(054) The Gospel of John XX: Secure in His Hands
The Gospel of John XX:
Secure in His Hands
John 10:22-30
December 7, 2008
Prep:
· John 10, Heb. 6, et al
· Newbigin, Jewel’s blog comment
· Arminius bio
· Articles of the Remonstrants and “Drury” article
· Giesler: Security
· Ordination
Intro:
This will be our last sermon in John for a little while, next is Christmas and then a series about our goal for 2009: Community.
Prayer
· Safe holiday travels.
· Build community, using the holidays.
more Teaching than preaching
Today’s sermon is a little different in that it is more “teaching” than “preaching.”
· Teaching informs, preaching persuades.
Yet it is my hope that this church be theologically and Biblically grounded, which is why I am usually preach straight from Biblical passages and why I want you to bring your Bibles.
· If you don’t enjoy it, you are in luck because I am going a little short because of Cecil and Peter being installed.
But I think it should be fun, because it’s controversial, all about free will and God’s sovereignty, Calvinism and Arminianism. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, it will.
· There are many different perspectives on this stuff, and this represents my view.
· TGCC does not take an “official view.”
It is my goal that when we are done you’ll not only have a better understanding of this theological debate, but more importantly, have more peace about how securely God holds you.
· There will be time for Q & A at the end.
A warning and an encouragement
John 10:22-30 22 ¶ At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.
We think of Israel being a desert, but it can actually get pretty cold (low 40’s) and occasionally snows. The Feast of Dedication is “Hanukah.”
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 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.”
This passage was meant both as a warning and an encouragement:
· A warning was to those who thought being Jewish was enough.
· An encouragement that God (“who is greater than all”) can keep his sheep safe, secure in his hands.
But even so, this passage has become part of a much larger theological debate about God’s sovereignty and our free will that has divided the church for 400 years.
Sovereignty or free will?
In other words: if God is in control of the universe and directs the flow of history, does that mean that we are just robots?
On the other hand: If we have free will, does that mean that God is at the mercy of our decisions?
Q Is God sovereign or do we have free wills?
A Yes.
The Bible holds both truths unswervingly, without even trying to explain the apparent contradiction. Throughout Scripture, there are passages side by side describing God’s divine plans and yet calling us to act:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 13 ...God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
As you read the Bible, I think it becomes clear that, in their mind, there was no contradiction between God’s sovereignty and our free will.
· In fact, it was not until later theological controversies that it became defined (Pelagius and Augustine, 5th century).
Some history
Indeed, Calvinism is a response to the Catholic teaching. But now I need to give some history and define some terms:
Calvinism began in the 16th century, by John Calvin, as part of the “Reformation” seeking to reform the unbiblical teachings.
· A main point to him was salvation was solely by grace and if we do anything, even choose to believe, it became works.
· I disagree.
Calvin’s successor, Theodore Beza, took it even further, saying that God chose some people to go to hell.
Jacob Arminius a Calvinist preacher who was asked to refute a man who said, in essence, this would God the author of sin, but Arminius realized the guy was right and became an Arminianist.
This didn’t go over very well, and he was called a heretic. His followers later wrote up five articles of belief about salvation. In response the Calvinist created the “TULIP” creed to define the basics of Calvinism:
1. Total Depravity (Total Depravity)
2. Unconditional Election (Conditional Election)
3. Limited Atonement (Unlimited Atonement)
4. Irresistible Grace (Resistible Grace)
5. Perseverance of the Saints (Assurance and Security)
These were adopted at the Synod of Dort in 1619. Since only Calvinist were allowed to vote, it was unanimously accepted.
From Calvin and Arminius came many other groups:
· Calvinism: Reformed, Presbyterian, some Baptist
· Arminianism: Wesley, Methodist, Pentecostals, other Baptists
Towards the center, there is actually much agreement, in practice if not belief. Both groups are trying to preach the Gospel and grow as disciples.
· In many ways, the debate is largely irrelevant.
The challenge comes in because both groups have extremes:
· Calvinism: Determinism and Christian fatalism.
· Arminianism: Pelagianism and Process Theology
Ä All of these errors need to be avoided and condemned.
I am an classic Arminianist
I am convinced that God is sovereign but has sovereignly given us free will. He is not at the mercy of our decisions – his will and purposes will ultimately be accomplished, yet he will not override our will because he chooses not to.
· One way to illustrate it is that God’s will is a circle, but within that circle is the free will that he has given us.
The trick is we don’t know where the boundary between God’s will and our lies. We don’t know what God does and we do, accordingly, we work as hard as we can, but trust God.
Philippians 2:12-13 ESV Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
That is my biggest point: we should work like it is up to us, but trust because it is up to God.
· This applies to many areas – we never stop working, but never in fear or panic.
Eternally secure?
In this same spirit, I turn to one of the most heated points:
Q Is it possible for us to lose our salvation?
A I am not sure.
It is interesting to note that when original Arminianist talked about whether or not a person could fall away, they said they didn’t know. I think that would be a safe position for us.
On one hand, a couple of verse that seems pretty clear that it is possible:
Hebrews 6:4-6 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
· I have heard many interpretations of this passage, yet I can’t get around it.
Yet on the other hand, many, many verse speak of the assurance of salvation, including our passage today:
John 10:28-29 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.
· He even repeats himself, just to be clear!
The overwhelming emphasis is that if we have genuinely given our lives to God, he will hold us safe and secure. That is a very important qualification – many people only pay God lip service.
· Genuine belief means turning your life over God, orientating yourself to obeying him.
technically possible but improbable
Q So what is the answer?
I am not sure, but in light of the entire Bible, I think that it must be technically possible to abandon God, but improbable.
We are not talking about backsliding. As Jewel said in her online comment, there were times that she was pretty rebellious, and had she died, she would have still gone into his presence.
Rather, if over a lifetime, not just a period of time, a person were to consistently and intentionally reject God and not want anything to do with him, God would honor that wish.
· No one can take us out of his hands, but if we keep jumping, he might let us stay out.
He’s holding us, not the other way ‘round
But, again, the overall emphasis of Scripture lies in God’s ability to keep his own, not our duty to stay. As Paul says:
Romans 14:4 ESV Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
God is the one who holds us by his power, not our own. Our trust is never in our ability. We were not saved by good works, nor do we stay saved by works.
· God holds on to us, we don’t hold on to him.
· If we ever let go, we will find that out.
Like I said earlier, the main point it to work as if it were up to you, but trust knowing it is up to God.
· Q & A.
closing/Application:
Close with this verse:
Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The bottom line is God’s overwhelming love. This is the second Sunday of Advent simply means “coming,” when we celebrate Christ’s coming, the ultimate expression of God’s love.
· God bridged heaven and earth to save us, how much more so will he do so to keep us?
Ordination