SS - Election/Predestination

Disclaimer:

Much tension around this

If you have issue/want to argue, let’s discuss after. Genuine question, happy to hear

If you have issue, ask yourself this, is your disagreement because it doesn’t “feel” right, or because you believe scripture doesn’t teach it

We can make the Bible say what we want it to

Homosexuality, lgbtq, prosperity gospel,

Heresy

Serious doctrinal abnormalities. Yet Biblical defense

Some will say this is heresy

Doctrinal difference

Ultimately is Gods sovereignty & mans will

Ordo solutis - Order of salvation

Election

Gospel Call

Regeneration

Conversion

Justification

Adoption

Sanctification

Perseverance

Death

Glorification

Election First

Grudem Definition of election (predestination): Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.

NT Teachings of Election

50+ occasions of the doctrine of election either implicitly or explicitly mentioned in 19 of the 27 Nt books

Jesus Said

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

John 17:6 ““I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

Paul & Barnabas preaching in Antioch

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.”

Appoint: designated, arranged, determined

Used in:

Acts 15:2 “And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.”

Acts 22:10 “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’”

Acts 28:23 “When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.”

Paul in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:4–6 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Jacob & Essau

Romans 9:11–12 “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— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.””

Paul to Timothy

2 Timothy 1:8–9 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

John in Revelation

Revelation 17:8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.”

What this means

NT authors present as comforting doctrine

Ex

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Comforting, encouraging verse directly tied to the doctrine of election

People often stop there

Romans 8:29–30 “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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Will we be glorified?: Yes

Are we justified?: Of course

Are we called?: No doubt

Are we predestined?: Absolutely

The God who foreknew you, predestined you, called you, justified you, and will see you through to glorification.

That is a great comfort

Cause us to

Live to the praise of his glory

Ephesians 1:11–12 “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, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

Give thanks

1 Thessalonians 1:2–4 “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,”

Humility

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

Why are you in heaven vs unbelieving neighbor

Security & Assurance

1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

Compassion

Colossians 3:12 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”

We would still be dead in our trespasses & sins if God had not saved us

Evangelize

“The doctrine of election causes people to not evangelize”

“Frozen Chosen”

God has chosen a people for himself but he uses humans to share the gospel.

Saved people save people

Paul, who so frequently teaches this doctrine also says this

2 Timothy 2:10 “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

“Frozen Chosen”

The doctrine of election ought to fuel the fires of your evangelism knowing that God ultimately will do the saving of his people through the preaching of the gospel.

Grudem fishing analogy: “It’s as if someone invited Paul to come fishing and said, ‘I guarantee your will catch some fish - they are hungry and waiting”

What this doesn’t mean

Many critiques around this doctrine are caricatures and mockerys of it like

God predestined me to not believe in predestination

With that it can bring a misunderstanding of what the doctrine actually is

It doesn’t meant

Fatalism & Mechanistic

Fatalism

Our choices don make any difference or matter

Mechanistic

Impersonal God and we are machines

We do make real choices

Our choices do really matter

Our actions do have real consequences

We are personal creature who make willing choices to accept or reject the gospel

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

These invitations are made to real people who make real decisions

These invitations have real & eternal consequences

John 3:16–18 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Matthew 23:37 ““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

God’s decision to choose us was NOT based on our decisions/choices

Remember

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

Ephesians 1:11 “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,”

Romans 8:29 “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.”

Foreknew is NOT

Look down the corridor of time and see that you chose him so back up and choose you

Paul’s conversion

Galatians 1:11–16 “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;”

Know them, not about them

1 Corinthians 8:3 “But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”

Galatians 4:9 “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?”

The Bible never speaks of faith, present or future as the reason God chose someone

Ephesians 1:4–6 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Romans 9:11–13 “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— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.””

Are we really free?

If true, then we aren’t free / we don’t have free will

God wouldn’t violate our free will

Says who?

Who says you have free will

We get mad because we want autonomy

The doctrine doesn’t claim it does

“Free” will

Merriam Webster

15 definitions of free

With sub def 40

“voluntary” or “willing” choices

Bible definitely affirms this

Matthew 23:37 ““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

John 5:40 “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

I do not see anywhere where we are forced to make decisions that we don’t desire or will

This does not mean God has nothing to do with our choices

God can absolutely work inside of us and change our desires

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Ezekiel 36:26–27 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

Genesis 20:6 “Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.”

Interesting verse on God influencing desires & mans decisions

2 Corinthians 8:16–17 “But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.”

If you are believing in Jesus you can say that you willingly chose to place your faith in Christ & at the same time, God sovereignly ordained your faith

What about those who are not elect?

God is not to blame for someone not trusting in Christ

The blame for the unbelief falls on them

John 8:43–44 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

John 5:39–40 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

Romans 1:20 “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Is God unfair”

Chooses some & passes over others

The question assumes we deserve heaven

Fair would be sending everyone to hell as a righteous just judgment for their sin

God didn’t save the angels that fell

2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;”

Saving anyone is a demonstration of unfathomable grace

Yet God has decided to save “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” Rev 7:9

Paul raises this objection:

Romans 9:18–24 “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”

“Does God want everyone to be saved”

1 Timothy 2:4 “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Revealed(preceptive) will vs Hidden(decretive) will

Revealed - All he has told us

Dont murder

Hidden - All he has not told us

Son will be delivered up & crucified