election

We are chosen by God

Posted on November 14, 2024 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

God chooses us. We do not choose Him.

He is not “a gentleman”. He is God and He does as He pleases. He chooses us as a graceful trophy for His glory whether we want Him to or not. In fact, none of us want Jesus before He chooses us. It is He who opens our heart and mind to His Good News. We are His enemies and we resist the confrontation of our sins in front of a Holy God every step of the way.

He slammed Saul/Paul to the ground and burst in on his day with a pointed question “Why are you persecuting Me?”. Then He struck Paul blind. Not so ‘gentlemanly’.

If Jesus came down from heaven, lived to preach endlessly in Judea, Samaria and environs, if He tirelessly taught, healed, and did miracles, if He went willingly to the cross naked and humiliated, beaten and tore apart, do you think Jesus would then leave the final piece of salvation to our sinful hearts? Hearts that are so desperately wicked and so at enmity with God that we would NEVER choose Him?

Of course not.

John 15:16, speaking to the twelve, You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Yes but that’s just the 12, you say. But think on this. Did Jesus preach and teach and then see who would come follow Him? No. He is sovereign, He chose them.

He also chooses us. Ephesians 1:4-5 says,

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; (Romans 8:29)

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44)

But God…

I am so grateful for His grace. Now I DO want him! I am thoroughly satisfied in His election of me and the knowledge that if He didn’t choose me for eternal life, my punishment would have been just and deserved. O what a sinner I was! What a sinner I still am.

If you are presently dwelling in the in-between of knwoing you are a sinner and have appealed to God, but do not feel saved, keep praying. John Bunyan prayed for five years before he was justified. It was agony for him but he persevered until the moment of God’s timing to justify Bunyan.

Spurgeon prayed and wrestled for an unspecified time before that moment in the showy primitive church in England where he was converted. Spurgeon later wrote,

There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that moment and sung with the most enthusiastic of them of the Precious Blood of Christ.”

If you feel the agony of your sin but haven’t crossed the finish line to the cross yet, take heart. The Lord gives you the agony of the bones. he gives the awareness of sin. He delivers the aroma of death to those who will smell it. If you were not named in His Book of Life, you would be at enmity with God, hating Him at all points and refusing to acknowledge your sin.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Keep praying that you are one of God’s elect.

theology

The Time I Almost Died – A Sailing Story

Posted on August 12, 2023August 13, 2023 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

This is about the times I almost died. It’s also about being immortal until God sovereignly saves us and finishes His work through us. We all have a number of days.

Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass. (Job 14:5).

God determines who is born, where we are born, IF we are born, and how long we may live after we are born. He decides when we die and how we die. We are totally in God’s hands from eternity past to eternity future.

He chose to tell Peter by what manner he was to die. (John 21:19) In John 21:22 He told Peter about John, “Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!“

I have lived a careful life. Nothing reckless. I don’t bungee jump or skydive or even drive on Los Angeles freeways. I lived on a sailboat for two years, sailing up and down the Atlantic seaboard and across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. It’s not especially dangerous to live on a sailboat, no more than driving around or slipping in the bathtub. Accidents make only the 4th leading cause of death. Heart attacks is number 1.

I wasn’t saved when I lived on the sailboat. I never thought about death for long. Or Jesus or God or eternity. I didn’t know at all about the Bible or salvation.

We used the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) for part of our journey up and down the coast. This is an “inside” waterway of connected lakes, seas, canals, and rivers that allow for barge traffic up and down the coast. It also allows for mariners on motor or sail vessels to go up and down the eastern seaboard without having to make a foray into the Atlantic Ocean.

Aerial photo of the East End of the Cape Cod Canal & Scusset Beach State Reservation in SE Massachusetts. Public Domain

It’s actually a roadway similar to the Interstate. On any given day, especially in populated areas, all sorts of marine traffic will be plying the Intracoastal waters. In some ways, it’s more difficult to navigate the ICW when it’s crowded because there are so many boats. You have to time it for the tide AND the bridges. (Bridges will lift to allow sailboat masts to go under). There are a thousand ‘rules of the road,’ protocols for travel, right of way, passing, bridge tenders, speed limits, navigation markers, horn or sound signals, ranges…

There are parts of the ICW that are shallower than others. We were on a sailboat and had to be aware of the ‘draft’ under us and be precise about whether there was enough water under our keep for us not to touch bottom and get stuck. Because of the shifting nature of sand, the Army Corps of Engineers are constantly dredging to ensure safe passage for vessels of reasonable draft.

As we motored up the river in northern Florida, a tug pushing a barge came up behind us. (Or a tug pulling one, I forget which). I do remember the tug was Tug Green Cove and he was going to take a left at the St. Johns River while we were going to proceed north past Amelia Island up to Georgia.

We knew this because we were in a constricted area, and he contacted us on VHF radio. He needed to pass us since he was motoring at a faster speed than us at our 5mph. We communicated about the complexities of us moving a bit to the side so he had enough room to pass us safely, what speed to do it, and when.

A few of the antenna towers of the Cutler VLF Transmitter. Long range early warning system established by the Navy in 1960. Public Domain

When we saw no southbound traffic coming at us, we started the passing maneuver. We did the maneuver carefully. Steering a boat is not like a car, it is susceptible to currents, waves, and sudden wind gusts to push your vessel where you don’t want it to go. We didn’t want to run into the barge/tug and he didn’t want to run into us.

I stayed above on deck to watch and help if needed. When we finished and the barge was ahead of us and not behind us, I went below to finish making the sandwiches. That’s when I heard a BANG. I though we had run into something. But no, we had run aground. A shoal got us before we could move to the center of the narrow ICW waterway again.

It took a bit of backing and filling and use of an anchor to pull us off but we got off the sandbar.

I thought about this incident long and hard. It happened sometime in 1992 or 1993. So, thirty years ago. I was not saved by the grace of God then. But even before I was saved, it does a soul good to ponder the near death experience one has just undergone. And especially now that I’m saved, I think about death, life, afterlife.

You see, if the timing had been just 15 seconds prior when we went aground, the barge would have run us over. We’d be dead. Just like that. The tug operator certainly wouldn’t have had time to stop. And our grounding was so quick that we wouldn’t have had time even to jump off the boat and swim away.

So now that I’m saved and understand the sovereignty of God, His sovereign election of His sheep, I think about the fact that I am immortal till I am saved and immortal after that till His work through me is done.

EPrata photo. People who come to faith are His sheep from the foundation of the world. We aren’t goats that turn into sheep.

I wasn’t saved until age 43. I am sure that incident on the Florida Intracoastal Waterway was not the first or only time I was nudged from a track of death to near-death. I often chuckle at the angels God must have sent to push me or pull me from this or that oncoming disaster so that I would remain alive until the appointed time of my salvation- and after.

Do you ever think about that? How God in His sovereignty keeps us alive until the appointed day of salvation and then afterward? And he does so for each and every of the 8 billion people on earth, saved or unsaved, future sheep or present goat. He orchestrates the moves of each person so He will receive maximum glory.

I’m sure if we ponder this for a while we will fall down in unabashed humility for God’s greatness.

theology

The Doctrines of Grace

Posted on August 1, 2023August 3, 2023 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Our church is going through the ‘T-U-L-I-P’ right now. I believe all of the following, because it’s biblical.

I found this explanation of the doctrines on the website Grace Gems, a gem of a site! I re-post it here.

The Doctrines of Grace

TOTAL DEPRAVITY
We believe that all men since the fall of Adam are both guilty and helpless as sinners. All men are born with a sinful nature. All men are guilty of sin. All men are spiritually dead in sin. All men are helplessly lost by nature (Romans 3:9-19; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3).

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
God sovereignly chose the people whom He would save before the world began, not because of anything good which He foresaw in them, but simply according to His own good pleasure (John 15:16; Romans 9:11-13; Ephesians 1:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9).

LIMITED ATONEMENT
We believe, according to the Scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ died for and redeemed only His own elect, those who are actually saved by His grace. He did not die in vain, for those who perish under the justice of God; but He actually accomplished the redemption of His people. The benefits of Christ’s atonement are limited to the elect of God, according to God’s own purpose. Christ died for a particular people and effectually satisfied the justice of God for those people, guaranteeing their eternal salvation (Isaiah 53:8; John 10:11; Hebrews 9:12).

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
God the Holy Spirit regenerates those sinners who were chosen by God and redeemed by Christ, and calls them to Christ, creating faith in their hearts by irresistible grace and power. All who are effectually called by the Holy Spirit, do come to Christ in faith (Psalm 65:4; 110:3; John 6:37-40; Romans 9:16).

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
All true believers shall continue in the faith, persevere in grace, and inherit eternal glory, being preserved by the power and grace of God in Christ. Not one chosen, redeemed, regenerate sinner shall perish. Grace cannot allow it! (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:29-39; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

These blessed truths of the Gospel we believe and preach to the glory of God and for the salvation of sinners through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Don Fortner)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TOTAL DEPRAVITY
Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature; therefore, he will not — indeed he cannot — choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ — it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation, but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation. Faith is God’s gift to the sinner — not the sinner’s gift to God.

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God’s choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected, He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.

LIMITED ATONEMENT
Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only, and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which united them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation.

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected — it always results in conversion. By means of this special call, the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, and to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’s grace, therefore, is invincible — it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
All who were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit — are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God, and thus persevere to the end.

(The above was taken from Appendix D of Steele and Thomas’ “Romans, An Interpretive Outline”)

Charles Spurgeon: “The doctrines of original sin, election, effectual calling, final perseverance, and all those great truths which are called Calvinism—though Calvin was not the author of them, but simply an able writer and preacher upon the subject—are, I believe, the essential doctrines of the Gospel that is in Jesus Christ.

“Now, I do not ask you whether you believe all this—it is possible you may not; but I believe you will before you enter Heaven. I am persuaded, that as God may have washed your hearts–He will wash your brains before you enter Heaven!”

discernment, Uncategorized

If Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and Paul were Arminian…

Posted on May 23, 2017May 23, 2017 by elizabethprata

Today’s essay explores the notion that if Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and Paul had been Arminians, how would their testimonies sound? Using today’s vernacular, let’s see how it reads when these eminent Christians say they “chose God” of their own free will.

——————————————–

Photo from Pixabay.com

The Sovereign call of Jeremiah to speak YHWH’s words becomes:
Jeremiah asking Jesus into His heart and making a career decision,

“When I was a youth, one night I couldn’t sleep. I walked around for a while outside, unfamiliar with this restless feeling. I felt young and inept at whatever I tried my hand. I remember clearly, it was the third of Tishrei, a cool September morning. I was at Sabbath at the synagogue. I was overcome with Avital’s lyre playing of the ninth repetition of “Just As I Am.” It all came together in my heart. I made a decision to walk the aisle toward the rabbi, and I knelt down and sincerely asked Messiah into my heart. Rabbi told me I was saved. Afer that, I decided I wanted to be a Prophet of God because I knew that God had a great plan for my life. When I came forward the priest had told me that. I became a prophet even though I was young and didn’t know how to speak. It was a God thing for sure. I’m so happy that day I walked the aisle and decided for the Savior.”

The powerful testimony of Christian Terrorist Paul on the road to Damascus becomes:
Paul meekly being led in praying the Sinner’s Prayer and choosing to change his whole life around-

Paul explained, “I was exceeding my peers in Law, at that time I was breathing out threats and fire against the Christians. I was at the peak of my career. I had the esteem of my colleagues, and I was young enough to have the world in front of me. Yet something lacked. Then one day while I was walking along the road to Damascus on an official Pharisaical mission to jail and execute followers of The Way, I felt a restlessness. Is this all there is, I wondered? Just being the best at everything and killing blasphemers, nice as that was? I spoke about it with the men who were walking with me, but most of them didn’t understand, except for one fellow traveler. He explained that I needed to decide to follow Jesus and that I should use my free will to choose Him. Of course! That was the answer. He led me in the sinner’s prayer. I’ve been saved ever since. You should decide for Jesus too, everyone should. I don’t know why they don’t. That I did is what makes me a great example of Christian self-decisional regeneration. Not to boast, though. Grace and peace to you.”

John the Baptist’s call as the last Old Testament Prophet, foreordained and empowered since the womb, becomes a lifestyle choice-
John the Baptist shares his testimony about accepting Jesus

“I didn’t get along with my parents, they were very aged and they just didn’t understand me or my generation. I felt so lonely, like I didn’t fit in with any of my friends. I went to live in the desert to try and find myself, and figure it all out. One day as I was roasting some locusts over the fire and sewing a new camel hair outfit, I realized suddenly that what I needed was Messiah. What I lacked was that I hadn’t accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior! I decided to give my heart to Jesus. I also decided to stay in the desert. It’s a relationship, not a religion, so who needs church? I have peace about that.”

Don’t those Arminian testimonies sound ridiculous? We do not decide for Jesus. He decided long before the world was ever made or we were ever born. Now here is how it really happened, with the addition of the verses about God’s call to Jesus to become His Son.

The Call of Jeremiah-

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
(Jeremiah 1:4-5)

Paul-

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles,
(Galatians 1:15-16)

John the Baptist-

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:15).

Jesus-

I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”. (Psalm 2:7)

And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD, And My God is My strength), (Isaiah 49:5).

I am not familiar with this author but I thought his explanation of the biblical truth of God’s sovereign choice of His elect was the clearest and most succinct I’ve read in a while.

Why is one’s understanding of election important?

Why is it important to understand that election is unconditional and individual? If we believe, as Arminians propose, that election is the result of God looking ahead via His omniscient foreknowledge to see who will choose Him and persevere in Him, we make God’s choice of particular people contingent upon their choice/faith in Him. This makes election a reward or an obligation that is given in response to foreseen faith. This is not the gospel of grace. Election in this view is not God independently choosing us; rather, we are choosing Him and He is merely ratifying the choice by calling “elect” those who have chosen Him. Again, this makes man, not God, sovereign in election, and dishonors God by diminishing His sovereignty.

Such a view also leaves a pocket for pride in the human heart. Since the choice to believe is supposedly made by the sinner independently, the one who chooses to believe and respond positively to the gospel offer has proven himself more “worthy” of salvation, with all its attendant blessings, than the one who rejects the gospel. Of course, such an exalted view of man is unjustified by Scripture.

We do not choose Jesus. If we did, we could – and would – boast. No, He chooses us. All the glory rightly belongs to Him.

prophecy, Uncategorized

Predestination means people are elected as vessels of wrath, too. Part 3

Posted on March 13, 2017 by elizabethprata

Vessels of Wrath Part 1 here
Vessels of Wrath Part 2 here

A few days ago I’d posted an essay about predestination. This is the doctrine where the Bible teaches that God is completely sovereign over everything that happens, including individual salvations. He elects people to salvation, independently and apart from foreknowledge of any decision they make. It’s all His grace, and not our decision.

People dislike that doctrine and fight against it. One of the reasons people resist the plain truth of the doctrine is that people want to think that somewhere in their heart or mind, they chose God. However, we are dead in sins and trespasses and have no ability to choose God, or ‘make a decision’ about our salvation. It is granted to us. (Galatians 3:22). We have no part in it, except the resulting gratitude and service in His name.

The verse to consider today is from Romans 9:21-24

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? 22 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, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

There are vessels of mercy, and there are vessels of wrath. Considering anything regarding God is weighty and should fill the saved and the non-saved with awe and humility. But to really consider His work of judgment should bring to mind the famous comment attributed to martyr John Bradford, “There but for the grace of God go I”.

Here is M’Cheyne preaching on the Romans verse. In my opinion, it’s brilliant. The full sermon is here.

——————————–

The Vessels of Wrath Fitted to Destruction
by Robert Murray M’Cheyne

I come now to the third point–the reason given why believers are saved. Verse 23 – “And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.” One reason why there are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction is, that God may show by contrast the riches of his grace on the vessels of mercy. You know, brethren, we learn many things best by contrast: for example, the rainbow is never seen so bright as in the bosom of a dark cloud. So, brethren, we shall never see the love and com passion of God in them that are saved so gloriously displayed as when we see his wrath poured out on the vessels of wrath. This, then, is one reason why there are vessels of wrath.

I believe that the “riches of glory” here spoken of are the whole rainbow of the divine attributes displayed in the salvation of souls. It was for this reason that God provided that there should be vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. This may appear to you very awful: it is so to myself. I could not and dare not speak of it if it were not here in God’s own Word.

I would just show you one or two of his attributes that will be brilliantly illustrated in the salvation of souls. One is, the sovereignty of God. I have often told you of this. Many of you do not believe it; but there is a day coming when God will put it beyond a doubt. There are whole churches – whole bodies of professing Christians – that deny it; but there is a day coming when there will be none in heaven, or earth, or hell, that will deny it. Suppose that day were come, and this congregation divided, some on the left hand, some on the right, will you not see then God’s sovereignty in the contrast? You were once all the same. You were under the same condemnation. Some of you came out of the same womb – were nursed at the same mother’s breast; yet it will be seen that some will be taken and some left. What made the difference? Every creature will see that God made the difference, that he had “mercy on whom he would have mercy.”

Another is, the pardoning attribute of God. At present this is denied; but, brethren, in that day it will be made known. God will make known the riches of his glorious mercy on the vessels of mercy. O brethren, when one vessel is cleansed and taken up to glory, and another is left to perish, and when you see that they were equally sinful, then you will see that it was blood that made the difference. God will make known the riches of his mercy in the vessels of mercy, as well as his wrath in the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

Let us learn a few lessons from this subject. And –

1st. All will not be saved. It is a fearful delusion among you – I do not say you avow it, but you practically say, you believe – that there will be no hell. It was God’s plan that there should be vessels of wrath as well as vessels of mercy. Brethren, it is better it should be so. O do not dream! All will not be saved. There are vessels of wrath as well as vessels of mercy. Some of you, I think, are going to hell, and some, I trust, are going to heaven; and doubtless it is best it should be so, though I cannot explain the reason of it. The net has good and bad fishes: some will be taken into the vessel, and some will be cast away.

2nd. Every one of you will be to the glory of God. You will be made to glorify him in one way or another. You will either do it willingly or unwillingly. You must form a step to his throne. Ah, brethren! I believe each of you will yet be a beacon or a monument – either a beacon of wrath or a monument of mercy, “He hath made all things form himself; even the wicked for the day of evil.” Yes, wicked man, you would rob God of his glory if you could, but you cannot. If you come to Christ, you will show forth his glory in saving you; but if you do not, God will show forth his power in destroying a vessel of his wrath.

3rd. There is a third lesson we may learn. It is, the chief end of God in the world to manifest his glory. Many think, especially infidel men, that God’s chief end is the happiness of his creatures; but, from deep study of the Word of God for years, I see that it is not so. If that were his chief end, all would be happy. His chief end is diverse – it is self-manifestation. Had it not been for this, God would have remained alone in awful solitude. I would desire to speak with deep reverence on such a subject. This seems to be the reason why there are vessels of wrath as well as of mercy – that they might be mirrors to reflect his attributes. And I believe, brethren, when creation is done, and when redemption is done, that there will then be a complete manifestation of the glory of God.

4th. Another lesson we may learn is, God is longsuffering to the vessels of wrath. I remember a person who once argued with me that she must needs be a child of God on account of his goodness to her. She enumerated many blessings she had received – how God had protected her in a foreign country, how many trials she had been delivered out of, and how many domestic comforts she had enjoyed. My only answer to her was, “The goodness of god leadeth thee to repentance.” It is no proof that you are a child of God that God has borne long with you. There would be many children of God here, if this were the case. Ah, brethren! Strange though it may seem, he does not want any to perish – he does bear long with you.

Last of all, the destruction of the vessels of wrath will be no grief to the vessels of mercy. I once spoke to you of this before; but I would again remind you of it. The redeemed will have no tears to shed; and here is the reason – the very destruction of the wicked makes known the riches of divine grace. O my believing brethren, it will be an awful day when we shall not weep to see them perish. The day is hastening on – the day when no more rivers of waters will run down our eyes because they keep not God’s law. But, O brethren, till that day come let us weep on; for, although God will be glorified in the destruction of the vessels of his wrath, he will be more glorified in making them vessels of mercy. The Lord bless his own Word. Amen.

—————–end——————

perfect love moon verse

Jesus’ predestined life

Posted on February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 by elizabethprata

Predestination is a topic many people either disbelieve or refute. Here is the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry’s definition of foreordination:

Foreordination is the same as predestination which means that God ordains what will happen in history and in salvation. It means to appoint beforehand. The word ‘foreordained” is used in the KJV in 1 Pet 1:20. Source

It’s the difference, for example, of God using the circumstances around Esther’s situation to make events come out like He wanted, and causing the circumstances of Esther’s situation, in order to work His pre-planned purposes. Understanding Foreordination means you see the God of the universe as the cause of everything for His purposes and will, instead of a bystander scrambling to pick up pieces from man’s actions in order to work it all out for the good.

See these two of many verses regarding foreordination-

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:11).

to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. (Acts 4:28).

I apologize in advance…but I heard a sermon in which I took notes and forgot to credit the source. I did not make the following up. It’s from a sermon I was listening to, but sadly I don’t remember who spoke it!

In it, we learn that Jesus did not have a problem with foreordination. We also see clearly that foreordination did not nullify Jesus’ will and it did not turn Him into an automaton. Here is the sermon excerpt:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whenever we find a doctrine to be challenging to us [like predestination] the most helpful question we can ask is: ‘What did Jesus think of this? How did it work out in his life?’

When we ask those questions in connection to God’s foreordination and predestination, and search the Scriptures to see how they worked out in Jesus’ life, what do we discover?
There never was a man so conscious that his life had been predestined by god as the Lord Jesus Christ. But this did not turn him into a an automaton, or a mere puppet. God’s predestination is not biological determinism, nor it is a form of fatalism.

There was, surely, never a freer man, or one more conscious that his actions were his responsibility than our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not become our Saviour by accident on the one hand or merely as a machine n the other. He was destined to be our Saviour; and to that destiny he freely committed himself. He never saw nor felt any contradiction between God’s sovereignty in his life and his own responsibility for his actions., neither should we.

That God had planned His his destiny in advance becomes clear from the very beginning – in the first two chapters of his Gospel Matthew mentions five occasions when Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies when he was too young to have had any choice in the matter.

Matthew 1:22-23

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).

Matthew 2:5-6

5 They told him, “in Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.'”

Matthew 2:15

15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew 2:17-18

17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:23

23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

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For me, knowing God is in COMPLETE control is a balm. Understanding that He orchestrates events from before the foundation of the world is a relief. He does not have to play catch-up. He does not have to scramble. He is not surprised.

When you read the genealogies, doesn’t it occur to you that God is in control of each and every person meeting and marrying and procreating at the perfect and exact time, so that eventually the line of the Tribe of Judah will produce the Lion? God had to have been behind that since Adam and Eve for the lines to descend in the way He wanted with the bloodlines fulfilling promises and prophecies.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

If you’d like to learn more about predestination, here is a series by Ligonier. Usually they have a paywall, but not for this series. It’s entirely free.

Predestination A Teaching Series by Dr. R.C. Sproul

Here is an essay from Grace To You answering the question: What does the Bible teach about election?