Avoidance Behavior

Avoidance behavior is when a person behaves in such a way as to avoid someone or something. Procrastination is perhaps the most common form of avoidance behavior. We avoid completing a certain task or project by busying ourselves with things of lesser importance. We engage in avoidance behavior when we pretend not to see someone out in public simply because we would rather not converse with them. Even animals are capable of engaging in avoidance behavior. Our family dog, Brogan, will start yawning when he doesn't want to be obedient to a command. I am not sure how that helps, but he does it. One time he even limped around the house when he figured out his nails were about to be clipped!

Theologians engage in avoidance behavior when they get asked a question and -- instead of simply answering the question -- they start rattling of facts about the original languages and historical context, but never really get around to answering the question. Take a look at this video and tell me that is not avoidance behavior! R.C. Sproul is getting interviewed by Mark Driscoll and someone writes in a simple question: Does God want all people to be saved? It is a simple question. And the answer seems to be pretty clear -- "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants [or wills] all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:3-4). But notice how R.C. Sproul essentially responds to this question by engaging in classic theological avoidance behavior. He talks about the different Greek words for "will" in the NT and God's need to maintain justice and righteousness, but he never answers the question! And the reason why he doesn't answer the question is because his theological framework doesn't allow him to! He is a Calvinist. And Calvinists ultimately believe that God predestined some to be saved and some not to be saved before the foundation of the world--which is quite a problematic belief to hold if God indeed wants all people to be saved! Perhaps the silliest part of this short clip is Mark Driscoll's response to R.C. Sproul's when he says, "That's a great answer."

I am not R.C. Sproul and I am not Mark Driscoll. But I will shoot straight with you. I believe with intense passion that God wills for every human being on the planet to be saved through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And the primary mission of the church is to participate in making that a reality by advancing the kingdom of God.