PREDESTINATION: WHAT'S THE ISSUE? Chris Edwards

Transcription

1 PREDESTINATION: WHAT'S THE ISSUE? Chris Edwards What is the best place to start with this huge topic? We could take a philosophical approach like many of the Church Fathers such as Augustine of Hippo and Pelagius. After all, it isn t an unreasonable track to take, but having done some Church history I warn anyone thinking of walking this way to be sure to carry plenty of refreshments with you because it is a dry and dusty path. Do we wade through the opinions of theologians? Again, there is good reason for going down this track because it follows routes that have been used by many before us. And we have faithful guides to help us and to keep us from falling by the wayside. Or we could take another route. We could start by simply asking what does the Bible say? After all, the Bible as God s inerrant and infallible word is reliable guide and a rich source of understanding (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Of course, if we find we are wandering in error then we need to humbly change and if we discover we are on the right course then we can show others what God has shown us. So let's take this route, at least initially, and we will let the philosophers and theologians advise us and maybe even keep us on track. Now it almost goes without saying that some bits of the Bible are harder than an others to take hold of and understand. And there will always be someone saying, I don t quite go along with your interpretation of this or that. But we shouldn t let disagreement stop us from exploring an issue nor should we throw our hands up and say, it s too hard. I think, and it is my personal view, that we should explore these points of disagreement possibly more than others. Of course I am opposed to allowing this to cause division. How sad it is that we divide over opinions when we are united by the Spirit. In my twenty odd years as a pastor and teacher in a Church I have found predestination to be one of the regular bits of the Bible that people find hard to take hold of. It is a place where we need to stop and do a bit of work. What I have found is that differences of opinion on this topic usually exist because of the way we apply our thinking to the bible rather than by the way we apply the bible to our thinking. So let s put our pre-existing ideas aside for long enough to consider a couple of important things and let s together allow the Bible to inform our thinking and to perhaps even to change our response to the issue. The best book to read is the Bible The first thing I would want to say is this: the best book to read is the Bible. I didn t make that up by the way. I was taught that when I was about three or four years old. As I grew up I tested it and despite some serious arguments and debates I found it to be absolutely true. And now, nearly fifty years later, I have found it is still true. The Bible is a reliable, profound, timeless, complex collection of writings like no other. I really do believe it is God's word to us. I suppose it stands to reason that I would therefore say that if something is biblical then it is binding. If the bible says, do not murder then I don t murder. If the bible says, turn the other cheek then it is binding even if it s really hard! So, if predestination is biblical then it too is binding. 'The question is not whether it can be understood or not, but whether the bible teaches it or not.' (Paul Enns, p. 328). If 'It is a revealed truth, disclosed in Scripture, (it) is... to be received humbly from God and tenaciously believed along with all other truths. (Bruce Milne, p.183). All right, if the Bible teaches it I'll go along with it; I'll be "tenacious", but I just get so confused by it. I mean, what about: a) my ability to make a choice? Doesn't predestination take choosing God away from me? b) What about free will? and, c) if I believe God predestined me to heaven, does that mean he's predestined others to hell? 1

2 Good questions, but let's work out what "predestination" is first then we'll have a go at answering these questions. What is Predestination? We really need to sort out what the Bible is talking about when it mentions predestination so we can be sure of what we're talking about. One problem that quickly arises is that predestination seems to be something that (logically) implies a something else. For instance, if going to heaven is something that has been predestined then all Christians must be members of an elect group because according to Matthew 22:14 only those chosen will be in the kingdom of heaven. Surely that logically means everyone else is predestined to hell (that s the something else). But now I have introduced other categories! The elect and the chosen. Who are they? Are they the predestined ones? Are we on the right track here? Is this an arduous philosophical route/ sidetrack? Let s be clear. We need to know what the Bible is talking about. The Bible speaks of two direct issues: Predestination and Election, and at least two related issues: Foreknowledge and Reprobation. Let's briefly review each of these to see that they are indeed different categories. 1. Predestination - it literally means "to mark out beforehand," and it occurs in 5 passages (that I can find) in the New Testament: o Acts 4:28 They (Pontius Pilate and Herod) did what your power and will had decided beforehand (predestined) should happen - So it includes events as well as individuals. o Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified - It assures our status as adopted children, it provides security in the face of every threat - moral (v.33), physical (v.35), or spiritual (v.38) as well as confirming our ultimate glorification. o 1 Corinthians 2:7... we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God (pre)destined for our glory before time began - this is exactly the same word as in Romans 8. o Ephesians 1:4-6 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace - One of its purposes is to extol his grace. o Ephesians 1:11-12 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. - It is entirely His free choice for His praise and for His glory. 2. Election - that work of God's grace whereby he chooses individuals and groups for a purpose or destiny in accordance with his will. (Milne, p. 183).... that eternal act of God whereby He, in his sovereign good pleasure and on account of no foreseen merit in them, chooses a certain number of men to be the recipients of special grace and of eternal salvation. (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 114). o Abraham - Gen 11:31-12:7 o Israel - Ex 3:6-10 o The Messiah - Isa 42:1-4 and 53:10-12; Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; 1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him. o The Church - Matthew 22:14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."; Mark 13:20... for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has 2

3 shortened those days.; Luke 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect (ESV); 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 3. Foreknowledge - the idea that God, being all knowing, simply knows our decisions beforehand and so he 'elects' those he (fore)knows will freely choose him. This idea has a lot of appeal superficially because it sounds biblical (Rom 8:29), and fits in with simple logic: He knows what we will decide so he responds accordingly. Mind you this denies quite a bit. It denies that God is active in this. If you confuse foreknowledge and predestination then you have to force God into being passive, merely responding to us. This means (significantly) that God hasn't called us, elected us or acted to choose us. It plainly disregards most of what is being said in the Scriptures where the word 'predestination' appears. Grammatically the words for predestination and foreknowledge have to be describing God's activity and not His passivity if for no other reason than they are in the active and not the passive voice in Greek! But if you look at the context of the passages where the words appear, 'God's foreknowing is not merely passive; it is a synonym for his active election, rather than an explanation of it.' (Milne, p.185). 4. Reprobation - This is the apparently logical idea, the logical syllogism, that God has elected some to salvation and has therefore elected the rest to damnation. While this is logically understandable, it isn't supported by a single Scripture! In fact, the Scriptures deny this very notion. "Scripture never suggests that man is lost because he is not elect or has not been predestined; the emphasis of Scripture is that man is lost because he refuses to believe the gospel." (Enns, p.329). John 3:18 puts it plainly enough: Whoever believes in him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. So where does that put us? Remember our initial questions: What about: a) my ability to make a choice? b) my free will? and, c) if I believe God predestined me to heaven, does that mean he's predestined others to hell? Well c) has been dealt with above. That is, the Bible is clear anyone who ends up in hell will be there because of their sin and not because God did not choose them. Given that we've responded to the third question in our list, why not keep working from the bottom up? Let's now think about: my free will. b) WHAT ABOUT FREE WILL? It's probably best to start with the notions of God's nature, especially his sovereignty, before we start to explore features of our own nature. Ephesians 1:11 is a good spot to go because it says He "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will". That is, nothing is outside the scope of His sovereign rule. Ephesians 1:11 emphasises "everything" is done according to His will. That doesn't mean he "authors" everything. There are some things he doesn't "author"; he just "permits". For example, He doesn't, He cannot, author sin, but He permits it. Sinful acts do not frustrate the plans of God, in fact the ultimate sinful act, His own Son s murder, was used to bring about the ultimate blessing, our redemption and forgiveness. That is, God did not approve or condone our rebellious nature and actions but they do not and cannot frustrate his purposes. So does that mean my will is not free? I mean, it sounds like He s going to do what He s going to do and my freedom is not freedom at all. I am bound within His purposes. 3

4 To a point that s true. But is an unhelpful way of considering our free will. Free Will is a philosophical term for a particular sort of capacity of rational thinking and feeling. It involves our ability to choose a course of action from among various alternatives. But what a fuss there has been over this! Philosophers have debated this question for over two millennia, and just about every major philosopher has had something to say about it. Most philosophers suppose that the concept of free will is very closely connected to the concept of moral responsibility. But the significance of free will is not exhausted by its connection to moral responsibility. For philosophers free will also appears to be a condition required for the autonomy and dignity of personhood; and an essential if we are to love and make friendships. After all, love is not love if it is not a choice. If it is not a choice then it is instinct or merely a response to external stimuli and we have no control. We need to understand the nature of our freedom. What we need to recognize is that our freedom is limited. It is limited by the fact that we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1f) and by the fact that God limits our days on earth (Hebrews 9:27). Yes, we make choices but they are made within very clear limits and boundaries. We have mentioned some limiting factors, but there are others, like the one already mentioned from Ephesians 1:11. It may be helpful before we get too much further to consider an illustration. Choose an answer to this silly question: A train is most free when; a) it is on tracks b) it is in a paddock (not on tracks) The answer is a). In the paddock it cannot go anywhere! It is free when it can operate in the way its designer intended and within the limitations its designer made for it. We too are most free when we are living within the boundaries and limitations of the relationship our creator intended for us and living within the laws he has made for us, summed up in priority order by Jesus in Matthew 22: a) WHAT ABOUT MY ABILITY TO MAKE A CHOICE? By now you re probably wondering if this is possible at all! The answer is yes. We can choose to sin and we can choose to repent. But if we stick to the topic at hand the issue of choice seems to me to be much narrower than this issue really is. Again I think it best to consider Scripture. o Jesus chose us John 15:16 o God called us Romans 1:6 o Called according to his purpose Romans 8:28 o Called for our benefit Romans 8:30 o Called into a relationship 1 Corinthians 1:9 o Called from all nations and beliefs 1 Corinthians 1:24 o Called by grace Galatians 1:6 o Now it gets a bit blunt (but you need to look this one up yourself!) 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 Let me pause on this last one for a moment. Count the number of times Paul says God called or chose us. The emphasis here is on the active work of God to select us. It seems Paul is emphasizing our call by God, His gracious act of choosing us. Yes, we are lowly and undeserving, so we can never boast. That's the great thing about being chosen someone else does it. For me, I think if I was clever enough to have chosen God I would be boasting about my decision. But from what I read in these passages, God chose me he called me, so I will boast about Him. We have responsibility, no question of that! But a corpse is not a good decision maker and if Ephesians 2:1f is true then we are no more capable of making a choice to live than a corpse has to get up and walk out of the morgue. 4

5 Funny eh? I mean, that's exactly what Jesus did with Lazarus wasn't it? He stood in the graveyard and he called out to a corpse to get up and come out. And he did. And God is still doing that. Spiritually we are dead in our sins until God calls us out. WHAT S THIS CALL? This refers to the work of God by His Spirit in which he summons people to come to Him to be saved to receive mercy in Jesus. As we have seen it is a common thought throughout the whole Bible: o Genesis 3:9 o Exodus 3:4 o 1 Samuel 3:4 o Isaiah 43:1 o Jeremiah 7:13 o John 10:3 In particular God calls through the proclamation of the gospel, whether through formal preaching, or some other means: o Romans 10:17 o Ephesians 1:11-13 o 2 Thessalonians 2:13f. God s sovereign grace doesn t operate in an impersonal or random manner but always through personal and purposeful means. He personally addresses us, by calling us to turn to him and to trust in his mercy in Christ. There is a general call by which God calls all people to come to him (Matthew 9:13 - But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.") But there is also what theologians call God s effective call in which God's summons leads to a response of repentance and faith: o Romans 1:6 o Romans 8:28-30 o 1 Peter 1:15 o Matthew 22:14 For many are invited, but few are chosen." o 2 Peter 1:10 Why everyone doesn t respond? Well that's a mystery. We are not told why but we are told that sin and hardness of heart are often related. WRAPPING UP I really want to stress that we need to stick with the Bible. We cannot select the pieces we like and ignore those we do not. If predestination is biblical it's binding. The question is not whether it can be understood or not, but whether the bible teaches it or not. (Paul Enns, p. 328). Therefore I would like to finish with Jesus own words and focus on the wonderful privilege it is to be called. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44). Yet, sadly, there are some who do not believe." He went on to say, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him'." (John 6:64-65). Later in the same Gospel he says, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit fruit that will last. (John 15:16) and, I have chosen you out of the world. (John 15:19). God calls us to life. He is sovereign and He can determine our path so that our free will and His plans are not compromised. 5

6 Books I looked at (that you can get from Amazon): Know the Truth - Bruce Milne ie=utf8&qid= &sr=8-1 The Moody Handbook of Theology - Paul Enns s=books&ie=utf8&qid= &sr=1-1 Systematic Theology - Louis Berkhof s=books&ie=utf8&qid= &sr=1-1 6