD detests a perverse man."

"The LORD detests men of perverse heart."

The LORD detests all the proud of heart."

"My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest.
She roars at me; therefore I hate her."

"Because of their wickedness in Gilgal, I hated them there."
I will no longer love them."

 

[Eddie L]

What do you make of Ps 5:5-6, 11:5; Pr 3:32, 11:20, 16:5; Jer 12:8; Hos 9:15?

"You hate all who do wrong. . .bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors."

"the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates."

The LORD detests a perverse man."

"The LORD detests men of perverse heart."

The LORD detests all the proud of heart."

"My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest.
She roars at me; therefore I hate her."

"Because of their wickedness in Gilgal, I hated them there."
I will no longer love them."

John MacArthur wrote a good book on this subject years ago called "The Love of God". I can't do a better job on this than he did.

All I can say about it is that it is true that God loves sinners and hates them at the same time. From the context of their life he loves them as His creations. From the context of salvation or man's filthy rags they are hated. Again, love is not an emotion with God. It is a commitment. It is resolve. His love can exist in one context and his hatred can exist in another.

 

[Eddie L]

Here's a recent article by John MacArthur on this subject. In this area I appreciate where he is coming from. I think many Reformers would agree.

Does God So Love the World? - Grace to You with John MacArthur

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

The following are my questions with your responses:

Did Jesus really love him?

Yes.

If He truly loved him and wanted him to follow wouldn’t the Spirit have regenerated the man?

Nope.

Your definition of love: “love is not an emotion with God. It is a commitment. It is resolve.”

I’m guessing, based on John MacArthur’s article, that you need to redefine love to have multiple definitions. If Jesus really loved him with your definition of a committed love, He dropped the ball by not having the Spirit regenerate the man J.

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

Again, my question and your answer:

If Jesus truly loved him would He have directly told the man to follow Him knowing the man could not do so?

Of course! The free offer of the gospel is to be given to all men, not just those who have the ability to obey it.

Here’s a similar scenario:

Matthew 12:13
Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

Wouldn’t it have been cruel of Jesus to tell the man with the withered hand to stretch it forth knowing the man could not because He had not given him the ability to do so?

The offer you speak of may be free, but if it is made to those who you know cannot respond, it is not a valid or sincere offer and it is not gospel (good news). In fact, if I were to do that to you, you would consider me to be a rather cruel taunt.

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

Does Jesus love the non-elect or hate them (Rom 9, Jacob I loved, Esau I hated)?

Your response,

Both. Love and hatred is not a sentiment with God, it is a commitment, or an inclination. There is no denying from Scripture that God loves all people. There is also no denying that He has a particular, saving love for His people (the elect).

And I added your response to Clare73,

All I can say about it is that it is true that God loves sinners and hates them at the same time. From the context of their life he loves them as His creations. From the context of salvation or man's filthy rags they are hated. Again, love is not an emotion with God. It is a commitment. It is resolve. His love can exist in one context and his hatred can exist in another.

I kind of agree with the exception that I don’t think that it is in the context of salvation that He hates them. I would have said, “From the context of justice or man’s filthy rags they are hated.” They are hated because they have rejected His salvation. In fact, I believe it is because He has to hate (justice) the sinful creation He loves so much; He provided the Way in Christ for man to be redeemed.

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

And lastly, why is it “hard” for the rich to enter the Kingdom? Is it more difficult for the Spirit to regenerate a rich person?

Your response,

The Spirit can regenerate anyone, but certainly there is more work for the Spirit to do in those that have the ability to place their security in their own riches.

Really? Is there “more work” to be done other than regeneration for a person to enter the Kingdom? Isn’t the “more work” the sanctification process, which is after regeneration and has no bearing on a regenerated person's entrance into the Kingdom? Truly, it is never “hard” when it is irresistible for the elect and impossible for the non-elect.

Then you stated…

On forums like this we have to spend a lot of time talking about the sovereign will of God in salvation, if only because so many people want to argue with us on that. Most of our thinking, though, and certainly most of Scripture, addresses the means and secondary causes of salvation.

In other words, we can't let what we're forced to focus on in a debate forum turn us into hyper-calvinists who never consider secondary causes. Our understanding of God's sovereignty is a foundation that never negates secondary causes.

Sounds good! J

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

Here are a few of my thoughts concerning God’s love:

I think the concept of “loving some people above others” is a faulty concept for God who is agape’ (unconditional love).

God is love. His love is without favoritism. If He favored some over others He would be contradicting His own Word and He would be sinning, which is impossible.

Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

Romans 2:9-11
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

James 2:8-9
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

God’s “particular” love is actually God’s general love applied.

So, how do you get a particular love out of a general love that does not show favoritism? Answer: You allow men to freely choose to receive the love or not.

The father loved the prodigal (dead son) the same as he loved the son who stayed home. The world can squander God’s love or return to the Father through Christ and Live in the benefits of that love.

However, as stated in a post above, according to your definition of love, “Love is not an emotion with God. It is a commitment. It is resolve,” God’s attitude toward the non-elect is never love, unless you hold to an unlimited provision view of atonement.

As a Calvinist it sounds nice to say that God loves all humanity. For some, the elect, He has a special particular love that is great enough to die for them so He can have relationship with them, but for most of the multitudes, He “loves” them enough to leave them to themselves and not regenerate them, thereby, effectively sending them to hell. What love, such wondrous love J

The distinction between your definition of God’s “special intimate” love and His general love is eternal life or death. Again, stating both attitudes as “love” sounds nice, but the difference is huge. Aren’t you glad He didn’t love you with the 2nd type of “love?”

Honestly, you could probably fit Hitler into this description of “love.” You could say that Hitler loved the Jews, just not with the special love that he had for the Germans. I know this is extreme, and that it doesn’t make sense, but that’s my point. This 2nd type of so-called “love” is not love!

If I were in a burning building and you loved me only enough to toss me a squirt gun, while all along you had access to a fire hose, please keep your “love” to yourself. I don’t need it. (again, not a perfect analogy I know, but you get the point).

The necessity for justice does not contradict God’s love for humanity. God is also holy and just, but it is because He is love He sent His only begotten Son. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, not for men. God has lovingly provided a way through Christ so cursed men do not have to suffer the wrath of His justice. And, He did this without infringing upon the God-given freewill of man (I know, we can discuss this later). Judgment, separation, “hate,” and wrath are attributed to, and the consequences of those who repeatedly and ultimately reject His love, but His love is without question.

Again, however, Jesus sufficiently suffering enough to save the whole human race, even the rich young ruler, but then refusing to make a sincere offer of that salvation to the whole human race, is not love. (note: offering it without also giving the ability to respond is not a valid offer).

1 Timothy 2:3-6
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men-the testimony given in its proper time.

He is such a good and loving God! His love is a true and genuine love for all, and it is a love that manifests with specific and particular application to those who receive it.

Blessings!

 

[gmm4j]

Hi again,

Here are a few more thoughts regarding the extent of God’s love:

Matthew 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It seems to be consistent with Calvinistic thought Jesus would have commanded us to love only some of our enemies and not others, or some not quite so much as others. We also would have been told to do good only to some people while excluding others and we definitely would have been told to forgive and be merciful to only a select few. This, of course, is not what we are told to do because it is not what God does.

God wants us to be like Him and has commanded us how to do so. Therefore, how God has commanded us to behave toward others reveals the extent of His own love and forgiveness. God is not holding us to a higher standard than Himself. Impossible.

Luke 11:4
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

Luke 17:3-4
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Matthew 18:32-33
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'

Luke 6:32-36
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 17:3-4
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Luke 23:34
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 8:10-11
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Romans 12:20
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

James 2:8-9
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

You are right in saying God loves the whole world. God loves everyone in the world enough to lift up the Son of Man like Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, so anyone (without favoritism) who looks upon Him shall be saved. That is the kind of Father's love that is perfect and worthy of emulation.

John 3:14-18
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Blessings!

 

[Eddie L]

Hey Eddie L,

And lastly, why is it “hard” for the rich to enter the Kingdom? Is it more difficult for the Spirit to regenerate a rich person?

Your response,

The Spirit can regenerate anyone, but certainly there is more work for the Spirit to do in those that have the ability to place their security in their own riches.

Really? Is there “more work” to be done other than regeneration for a person to enter the Kingdom? Isn’t the “more work” the sanctification process, which is after regeneration and has no bearing on a regenerated person's entrance into the Kingdom? Truly, it is never “hard” when it is irresistible for the elect and impossible for the non-elect.

Regeneration isn't really something the Spirit does TO a person. Regeneration is the coming of the Spirit INTO a person. It isn't like God just presses a button. It's like He comes into residence.

Jesus' role is never to summon the Spirit to indwell someone. That's the Father's role. Jesus was excited every time He saw the Spirit of God work, and would have been excited to see the Rich, Young Ruler come as well. The barriers that prevented the RYR from coming were real, and the spiritual realities of his pride was the thing that blocked him from surrendering to Christ, just like it is to everybody else.

It's apparent that the sovereign will of God was in play here, too. The story of the RYR would not have made nearly so precise a point if the man had surrendered. The point of the passage would be hamstrung if he hadn't have walked away.

 

[gmm4j]

Hi Eddie L,

The following is a description of regeneration that ARM posted in…

Nicodemus and Re-birth
Posted 27th March 2010 at 01:00 AM by AMR


From the preceding we see that regeneration is a birth (John. 3:3-8; John 1:13; I Peter 1:23-25; I John 3:9; I John 5:1), a creation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24), the Divine creative act of speaking into existence that which previously did not exist, a resurrection (Ephesians 2:1; I John 3:14; John 5:24), the Divine act of giving life to one who is dead in their trespasses and in their sins.

Christ says in John 5:25, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” Christ teaches here that God’s effectual calling is always successful when He calls the dead in sin to spiritual life, that the dead will hear His voice (not the preacher, or the parent, or the personal witness), that there will be life, and that it is an irresistible certainty.


Regeneration is instantaneous:
Regeneration, exclusively a Divine act, is an instantaneous change of a man's nature, affecting at once the whole man, intellectually, emotionally, and morally. That regeneration is an instantaneous change has two implications: (1) that regeneration is not a work that is gradually prepared in the soul, as the Roman Catholics and all Semi-Pelagians teach; there is no intermediate stage between life and death; one either lives or is dead; and (2) that regeneration is not a gradual process like sanctification.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here’s a mention of regeneration within the definition of Total Inability…

Total Depravity/Inability: Because of the Fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free; it is in bondage to his evil nature. Therefore he will not—indeed cannot—choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ. It takes regeneration, by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation, but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation. It is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So, when you say, “Regeneration isn't really something the Spirit does TO a person. Regeneration is the coming of the Spirit INTO a person. It isn't like God just presses a button. It's like He comes into residence”, I’m not sure how to take it.

I agree the Spirit comes INTO a person at regeneration (though I’m not sure how He does this when the person hasn’t been justified yet J). And, I agree a button isn’t involved J. However, to say that regeneration isn’t really something the Spirit does TO a person doesn’t make sense to me. Even coming INTO is done TO the person. If the Spirit affects the person in any way, it is done TO them.

Then you say,

Jesus' role is never to summon the Spirit to indwell someone. That's the Father's role.

I know Jesus’ role is never to summon the Spirit to indwell someone. That’s the Father’s role.
However, Jesus certainly knew the will of the Father and those of whom the Father had given Him.

John 6:38-40
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Thus my question… Did Jesus really want the man to follow Him?

You continue on to say,

Jesus was excited every time He saw the Spirit of God work, and would have been excited to see the Rich, Young Ruler come as well.

I can’t imagine He would have been excited to see the RYR come, if he had not been one of the elect. That almost sounds Arminian.

Next you say,

The barriers that prevented the RYR from coming were real, and the spiritual realities of his pride was the thing that blocked him from surrendering to Christ, just like it is to everybody else.

I agree. But, this is nothing for the Spirit’s irresistible grace in regenerating him. Pooof it’s done. No button J.

Then lastly you state,

It's apparent that the sovereign will of God was in play here, too. The story of the RYR would not have made nearly so precise a point if the man had surrendered. The point of the passage would be hamstrung if he hadn't have walked away.

I agree. But since the RYR didn’t surrender in spite of a direct reference of Jesus’ love for him and a specific and direct call from Jesus (who knows the will of the Father); and then because upon the rejection of this offer Jesus makes a statement that seems to put into question the monergistic work of God upon the unregenerate heart by stating that it is more difficult for some to enter the Kingdom than others, this story does raise some interesting points.

And, I agree that God’s sovereign will is always in play J

 

[Eddie L]

Phew... long posts.

My point about regeneration is simply that it isn't something the Spirit does to us from afar. He doesn't change us into something self-sufficient, or fix us in a blink. By the Spirit's indwelling of a person, He has now re-established the spiritual connection to God so that the secondary causes and means to growth can be used to make changes.

The RYR's issue with coming to Christ was pride and idolatry. His security was in his riches and his own righteousness. The value of that story is the lesson of the problem of idolatry. It isn't explaining the mechanics of regeneration. If anything, it is showing why regeneration is necessary. Without the Spirit, who would just decide to walk away from riches?

Finally, I am NOT an Arminian. I just don't think it's reasonable to attempt to wordsmith the Bible into a theology textbook or use its teachings to create "what if" scenarios about God. That's especially true regarding Jesus' ministry, since so much of what He said and did was for the purpose of demonstrating how impossible a true walk with God is apart from the cross, even before the cross was documented.

 

[gmm4j]

Hey Eddie L,

Thanks for clarifying your point about regeneration. I agree with what you said here in this last post.

Then in regards to the RYR’s issue of pride and idolatry – I agree. I also agree that the story isn’t explaining the mechanics of regeneration, however, I believe the details revealed within the experience raise questions about the mechanics of the Reformed view of regeneration.

Then you state,

If anything, it is showing why regeneration is necessary.

Not necessarily. Certainly regeneration is necessary for salvation, but the details of this event certainly do not show that regeneration is necessary to believe/trust in Christ. In fact, if regeneration were necessary for the man to trust in Christ, this would have been a perfect opportunity to say so.

Mark 10:17
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Instead, Jesus tells the man to follow with no mention of a need for regeneration first.

We could also cite many incidents such as the following, all which have no mention of the Spirit having to regenerate the person in order for him to respond.

John 1:40-50

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."

Over and over Scripture shows man’s ability to believe or reject revelation with no mention of the need for regeneration in order to believe.

Then you asked,

Without the Spirit, who would just decide to walk away from riches?


I guess the obvious answer is the person who believes that he will have treasure in heaven by forsaking the treasures of this world in order to follow Christ.

Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

I do agree that the Spirit is involved in the drawing of unregenerate sinners to belief. Scripture reveals that God in His common (prevenient) grace gives mankind many influential blessings such as: life, family, friends, health, food, shelter, clothing, the delay of judgment, general revelation of creation, and most importantly the influence of the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the Church to lead unregenerate men to repentance. However, nowhere in Scripture does it say that He regenerates them to believe.

Then finally, I know you are not Arminian. I was just having fun J.

 

[gmm4j]

It seems from a Reformed view, if regeneration is what is necessary to enter the kingdom, and regeneration is a monergistic work of God, then it should never be “hard” for the elect to enter the kingdom and impossible for the non-elect.

 

[gmm4j]

It seems from a Reformed view, if regeneration is what is necessary to enter the kingdom, and regeneration is a monergistic work of God, then it should never be “hard” for the elect to enter the kingdom and impossible for the non-elect.

 

[ronathanedwards]

It seems from a Reformed view, if regeneration is what is necessary to enter the kingdom, and regeneration is a monergistic work of God, then it should never be “hard” for the elect to enter the kingdom and impossible for the non-elect.

That's because you are not taking in consideration that Jesus was talking from man's point of view, not God's. You are also not understanding the cultural/religious point Jesus was trying to make. He was stressing the impossibility of man to be able to be righteous in God's eyes and stressing that it HAS to be God, and God only to save. He did this by saying EVEN a RICH man it is impossible... what did He mean by that? The CULTURE and religious view of the day was that a man who was RICH was blessed by God and therefore he must be a righteous man. The pharisees and Sadducees were very wealthy.
Jesus was saying the fact of being rich doesn't mean they are righteous, and doesn't mean anything to God.

Jesus isn't speaking about God's role whatsoever. You are mixing meanings. With man it is impossible, with God ALL THINGS are possible (Mark 10:27) It's not hard for God at all, but from MAN'S perspective, it is hard for a rich man to give up his riches.