Chosen And Predestined

Text: Ephesians 1:1-6

Suppose an ad appeared in the newspaper announcing a cash giveaway at a certain department store. "Come and pick up your money!" the ad announced. When you arrived, there were thousands of people in the parking lot. A voice was heard over a loudspeaker calling out several names, and then the voice ceased. Finally it was announced that those names called out had been chosen before the ad appeared in the paper. They were the only ones who would receive any cash.

Did the department store have a right to give away cash? Certainly. Did they have a right to pick out individuals to receive the cash? Yes again. But was it fair to advertise the event as if anyone could come and receive money?

In a nutshell, this is the issue surrounding the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. But in this case we not only ask, "Is it fair?", but we especially ask, "Is this true?"

The Calvinistic Concept Of Predestination

John Calvin was a reformer of Christianity in the 16th century in Geneva Switzerland. He was especially sensitive to the teachings of Roman Catholicism that works play an important role in one's salvation. He was convinced he saw an entirely different picture in the New Testament. He wrote, in book 3, chapter 21 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion: "By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death."

Why would Calvin, and many others after him, teach such an idea?

Eph. 1:4-5 - Paul seems to be in agreement with Calvin. "Predestined" suggests that our destiny was set in "pre" times, i.e. before we were born. This was because we were chosen in Jesus "before the foundation of the world". In this respect, our salvation owes only to His grace.

Rom. 8:28-30 - Another passage pointed to is this, which teaches that some are "foreknown" by God, i.e. known by Him before their birth. These are predestined and called, and also justified. But if a person has not been foreknown, they cannot obtain justification under any terms.

1 Peter 1:1-2 - Peter also speaks of God's foreknowledge and His act of electing some to sanctification in the Spirit.

(Israel is produced as an example of God's election. Of all the nations on earth, God chose Israel to be His special people, simply because of His grace.)+

Acts 1:16-17 - Another example is that of Judas. Could he have chosen to do differently? Or was it predetermined that Judas would fall, and nothing could possibly have been done to change the outcome?

If this doctrine is true, there are some large implications. It means that those who are chosen can never be lost; and those who are not chosen can never be saved. And just who are these who are chosen? We just hope we are among that blessed number, for otherwise we are lost and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Did Calvin Teach The Biblical View Of Predestination?

Do the passages above teach that God has already picked out who will be saved and who won't?

we deny that predestination is a Biblical concept? Certainly not; we've read some passages, and there are others, which speak of God doing this very thing. But do these passages teach that God has already picked out who will be saved and who won't?

The free offer of salvation to all men is an undeniable doctrine:

With all due respect to John Calvin and those who follow him, the Bible is very clear on man's ability to choose salvation. Whatever the Bible means by "predestination" must be decided in view of this doctrine.

~ Acts 10:34-35 - Peter learned, by being called to the home of a Gentile, that God shows no partiality to anyone. Anyone who fears God and works righteousness is accepted by God.

~ Acts 17:30 - Paul declared that God commands all men everywhere to repent. Why should we repent if we are not among the elect?

~ Titus 2:11-12 - The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

~ Rev. 22:17 - Among the last words of the Bible is this offer of the waters of life to anyone who desires to come.

The passages which appeal to our free will to choose or reject God's offer of salvation are numerous. No serious student of the word of God can deny these. To deny them suggests that God is playing a cruel trick on us.

Then what does the Bible mean by "chosen and predestined"?

1 Peter 1:1-2 - God's foreknowledge doesn't mean that He has Himself assigned us to whatever fate we reap. It means that He knows the past, present and future; all is clear to Him. Here, it is applied more generally, meaning that God foreknew as children all who would submit to the sanctification of the Spirit and who would obey.

2 Thess. 2:13-14 - Paul also realized that God chooses on the basis of those who are willing to submit to sanctification through the Spirit and belief of the truth. We receive this calling through the gospel - a calling that extends to anyone anywhere. When we hear that calling, we choose whether to allow the Spirit to sanctify us, and whether we will believe and obey the word of truth.

John 17:17 - And how are we sanctified through the Spirit? Through the word that the Spirit has revealed; through our obedience of the gospel.

Guy N. Woods: "The thoughtful reader will easily discern that election extends to character, and not to individuals. God has ordained, 'from the beginning', that those possessed of a certain disposition or character are elected to salvation; those who submit their wills to him, in obedience to the gospel, possess this disposition; therefore, those who obey his will are elected." (Questions and Answers, vol. II p. 95)

On the other hand, if the Calvinistic view of predestination is correct - that certain people can never be saved, regardless of what they might do - then:

The Bible contradicts itself in those passages which suggest free access; and

God is guilty of showing partiality, selecting some to be saved and some to be condemned.

Conclusion:

1. A form of predestination in the true Biblical sense occurs every day in every large city in the world. Airlines have predetermined that certain airplanes will carry passengers to various destinations. But are individuals predestined? No, not until they board that plane. But when they satisfy the conditions by buying their tickets, they are "predestined".

2. 2 Peter 3:9 - This is the God we serve. Anyone can come to Him!

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