Pastor's Winkel

Ephesians 1:3-14

My Brothers in Christ,

As we prepare for this Lenten Season, I wished to speak with you about the doctrine of Predestination and Eternal Election. How it is meant for our comfort and the comfort of all believers, and how by it we might be encouraged to go about our task of sharing the message of the Word and to embolden our neighbors as well. Plus I wanted you to all be prepared to preach on this text as it is my funeral text. :)

We shy away from this doctrine quite often because it confounds people. However, when we don’t speak God’s clear word about this doctrine it creates a void inside of our hearts, and the hearts of those sheep entrusted to our care. It is an important doctrine, for what does the Formula say about this teaching?

The Book of Concord Article XI: Concerning God’s Eternal Foreknowledge and Election

God’s eternal election not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect but is also a cause of our salvation and whatever pertains to it, on the basis of the gracious will and good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus

So we must speak about this teaching for the benefit of our hearers. For when we do not they begin to believe that other things are the cause of their salvation and thus obscure the works of Christ, and let false teaching invade the Church. This makes obstacles to the Gospel, and while God will yet save those whom He has chosen from before the foundation of the World, I would save them the heartache, the pain, and the fear that comes from misunderstanding this teaching.

When this teaching is properly understood, it points us back to the Word, admonishes us to repent, encourages Godliness, strengthens faith, and assures us of our salvation.

I am sure that all here know and understand that Calvin’s philosophical understanding of predestination of some to salvation and others to damnation is wrong, and we can deal with that. What does afflict us and our understanding is the other man, Jacobus Arminius. The man entirely denies grace and instead relies on the decisions of the individual which turns the person away from Christ to fixate on their own works for proof that they really are Christian.

Once again if we see it in that crass language we will boldly say, I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him, but He has called me by the Gospel. If God chose me before the foundation of the world then it does not depend upon my decisions but the Lord’s! So how could Arminius slip in?

It slips in through evangelism programs. What is the purpose of Evangelism? Is it to add more people to God’s kingdom? Many a well meaning Lutheran has thought this or said this, that we will grow the number that are in heaven, but think about what that means. Are we able to add to that number which were chosen before the foundation or the world, or if we don’t evangelize will those that God chose before the foundation of the world not be saved?

When we think that way, it is unhelpful, and creates feelings of guilt and shame. It no longer looks to Christ and His Word, or the Holy Spirit who calls, but the emphasis returns to me. I’m the one who will add them to the Kingdom of God. Thus we kick Christ from his throne and the choice of the Father before the foundation of the world. We take the glory that belongs to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and claim it ourselves.

I said this leads to feelings of guilt and shame, and you my dear brothers know why this is dangerous for we tasked by the Scriptures to do the work of an evangelist. How many do we share the gospel with in the course of a year and they do not believe. How many confirmands have we had make their vows after sharing the Good News of Salvation with them for years, making sure they knew the faith, taking vows that they would never deny the faith, to never come back and receive the Lord’s Supper. If we who are trained and prepared for this struggle what of our lay people. Who wonder what is wrong with me that they do not believe?

If we teach Predestination properly it alleviates this stress and transforms evangelism into a much more joyful experience. For God calls people when and where he chooses, but He does not do it apart from the means of Grace.

This simplifies evangelism down to just sharing with others the word. Their task is not to convert for it is God who calls the elect, and we don’t know when or where God will call them, but we know He will. How many of the elect will be lost? Not a one, so what if they don’t convert today. The focus of evangelism is then returned to Christ, and not focused on my abilities, my witness, my choices, etc.

Rather let us return the glory to God, that we show them what Divine Monergism is, that we are truly saved by Grace through Faith and this is not your own doing. For Christ saved you and restored you to life while you were yet dead in your trespasses and sins. He has opened the gates of heaven for you, and has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He also adopted you as sons, heirs of the kingdom of heaven which he has lavished upon you with all his grace. That what this teaching is a teaching of pure grace.

Since God did this before you were even born, before you could make any decisions, any works that you have done, it is does not depend upon you, but is God who is the cause of your salvation. For if it were left in our hands, it would