Results of Predestination (Phase 1)
.... Through this ‘evaluation’ at the end of Phase 1, the truth behind God’s calling will appear. To be chosen by God never carried an actual criteria on our part – nothing at all – but rather, almost a lack of it, as we humbly trust in Him rather than ourselves. And this was His intention all along:
.... "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption– that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
(1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
.... "The stone that the builders re- jected became the chief corner- stone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."
(Psalm 118:22-23)
.... "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones . . ."
(1 Peter 2:4-5)
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Daily Bible Reading: Mark 4
posted by loren at 12:08 PM
11 Comments:
Those who are chosen in Predestination Phase 1 are the sort of people whom Jesus can be glorified in, even further out in life: "For My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). This perspective complements the mystery of God's will, that He be glorified in us through His Son alone (Eph 1:9-11). Since we have nothing of which to boast, but Christ Himself is the pattern: "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord". This is the most Christ-centered perspective for the subject to be found.
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:18 PM
At the end of predestination phase 1, apparently God evaluates man's response to His efforts. Some persons will be accepted and called, as we have described; but others will be rejected at this point. At least for the time being, they will remain vessels of wrath (see Eph 2:3).
It is evident, first of all, that God truly did work in their lives at one time (see Rom 1:18-32); They do know the truth, for God has shown it to them: but they have responded by suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (vs 18,19). Instead of responding with humility, as those who were called, they have responded with pride: "professing to be wise, they became fools" (vs 22).
Because they suppress the truth, God will give up on them and give them over to uncleanness (Romans 1:24-26); and at least for the time being, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against them (Romans 1:18-22). Nevertheless, He might try reaching out to them again at some later time in their lives:
“Behold, God works all these things, twice, in fact, three times with a man, to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.” (Job 33:29-30)
If, however, you have a chance to talk to them and you know enough about them to point to these occasions in their life, that is really a sufficient basis for them to respond no matter how much later it may be. After all, there is no guarantee that another ‘next time’ is coming.
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:19 PM
Examples? Okay, here’s some examples. When I was about 7 years old I was rescued from drowning, by my dad. But I was terribly embarrassed (which is a form of pride) and hid the whole thing. About a year later, I was again rescued from drowning, this time by two teenagers. Again I was terribly embarrassed and never told anyone, though I knew something special had happened. Therefore, I was not ‘called’ on either occasion.
Many years later, I was nearly involved in a car wreck, but was miraculously saved at the last second. I was scared, and all I could say was: ‘Thank you God! Thank you God! Thank you God!’ I really meant it, and I didn’t care who heard me. And things started to change for me after that. A long march began which led, over the next three years, to my salvation.
There were also some other events that came along side of this, at about the same time, that I will skip for now. But I have sometimes wondered if these predestined ‘events’ come in two or threes, to confirm their authorship? If so, it would be based on 2 Corinthians 13:1
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:20 PM
Another example. I was sharing the Lord with someone at work, who confided about an event in his youth. He’d had a dream that his house burned down. He was so convinced that he rose in the night and moved some of his most precious possessions to their barn. That day, while he was at school, the house did burn down, but his belongings were saved. He was too shy to tell anyone about it for all of these years, but he thought about it some more when we discussed it, and acknowledged the Lord. Soon after this discussion, he, too, became a Christian.
So to repeat, if you talk to someone about God’s preparatory work (predestination phase 1), it is sufficient to explore the old events again. Even if they missed the opportunity to respond correctly at the time, they can still repent and respond correctly now; they don’t need to wait for another event or anything like that.
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:20 PM
Another example. My brother, a friend and myself had trespassed on a construction site, where some new apartments were being built. We were up on the second floor of a partially completed block. An inverted ‘L’ shaped crane was on the balcony of one apartment, apparently they were using it to haul up cans of paint.
My brother wanted my friend and me to let him down over the edge, and to the ground, by lowering him on the crane. We thought this was a bad idea but he insisted. When he swung out over the ledge, he nearly pulled both if us over the ledge with him; then suddenly the crane gave way, and he went crashing down with the crane itself coming behind him.
We watched in horror as he hit the ground, about 16 feet below, and the ‘L’ shaped crane seemed to fall all around him, boxing him in very closely on two sides but without actually hitting him; and then the cable wound its way around him in circle without touching him either.
Our friend and I were absolutely astonished, and both started exclaiming how God has saved him. But he, completely unhurt in any way, popped to his feet in embarrassment and quickly tried to make light of it – he wanted us to be quiet, too.
On another occasion, years earlier, he and I had been inside our roof, when he stepped out on the sheet rock and went right through the ceiling. I blinked with astonishment and leaned over the gaping hole – just in time to see him bouncing squarely on my sister’s bed, which broke his fall. But again, he was embarrassed and did not glorify God.
On a third occasion that I know of, as an adult, he was driving and was hit by another car. The car he was driving was so badly damaged that it wouldn’t even roll, they had to haul it away with a fork lift. It was crumpled from one end to the other – except for a pocket, where he was. It knocked him out briefly, but then he walked away unhurt.
I’ve thought of how that crane and cable wrapped around him without touching him, and how this car did the same; I’ve thought about his fall from the second story apartment, and his fall through the ceiling of our house. (2 Cor 13:1?) Yet for all of this, he has never (yet) acknowledged God. Unfortunately, he is one of the most prideful persons I have ever known. But hopefully the day will come when he looks back on these episodes (an possibly others) and realizes that God was, and is still, willing to have mercy on him and save him.
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:21 PM
At what point does God draw the line, and actually give up on someone? "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years" (Genesis 6:6).
By His foreknowledge, God knows if a time will ever come when a person would believe; and if that day would really come then God, by His own character, would probably be patient and hold out for it: "The dimly burning flax He will not quench" (Matthew 12:20). But if such a day will never come, He apparently cuts them off at the point when they should fully know better (Romans 1:18-32).
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:21 PM
Yet another question is raised. What about scriptural references to people like Pharaoh, who's heart was hardened to disbelieve? (Romans 9:17-23); or false teachers, marked out for condemnation? (Jude 4).
These people have their hearts hardened that God may be glorified in them, in the circumstances that are occasioned by their disobedience (He is glorified in fighting against them.) But is that the final word for them?
Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:20,21, in relation to false teachers, "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work." Paul went on to teach that perhaps God would grant them repentance, so that they might know the truth, and escape the snare of the devil (vss 25-26).
Because Paul compares God's working to the working of a potter, both here and especially in Romans 9:21-23, perhaps it is a reference to Jeremiah 18. When a vessel was marred in the potter's hand, he took it up and made it into another vessel as it pleased Him. And God said, "Oh house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?"
If God makes a vessel for dishonor, marred in His hand, let His purpose be fulfilled in it; but can He not make it into another vessel afterward, once His original purpose is fulfilled, if it pleases Him to do so? Can He not do with men as did this potter?
This would match I Tim 2:3-4, that “God our Savior desires all been to be saved” and would also fit 2 Timothy 2:20,21. Once God’s purpose is fulfilled in their disobedience, they may afterward cleanse themselves, becoming vessels of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
In a third instance of being appointed to disbelief, we may refer to 1 Peter 2:8. "They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed."
This passage probably refers to the fall of the Jews, because Peter is quoting the same verse as Paul, when Paul made this point (compare 1 Peter 2:8 to Romans 9:31-33). Their heart have been hardened temporarily, so that salvation could come to the Gentiles: but they may still be saved in the end (Romans 11:25-27)
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:21 PM
Apparently God’s desire to see all people saved is satisfied through His efforts in Predestination Phase 1. Through the goodness He has shown them, they will hopefully come to repentance (Rom 2:4); but even if they don’t, the same goodness will rise to condemn them as being without excuse, and God Himself will still be glorified through His efforts. This principle is illustrated in Prov 25:21,22:
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:21 PM
One more point, and a summary. 1 Corinthians 1 says that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But it does not say ‘not any were called’. There are a few instances in Scripture in which wise, eloquent, and mighty people were called, but they all had one thing in common: They all knew better than to put their trust in this.
The real point behind 1 Cor 1:26-31 is that people should not glory in themselves, but glory in the Lord. In other words they must trust in the Lord rather than trusting in themselves.
People who are naturally weak, base, foolish, etc, are much less likely to trust in themselves, and therefore more likely to depend on the Lord, while people with natural strengths are much more likely to depend on themselves instead of the Lord. And in the end, this is what it really comes down to.
By
loren, at 6/14/2005 12:22 PM
Hi Kurt,
I thought I'd mentioned this already in one of my other articles in this series, but I couldn't find it. Sorry if I end up repeating myself.
Paul said they are without excuse because God has openly manifested His invisible attrubutes through the creation:
"But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."
(Rom 10:18)
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"
(Rom 1:18-20)
Now if He holds them accountable on this level, it stands to reason that He considers its testimony adequate, at least as a styarting point.
I know what this is like from my own life. Before I was a Christian, when I was living in Scotland for two years, I used to walk the Scottish fields at night. My heart was crying out for God. And somehow, I came to know things through that still, quiet time of communion -- and later on when I became a Christian, I found that they agreed with the Scriptures:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge."
(Ps 19:1-2)
For example, even though I was never told these things, or anything like them, I knew that Jesus would return one day. He would come walking across the sky. I knew the dead in Christ would rise, and the living would be caught up also.
Now, I didnlt have all the details right, but the basic facts were all true. And in fact, this is the very sort of thing the testimony of the heavens is designed to show us:
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."
(Rom 8:21-23)
Now if this can happen with a city boy American like me, during a relatively short sabbatical in a relatively modern country, I have lots of confidence that the person in Africa is getting the same chance. And if he responds, God is going to answer them somehow.
This is actually a very interesting subject in itself, but for another day.
By
loren, at 10/06/2005 7:26 PM
John has said the same thing as you have about the people in obscure places in the world. (Responding to the light given to them, they will receive more light etc...)
By
Rose~, at 11/26/2005 9:58 AM
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