Predestination and adoption

Introduction:

Grasping Election and Free Will

During his days as guest lecturer at Calvin Seminary, R. B. Kuiper once used the following illustration of God's sovereignty and human responsibility:

"I liken them to two ropes going through two holes in the ceiling and over a pulley above. If I wish to support myself by them, I must cling to them both. If I cling only to one and not the other, I go down. I read the many teachings of the Bible regarding God's election, predestination, his chosen, and so on. I read also the many teachings regarding 'whosoever will may come' and urging people to exercise their responsibility as human beings. These seeming contradictions cannot be reconciled by the puny human mind. With childlike faith, I cling to both ropes, fully confidant that in eternity I will see that both strands of truth are, after all, of one piece."

R. B. Kuiper

We are going to go deep this morning, into theology, and doctrine; try and stay with me this morning. Turn with me to Ephesians 1:3-14

Point I

He has chosen us (v. 4). This is the marvelous doctrine of election, a doctrine that has confused some and confounded others.

1. Warren Wiersbe says in his commentary on Ephesians; “A seminary professor once said to me, “Try to explain election and you may lose your mind. But try to explain it away and you may lose your soul!”

a. All Christians will agree that salvation begins with God, and not with man.

i. Look at these verses.

a. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you[1]” (John 15:16).

b. “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.” (Romans 3:10-11)

c. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

b. In the Bible, election is always unto something. It is a privilege that carries a great responsibility.[2]

i. The use of the word “election” emphasizes that membership of God’s people is due to God’s initiative, prior to all human response, made before time began (Eph 1:4; cf. Jn 15:16, 19). It is God who has called men and women to be his people, and those who respond are elect[3]

c. Take note that all three Persons in the Godhead are involved in our salvation (see also 1 Peter 1:3).

i. As far as God the Father is concerned, you were saved when He chose you in Christ in eternity past. But that alone did not save you.

ii. As far as God the Son is concerned, you were saved when He died for you on the cross.

iii. As far as God the Spirit is concerned, you were saved when you yielded to His conviction and received Christ as your Saviour.

iv. What began in eternity past was fulfilled in time present and will continue for all eternity![4]

Point II

He has adopted us (v. 5-6). Here we meet that misunderstood word predestination.

1. This word, predestination, as it is used in the Bible, refers primarily to what God does for saved people.

a. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that people are predestined to hell, because this word refers only to God’s people.

b. The word predestined simply means “to ordain beforehand, to predetermine.”

i. Election seems to refer to people, while predestination refers to purposes.

ii. The events connected with the crucifixion of Christ were predestined (Acts 4:25–28).

iii. God has predestined our adoption (Eph 1:5), and our conformity to Christ (Rom. 8:29–30), as well as our future inheritance (Eph. 1:11).

c. Adoption has a dual meaning, both present and future.

i. You do not get into God’s family by adoption.

ii. You get into His family by regeneration, the new birth (John 3:1–18; 1 Peter 1:22–25).

iii. Adoption is the act of God by which He gives His “born ones” an adult standing in the family.

1. Why does He do this? So that we might immediately begin to claim our inheritance and enjoy our spiritual wealth!

2. A baby cannot legally use this inheritance (Gal. 4:1–7), but an adult son can—and should!

3. This means that you do not have to wait until you are an old saint (remember we talked about saints last week.) before you can claim your riches in Christ.

2. The futureaspect of adoption is found in Romans 8:22–23, the glorified body we will have when Jesus returns.

a. We already have our adult standing before God, but the world cannot see this.

b. When Christ returns, this “private adoption” will be made public for everyone to see![5]

3. When are we adopted into God’s family?

a. The moment we believe.

i. From that point on, we became heirs of all the promises as children of God—eternal life, fellowship with the Father, the promise of resurrection, and the reward of reigning with Christ.

b. Could you resist and walk away?

i. Not if we are chosen.

ii. God’s irresistible working in our lives guarantees the fulfillment of His sovereign plan for us.

iii. Not because we’re special or unique, or because we somehow stand out above the crowd of fallen sinners, but by His sheer mercy God chose to save us.

4. If God chose us, couldn’t we be adopted without believing?

a. No, because we’re saved through faith—our personal, willing response to the gospel message.

b. If we do not believe, the salvation provided by God is not applied to us.

Charles R. Swindoll says; “But how do God’s sovereign choice and my free-will decision fit together? This answer is easy: I don’t know. Nor does anyone else! The fact is, we must learn to keep some theological truths in tension. God’s sovereign choice in predestination and our personal responsibility to believe are two such truths that run perfectly parallel to each other. Two rails form the same railroad track—two parallel lines that never meet. If we remove one or the other, if we move them closer together, or if we separate them, the train will careen into the ditch. Both rails are essential for the truth to proceed.

From God’s limitless, heavenly perspective, everything is planned out. Since we believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing God, how could it be otherwise? From our limited, earthly perspective, however, we don’t know who will believe and who won’t, so our role is to share the gospel with as many people as we can and then trust God to do His convicting and saving work by His Spirit. Our sharing should be winsome and appealing, but His work is sovereign and irresistible[6]”

Charles R. Swindoll

Point III

Blessings from God the Son

1. He has redeemed us (v. 7a).

a. To redeem means to purchase by paying a price.

b. There were 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, and often they were bought and sold like pieces of furniture. But a man could purchase a slave and set him free, and this is what Jesus did for us.[7]

c. 1Peter 1:18-19 says:

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.[8]

If we were slaves, we would be poor, but because we are sons, we are rich![9]

2. He has forgiven us (v. 7b).

a. Christ died so that our sins might be taken away, never to be seen.

Psalms 103:12

as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. [10]

3. He has revealed God’s will to us (vv. 8–10).

a. What was God’s will?

i. That He would provide His Son to die for us.

ii. Then He would raise His Son to intercede for us.

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,[11]

4. He has made us an inheritance (vv. 11–12).

a. In Christ we have a wonderful inheritance (1 Peter 1:1–4), and in Christ we are an inheritance.

i. We are valuable to Him.

ii. Think of the price God paid to purchase us and make us part of His inheritance!

iii. God the Son is the Father’s love gift to us; and we are the Father’s love gift to His Son.

iv. The church is Christ’s body (Eph. 1:22–23),

1. building (Eph. 2:19–22),

2. and bride (Eph. 5:22–23);

b. Christ’s future inheritance is wrapped up in His church.

i. We are “joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17), which means that He cannot claim His inheritance apart from us![12]

Romans 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [13]

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11.

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jn 15:16. [2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11. [3] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Elect, Election,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 682. [4] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11. [5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11. [6] Charles R. Swindoll, Galatians, Ephesians, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2015), 168–169. [7] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11. [8] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Pe 1:18–19. [9] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 12. [10] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 103:12. [11] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Ti 2:5. [12] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 12. [13] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 8:17.