A good illustration

[st1_Emrys]

Today I was discussing with several friends my thoughts on predestination. A man I repect greatly heard us discussing and offered an excellent illustration of what I believe.

D. L. Moody told the story:

Think of the gate of heaven. Many people stream by and a few enter. Above it is a large sign, “Whosoever will may come.” As a man passes through the gate, he looks back and sees that from the inside the sign reads, “Chosen before the foundation of the world.”

THAT illustrates what I believe.

[Kirke]

I have heard that before, and I liked it. One thing I find interesting is that Moody already knew what was going to be on the back of the sign, even before entering heaven.

Another thing I like is that the example is about one man, and in the example this one man sees the sign, and enters. With the stream of people just going past, you get an accurate vision of how it is: Most people never see the sign at all, even though Moody, of all people, knew full well there were dozens yelling at the masses streaming past the sign to look up, and those masses were aware of these others telling them of it.

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

I like that.

[steel_lily]

Missing something though...I agree with illustration, except that in my version there is another man who gains focus. He stops amidst the crowd, reads the sign, looks at his watch, shrugs, and continues on his way.