Up to Down, Left to Right.



He does not deal with us according to our sins,
           nor repay us according to our iniquities. 
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
           so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west,
           so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
           so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.  Psalm 103:10-13 (ESV)

When Calvin made up his imaginary nonsense about pre-packaged reprobates that God made before He ever birthed them into the world, he failed to read this part of the Bible.  What part of "(The Lord) does not repay us according to our iniquities" did Calvin not get?  Hell bent on injecting Greek philosophy into his foolish notions of what Christianity is, Calvin ignored the Word of God.  Calvin decided that a revival of Gnostic stupidity that taught that a limited number of humans were injected with a "divine spark" would jazz up Christianity -- make it more fun.  The fun for Calvin was that he got to teach those who bowed down to him that they were DSR...Divine Spark Recipients.  Calvin was a pagan priest....just like his spiritual daddy, the medieval pope.

The picture that is imbedded in these verses is obvious.  What can be understood as the vertical perspective is seen in the "steadfast love" that connects heaven and earth.  Jesus preaches this perspective in John 10:11-18.  Jesus (Jesus is God) was on earth tending to the business that the Father sent Him to accomplish.  There was no separation between Them even though Jesus was constantly in a realm corrupted by sin and death.  His job was to establish His position as Shepherd.  Steadfast Love between heaven and earth makes salvation available for all who will enter into a relationship with Jesus.  It is not made available before then.
The horizontal perspective, "transgressions removed as far as east is from west" points to a work that we humans (none of whom are totally depraved -- according to the depraved imagination of Calvin) could never accomplish.  The hands of God (Jesus IS God) are nailed in an outstretched gesture that will not threaten (John 3:17).  He who became sin for us, takes sin away into death and beyond, returning to proclaim salvation accomplished in Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Since no one is totally depraved, no one is excluded from having sins removed.  Whosever will may come.  The only place to which humans may come for restoration, salvation, forgiveness of sins and entry into the Steadfast Love of the Father and the Son is the cross of Calvary.

Come to the cross.