***THIS WILL BE A LONGER POST THAN i WOULD LIKE...IT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 2.5 PAGES OF A SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON i TAUGHT AT MY CHURCH. I HOPE IT IS HELPFUL***
An Incomplete List of Bible References and Notes on the Topic of Predestination
VERSES THAT SPEAK OF PREDESTINATION / ELECTION:
-Ephesians 1:4-5, & 11 - Even as
he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5
he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. …11 In him we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will
-Acts 13:48 - And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many
as were appointed to eternal life believed.
-Romans 9:9-16 - For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11
though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
-Romans 8: 28-30 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [7] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
5 crucial doctrines:
1. Foreknew – God looked down history before creation and knew (Personally) us.
(Did God predestine those that he foreknew would believe? We don't believe this fits with the numerous other verses that seem to say otherwise.)
2. Predestined – Chosen by God.
3. Called – includes being drawn by the Holy spirit (John 6:44)
4. Justified – Declared righteous, Jesus’ perfect record transferred to us.
5. Glorified – When Jesus returns and we receive new bodies
In These words we have a description of God’s Redemption Plan. Notice they are all in PAST TENSE! There is
nothing tentative or speculative about these statements. Each is referred to as if it has already been accomplished.
Eternity Past: Foreknowledge & Predestination
Experienced in the Present: Calling and Justification
Future: Glorification
Example: Watching a recording of the Super Bowl.
-When you watch a game live, if you are a real sports fan, you can get very stressed about the outcome…But If you already know that your team has won, you can watch the game much more relaxed.
God is as certain of the future as we are of the past. God’s plan of redemption began in eternity past and extends to eternity future.
GOD’S PROVIDENCE & HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY DO NOT CONTRADICT EACH OTHER:
Negatively…
-Acts 4:27-28 - 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,
to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
Luke 22:22 - For the Son of Man goes
as it has been determined,
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
Positively…
-Col. 1:28-29 - Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil,
struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
-Eph. 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
WHY WE NEEDED SOMEONE T
VERCOME OUR “FREE WILL”::
-Eph. 2:1-3 - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
-John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
-Romans 3:10-11 - As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands;
no one seeks for God.”
Example of overcoming someone’s free will for their own good: Child running into the street (TRUE STORY).
-The Father instructed her many times not to run into the street
-She looked at him, gave him a little smile, and took off!
-He ran after her, calling her,
preaching repentance to her, pleading for her to turn around, but she didn’t, and there was a big delivery truck racing toward her.
-She would run right between 2 parked cars so the driver would never see her.
-right as she stepped out in front of the truck, her father grabbed the back of her jacket, and jerked her back so hard that they both fell on the ground.
***Was that father being unloving by not respecting his child’s free will?
VERSES THAT SHOW THE COMFORT THESE TEACHINGS GIVE:
-John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
-Phil. 1:6 - And I am sure of this, that
he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
-John 6:37 -
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
-Romans 8:32 - Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
I Just want to Say…
1. These verses are meant to give us Truth for Comfort, confidence, and Security.
-If Salvation is God’s work, We can trust his heart.
-In missions – God says in heaven there will be some from every tribe and tongue…If I go to the middle of the Amazon, I can know that not all, but some will eventually believe.
-If Salvation were up to me, I would never Choose God apart from Him. (Rom. 3:11)
2. Debates about this are not going away, but this is an in-house debate…SO…
3. Do not demonize another Christian because they have a different view on this issue.
-Both sides are attempting to be faithful to scripture.
Straw man 1: Sovereignty means human choices don’t matter. –Very few believe this, and if they do, they are obviously ignoring lots of bible passages about believing, repenting, etc.
Straw man 2: Human freewill denies the problem of being dead in our sins and unable to choose God. (John Wesley, who very much believed that God does NOT choose who will be saved, still believed in something called prevenient grace: God draws all people, and then some choose to respond to that drawing and some don’t; but without the drawing no one could choose God.)
4. We are teaching these things because (a) We believe they are biblical, and (b) We believe they are important as part of BIG view of God that gives us confidence in God to obey even when it’s hard.
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I know someone will tear this post apart, but there it is...hope it helps.
-Andy
