It has always been your Choice

Romans 8:29-30

Why does being predestined bother so many in the church?  Could it be a false belief that it takes matters out of our hands, and that God has chosen and your will or choice is not in play?  Is there a contrast between John 3:16-18 and Romans 8:28-30?  In John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” 

If I have a correct understanding of John 3:16-18, it seems clear the Father loves you and me so much He sent His Son, His only Son into the world, and Jesus took on flesh, born of the virgin Mary and in Him we have the promise of eternal life with the Father in heaven.  The goal of the Father was not to condemn us by sending His Son but to save or buy us back out of sins grip or control.  So anyone should be able to discern that it is a decision one makes after showing up on planet earth, and that does seem to fit with Romans 8:29-30, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Before going forward with this foolishness of contrast in Scripture we must examine or discover the benefits of God’s attributes.  We are told that God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient, but one of my teachers helped me with this simple teaching on the benefits of God’s attributes.  The following is from T.W. Hunt who now is in the presence of our Lord and has a much better understanding I’m sure of this teaching.

This is what I learned from T.W.: 1.  Because God is a personal Spirit… I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.  2.  Because God is all-powerful... He can help me with anything.  3.  Because God is ever-present... He is always with me.  4.  Because God knows everything... I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.  5.  Because God is sovereign... I will joyfully submit to His will.  6.  Because God is holy... I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship and service.  7.  Because God is absolute truth... I will believe what He says and live accordingly.  8.  Because God is righteous... I will live by His standards.  9.  Because God is just... He will always treat me fairly.  10.  Because God is love... He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.  11.  Because God is merciful... He forgives me my sins when I sincerely confess them.  12.  Because God is faithful... I will trust Him to always keep His promises.  13.  Because God never changes... My future is secure and eternal.

I also had Bill Gillham as a teacher and he helped me grasp these truths: 1. God created all things for His purposes – including time.  2. Faith requires the time dimension.  When faith is no longer needed, time will cease to be.  3. God is not controlled by His creation; He is not time – dimensional.  4.You and I are a time – dimensional being so one must ask the following questions: How many of your sins did Christ take to the cross 2,000 years ago and your answer is all of them.

5.The next question: How many of your sins had you committed 2,000 years ago and the answer has to be none of them.  6. In the same way you claim Jesus took your sins to the cross, you claim that He took you to the cross.  The old you (who you were in Adam) died.  Jesus tells us He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, and in that He has been to the front and back of time, both Romans 8:29-30 and John 3:16-18 are in total agreement it has always been your choice.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice