Ephesians chapter one, you're there in Ephesians, verse number five,
having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according
to the good pleasure of his will. Sometimes Baptists don't like certain terms in the Bible.
I like this term. I like the term that God predestinated us. We're predestined,
all right? Now sometimes we don't like these terms because, you know, you've got certain
sects within Christianity that have taken these terms and they're known for this term.
And anyway, the title for the sermon this afternoon is Understanding Predestination.
I want you to like this term. I want you to say, hey, I am predestined. In what sense,
though, are we going to understand what it is? So the title for the sermon is Understanding
Predestination. Now, if you can, keep a finger in Ephesians one and then come with me to Romans
eight. Just keep a finger in Romans eight and then come back to Ephesians one because we're going to
be bouncing between these two passages and then we'll look at some other passages. But when it
comes to Christianity, there are certain groups that are known as Calvinists or sometimes they
go under the umbrella of Reformed theology. And usually it's attributed primarily to Protestant
churches. But there are Baptists that are Protestant minded as well and they're known as
Reformed Baptists. And they also carry this doctrine, their doctrine of predestination.
I believe in predestination. I want to make it very clear. I believe you've got to repent in
order to be saved. I want to make that very clear. But it's how you define it that matters.
We all have to repent. We all have to turn from what we were trusting in and pull all our trust
on Christ. We all repent. But then you've got to turn from your sins though. That's not the Bible.
You've just made a definition that is completely different. Hey, I'm all for predestination.
But how does God, what is predestination? What does it mean? Well, I just went to,
I'm sorry, I went to Wikipedia. Okay. But I believe what Wikipedia says is correct about
this doctrine, Reformed theology or Calvinism. And it says in Wikipedia, predestination,
if you don't know already, this is the teaching of the Protestants. Okay. Predestination is a
doctrine in Calvinism, dealing with the question of the control that God exercises over the world.
In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, God freely and unchangeably ordained
whatsoever comes to pass. They would go as far as saying that even your sins,
I promise you this, I've asked, even the sins that you commit against the Lord,
God wanted you to do that. He predestined that to be the case. Okay. So freely and unchangeably
ordained whatsoever comes to pass. Okay. That's God's will. That's God's desire. So if I just get
it right now, if I just start preaching heresy, all kinds of lies and heresy, God ordained it anyway.
Don't get mad at me. It was God's decision for me to do that. That's where Calvinism leads.
I'm not joking. I've asked. And it's like gingerly, oh yeah, God made you sin.
It's true. Anyway, let's keep going. The second use of the word predestination is what I'm going
to be covering today. Applies this to salvation and refers to the belief that God appointed
the eternal destiny of some to salvation by grace. The eternal destiny of some. God's chosen
some to be saved. Okay. And leaving the remainder, so those that God did not choose to be saved,
to receive eternal damnation for all their sins. So God chose who's going to save.
God chose who's going to damn. Okay. And you got, you got no choice in this. It's been predestined
for you before you even existed. Okay. The former is called unconditional election.
That's where God ordained everything to take place. The latter reprobation. Hey, I believe in
the reprobate doctrine. Calvinists also believe in reprobation. Okay. Let me just, I'll keep,
I'll just finish this sentence. It says in Calvinism, some people are predestined
and effectually called in due time, regenerated or born again. I want you to keep that in mind.
Born again means salvation. The Calvinists will often use the word regeneration as well
for the one and the same thing. To faith by God, all others are reprobated.
Now the word reprobate means to be rejected. Now the right teaching of reprobation,
read Romans chapter one, very clear that those that God rejects are those that rejected Him.
You reject Him first, then God over time, whatever that line is, will reject you.
That's biblical reprobation. They believe that even before you existed, even before God created
the earth, God made the majority reprobate. So God rejected them before they even had a chance
to accept the Lord. Does that sound nice to you? Does that sound like,
look, even if it doesn't sound nice, if it's Bible, it's Bible, but that's not sound like the
God that you've known in the Bible. When you read His word, does that sound like the God you know?
Okay. So we're going to touch upon this and here's the thing. So the idea in Calvinism
reform theology is that if God has predestinated you, you have no choice. You will be saved no
matter what happens. Okay. And even if you want to get saved, but if God decided you're a reprobate,
that's it. You're done for. There's nothing you can do about it. Okay. So the idea of predestined,
now here's where sometimes as Baptist, we get a bit uncomfortable and it's like, well, how do we
combat that? Cause we understand what predestinate like, that's a pretty common,
to be, to have a destiny means, and it's predestined meaning that there is an element
that you do not decide for yourself that God has decided for you. Okay. And we get a bit
uncomfortable as Baptists. So then we'll say something like, and if you say this,
I'm not angry at you or anything, but we're trying to come to terms with this teaching.
We'll say something like, well, God did not choose us to be saved or damned,
but God predestined us in the sense that he already knew whether we would be saved or whether
we'd be damned. Now that's actually not the right answer. Okay. I know it feels like an answer to
the equation, but you'll get into other issues if you have that mentality. Okay. Cause what you're
trying to do and what I understand, like, you know, we understand there is, there is an element
predestined means there's something that's going to take place that we have no choice over. Like
it doesn't matter whether we want to or not want to, God has ordained that to happen already.
Okay. And then the concern is, well, hold on, how do we apply this to salvation?
Because we also know that we've been given free will. I mean the most famous verse in the Bible,
for God so loved the world that he gave, by the way, for God so loved the world, the world,
that's everybody. Okay. And then it says that whosoever believeth, whosoever of what,
whosoever of the world, whosoever believe in him shall not perish, shall not perish, but have
everlasting life. All right. So I once spoke to a Calvinist about this passage. They said,
well, the whosoever are those that have been predestined. No, but forgot to love the world.
So this whosoever applies to anybody in the world, but they struggled with that world part
at the beginning. Okay. Anyway, let's understand what this means. So let's go back to Ephesians
chapter one, verse number three. Let's build from verse number three before we get to verse number
five. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And notice this, according as he have chosen us
in him. So there is a choosing of God in him before the foundation of the world.
Okay. Let's stop there for a minute. I'm just, I'm trying to get you to just pay attention to
the words here. So God has chosen something before he even created all things. So we've
been chosen. You say, well, the Calvinists, they'll say, well, you've been chosen to be saved.
Let's see if this passage is how to get saved. God has chosen us to get saved. Okay. That we
should be holy and without blame before him in love. Brethren, is that how we get saved?
Did God choose us to be saved on the basis of holiness and without blame before him?
Is that how we get saved? Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Well,
you gotta be holy and without blame. What I'm trying to show you Brethren,
is that when you read the Bible carefully, okay, you will not conclude. Now, of course,
God is teaching us about people that are saved. Okay. But what God has chosen for us or what he
has preordained for us is that we will be holy and without blame in Christ Jesus.
So the method by which God would save the world has been already ordained.
That's what he's teaching. The method by which we will be saved has already been chosen.
Let's keep going. Verse number five. Having predestinated us
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his
will. Okay. So there is something that contrary to what we require, it's just this is God's choosing.
He's predestined us unto the adoption of children. Then verse number six, to the praise of the glory
of his grace, wherein he have made us accepted in the beloved. All right. Now that sounds like
I can understand how you could read that and go, hold on, I've been predestinated to be a child
of God. That means I've been predestinated to be saved. I guess that means that others have not
been predestined to be saved. I can understand the rationale, right? If you were just reading it like
that. But I remember when I was young and look, I was my first interaction with Calvinism. I want
to say that I was 12. I don't know. Every time I remember things when I'm young, I'm always 12. I
don't know why, but I'm not 12. It's just, that's just a number that comes to my head. But I remember
being young and I went to Chile because my parents are from Chile originally. We would travel on a
regular basis. We would go to a Presbyterian church that some of my family would attend.
And I remember going to Sunday school with other kids and the Sunday school teacher,
let me see if I can illustrate this. I can't really illustrate this. I'll try my best as I can.
Instead of hymnals, she grabbed pencils and she said, aren't you all glad, kids,
that God has grabbed pencils? Aren't you glad that God has chosen you and chosen you and grabbed
other pencils and chosen you to be saved? We should be thankful that God has chosen us.
I felt something. Yes, I guess that's great. Praise God and that God has chosen others to be damned.
You didn't make the choice. God made it for you and God also made the choice for others to
die and go to hell. But I'm this kid. Look, at that stage, I never read the Bible cover to cover,
but I know I was saved. And something within me in my heart, and I wasn't going to a great church,
not like they would teach me great doctrines, but it stirred the spirit in me. And I said,
this is false. This is rubbish. And I'm thinking I'm a kid and my teacher knows less than me.
And I barely, I've never even read the Bible cover to cover.
And I tell you, it really grieved the Holy Spirit of God as I was listening to that.
And I just knew that is that's rubbish. That's nonsense. I know John 3 16 at least. I know that
famous verse at least. And I know that Jesus came to die for the whole world. That was my first
introduction. And when I first heard it, I just thought maybe the teachers out for lunch. I didn't
realize there was a doctrine called Calvinism, Reformed theology that was taught. Now, since
then, I've actually gone to that church in my last travels and I've been taught in that church,
spoke to the pastor. And at that time, well, anyway, back in 2017, they said to me,
look, we're not Calvinist anymore. Spoke to the pastor about, you know, doctrines and salvation.
They were spot on. So I was willing then to preach for them. I preach on salvation just in case
though. Just in case there was anyone there that was still kind of messed up. But those churches
that my family attend, I've spoken to several of them. And they're like, look, yeah, we kind of
like we kind of say we're Calvinist, but we're not anymore. Like they've redefined the Tulip,
if you guys know, they've redefined it all. And now to me, it's like, if that's what Tulip
represented, I'm on board with that. But obviously, what we're looking at here is what John Calvin
taught and what he popularized. That's why it's known as Calvinism. Now, let's understand what
does it mean to be adopted? Now, what kind of confused me a little bit is when I would read
this and someone would say to me, look, you've been chosen. You've been predestined to be saved.
You've been chosen to be adopted as children. I thought, well, okay, that sounds kind of right.
But then it also sounds kind of wrong because I know I was born again. Like I know I've been born
of God and God uses illustration of birth and being born again, more so than it does with the
word adoption in the Bible. Wouldn't you agree with that? More often God will speak about our
salvation as being born into God's family. And one thing that I understood just as a kid was
like, well, there's a difference between being born into a family and being adopted into a family.
I mean, it still makes you children. You're not any less a child as you were from a legal point
of view, but they can't, they can't, the different method, a lot different ways of being brought into
a family, aren't they? Okay. So this is why I got you to turn to Romans chapter eight. Come with me
to Romans chapter eight, verse number 19. Romans chapter eight, verse number 19. Now, when you're
reading your Bible and you're going through the New Testament, you're going to read the book of
Romans. If you're going in order, you're going to read the book of Romans before you get to
the book of Ephesians. So before the book of Ephesians speaks about the adoption,
you should have already read the book of Romans. And I don't think Calvinists read the Bible to be
honest with you. I don't think they read it. And then they try to, I don't think they compare
scripture with scripture. It just seems like this verse supports their doctrine. So they just go all
in and that's what it is according to their logic. But Romans chapter eight, verse number 19.
Romans chapter eight, verse number 19. All right. It says for the earnest expectation of the
creature, waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Now, when it says the creature,
it's speaking out that which is created. Creation. Okay. For the earnest expectation of creation,
like all of God's creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Okay.
Verse number 20, for the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly,
but by reason of him who have subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall
be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. So
even creation is waiting to be delivered from corruption. So when Christ comes back and later
on the new heavens and the new earth, okay, creation is waiting for all of that. But then
it says this, verse number 22, for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. And not only they, so not only creation groans about this, but ourselves also,
which have the first fruits of the spirits, even we, ourselves, groan within ourselves. Look at
this, waiting for the adoption. Has the adoption happened yet? We're still waiting for the
adoption. So if the adoption is being saved, well, I'm done being saved, but I'm still waiting for
the adoption. So what is predestined? Being saved, or once you are saved, you're predestined
to have this adoption. Isn't that the right teaching? Not predestined to be saved,
but once you are saved, God's made the choice for you, you're predestined for the adoption.
What is the adoption? Let's read it again. Waiting for the adoption to witness the redemption
of our body. One day this body will be redeemed. This sinful fleshly body is going to die in the
grave and when Christ comes back, he's going to revive it, be made like unto Christ,
and the body will be redeemed. That's the predestination of adoption.
It's after salvation. You're saved. Now you have a destiny. You can't change your mind about this.
It's not yours to make anyway. God made it for you. You're going to be made in the image. You're
going to be conformed in the image of Christ. But what if you took that reformation of your body
and applied it to salvation? Now you're teaching, you've got to reform your flesh
in order to be saved. Back to works. Back to works. And ultimately, that's what Calvinism
will ultimately do. It sounds kind of right. It sounds like faith alone, but then they're judging
you. They're constantly judging you on your works. Have you reformed the flesh? Well,
I'm just waiting for the adoption. That's when it's going to happen. And it's been predestined.
It's going to happen whether I like it or not. I mean, I like it. I want it to happen.
But God's made the decision for us. It's been preordained. Now, that should,
straight away, you compare those two passages. I should be able to say, all right, brethren,
let's just close for the service, let's pray, and we're done. Because anytime the Calvinist
will speak, well, you're predestined. We can just show them, look, you're misunderstanding.
Because if you apply that to salvation, you're now teaching a workspace salvation.
Okay. And you're misunderstanding what the adoption is. Okay. But when we're saved,
the moment we're saved, we're spiritually born again,
born of the Spirit, waiting for the adoption to come. Okay. All right. Keep Romans 8 open,
please, and come back with me to Ephesians 1. Keep Romans 8 open and come back with me to Ephesians
1. Now, in order to be saved, what do we have to do? Just simply. We have to put our faith on
Christ, right? Just simply, just keep it simple. We have to put our faith on Christ. All right.
Now, the Calvinists, because they believe God has chosen even your sins, okay, God has chosen,
I mean, that makes me, that makes me, like, if I believe that, that would make me very comfortable
with my sins. I can just sing whatever, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. Like, I feel like, man,
I can, I saw, man, I sinned. Should I say sorry to God? Or should I say, well, I just did what
you wanted me, God. I don't know anymore. I have no idea. I'm so confused. Anyway,
but because they believe God literally controls absolutely everything, and you don't make the
choice to believe in Christ. God made that choice for you. You know how we say, hey, you need to
make a decision. Are you going to receive Christ or are you going to reject Him? Are you going to
put your faith on Him or are you not? Okay. Hey, free will of man. That's what we teach. Okay.
Well, the Calvinists will say, well, no, you don't have free will. God's really made the decision
for you. And in order for this to take place, because they don't want man to have any choice
in the matter. So they teach that God saves you. Remember the word regeneration? God regenerates
you or makes you born again before you can even believe. They put being saved before believing.
We say, you know, you got to be believed to be saved. They say, no, you got to be saved to
believe. And look, that might sound like what, but again, just going back to Wikipedia. Okay.
Let me just read this part to you. It says, reformed theology teaches that regeneration,
just substitute that for salvation in your mind. Okay. Precedes faith through the doctrine of
total depravity. So if you understand Calvinism, they've got the tulip, t-u-l-i-p, and each of
those represents something, but the t represents total, what was it again? Total depravity. I mean,
we are so depraved. We are so filthy and so wicked that we are incapable of putting our faith on God.
And so God has to save us first to have the ability to put our faith on Christ. Okay.
Now it says, so let me just read again. Reform theology teaches that regeneration precedes faith
through the doctrine of total depravity. Before regeneration, a sinner is dead.
And until the sinner is regenerated and given a new nature, the sinner cannot believe.
So you have to have a new nature before you can believe. Okay. According to reformed theology.
Okay. Now this is where they make a mistake. Before regeneration, a sinner is dead.
Yes and no. There are plenty of unsaved people walking the earth right now and they're alive.
They are spiritually dead, but they are still physically alive. Okay. So, and because they,
look, they basically said, you can't put your faith. We put our faith every single day in lots
of things. Like they think you can't put your faith on something until God gives you the ability.
But unsaved people are putting their faith constantly in whatever it is.
It's just that they need to move that faith, if it's about salvation, onto Christ alone. They
have the ability. People have the ability to put their faith on whatever it is. Even if it's just,
I have faith that I'm going to wake up tomorrow and have work tomorrow to go to.
I mean, but they think, Calvinists think, you know, you can't have faith until you get
regenerated, which kind of just makes no sense anyway. But let's continue here. Because remember
what we say with Ephesians one about the predestination being chosen, right? Being
ordained before the foundation of the world, all these things. In the same chapter, and this is
what I can't understand the Calvinist mentality, but in the same chapter, Ephesians 1.11, it says
this. In whom we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of
him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Okay, so we're predestined,
brethren. Now that we're saved, we're predestined to inherit or to obtain an inheritance. Okay,
God's made that choice for us. The moment you're saved, now God's going to cause you to inherit all
things. But that's not so much what I wanted to focus on. Verse number 12,
that we should be the praise of his glory, look at this, who first were regenerated,
who first was born again, who first trusted in Christ. The first step to be saved is to trust
in Christ. Now look, there's something that precedes that. You need to hear the gospel, but
that's what it says in verse number 13. In whom you also trusted after that you heard
the word of truth. So I heard the word of truth. I want to be saved. I'm going to trust Christ.
That's the first thing, right? Even, sorry, and then it says the gospel of your salvation.
That's the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Look, in whom also after that you
believed, so we believe in Christ, after that you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
So the Holy Spirit indwells each believer after we believe. The Calvinist says no, you're saved
before you trust Christ, and that regeneration is the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer and
doing the work. Brethren, these scriptures can't be any clearer, can they? We first trusted in
Christ, then we're given the Holy Spirit to indwell us. It's the same chapter of predestination,
same chapter of ordained before the foundation of the world. I'm trying to tell you this because I
want a church of confident, bold people, right? I've got no problem with the word Pentecost.
Yeah, sometimes we've seen the hymn, Pentecostal power. I like that because on the day of Pentecost
they went out preaching the gospel in various languages, but then we worry about, oh, the
Pentecostals. What's my Baptist brother going to say to me if I sing Pentecostal power? Who cares?
Who cares about false gospels and false religions and other Jesuses and others? I don't care. We
want to believe the Bible, and I love predestination. I love that, hey, not only is salvation a gift
and I received a free gift and that's wonderful to know that I'm not going to hell,
but now not only that, God's predestined, God's ordained, all these wonderful things to happen.
I'm going to be like my Saviour,
right? I'm going to have a new body that I'll never sin ever again. That's exciting,
and predestination is exciting as long as we understand it from a biblical perspective.
Come back with me to Romans 8. Romans chapter 8 verse number 28. Romans 8 28.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are
called according to His purpose. Now I want you to remember this verse here because obviously when it
says to them who are called according to His purpose, obviously that's all about people that
are saved. All things work together for good to them that love God. Those are the people that are
saved. So these people are called, okay? I just want, not for now, but I want you to remember
that, right? Just keep that in mind. Now verse number 29. For whom He did foreknow. So God did
have a foreknowledge, okay, of those that would be saved. I agree with that. God knows who's going
to be saved. God knows who's going to be damned, but He didn't choose that for them, okay? God's
given us free will. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate. He also did predestinate
to be saved. He also did predestinate to have faith on Jesus. That's the NIV vote. No,
it's not the NIV. No, predestinate. Again, if this is salvation, if God has predestinated us to be
saved, let's read it like they would read it, okay? Let's read it like they would read it, okay?
We've been predestinated to be saved in what sense? To be conformed to the image of His Son.
So sirs, what must I do to be saved? You need to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
Who's done that?
Salvation is impossible under Calvinism. But you see, when they add, hold on, no, that's not how
I get saved. I don't get saved being conformed to the image of Jesus. I can't. Who can do that?
And ask an unbeliever to do that. Ask a sinner to do that. Let alone people that are attending
church on a regular basis and hearing what God wants from us. But man, that's a hard job being
saved by being like, you've got to be like Jesus because Jesus was perfect. Jesus was without sin.
So think, like, consider how damaging their understanding is, okay? And what I'm trying
to show you, we're not destined, predestined to be saved, but we are predestined to be conformed
to the image of His Son. So the moment you're saved, the moment you make that freewill decision,
so the moment you're saved, the moment you make that freewill decision, I'm going to trust Jesus
for my salvation. Now your destiny, God chose it for you, you're going to be conformed to Jesus.
Exactly what we read earlier, okay, about receiving the new resurrected bodies.
Those bodies will be like Christ's, okay? Let's keep going.
That He might be the firstborn among many brethren, moreover whom He did predestinate,
then He also called, and that called, saved. Why don't you just link those two things together,
okay? To whom He called, then He also justified, and whom He justified, then He also glorified.
Okay, let's move on. Let's go to John chapter six now. Let's look at some other passages
that may not deal with the word predestination or predestinate, but they essentially use these
verses to teach the same thing, okay? John chapter six, please. John chapter six
and verse number 44. John chapter six and verse number 44. These are the words of Jesus in John
6 44. John 6 44. Jesus says these words,
no man can come to me except the Father which have sent me draw him and I will raise him up
at the last day. So they'll say, see, no one can be saved unless the Father has already
done that drawing. He's already made the decision for them. He's already got them
regenerated at some point in time and when they get regenerated before they believe,
then they'll trust Jesus Christ. What is this teaching us, okay? Well, there can be two answers
to this equation, okay? There can be two answers and they both make a lot of sense,
all right? Jesus may very well be talking about those that were already saved under the Old
Covenant. People got saved under the Old Covenant, okay? They put their faith on Christ and we
observe this when we read the gospels. We read where Jesus Christ says to the tax collector,
Matthew the tax collector, you know, to follow Him and Matthew's like, yeah, I'm leaving my job. I'm
going to follow Christ. He's already saved. He knows. He knows the voice of the shepherd,
okay? The Father has already done a work in Matthew's life and for Him it's just, well,
that's Jesus. I'm going to naturally follow Him. You see this time and time again in the Bible,
okay? Even the fishermen, you know, where Jesus Christ says, I'll make you fishes of men.
Bible says they left the nets and they followed after Christ. They were already saved, okay? And
the Father revealed to them as Jesus Christ would walk in His ministry, hey, that's the
guy you've been waiting for. That's the Messiah. They're like, well, that's it. I'm gone. I'm
following after Him, all right? I mean, that's one way to understand it but I like verse number 45
which says, in what way does the Father draw? It is written in the prophets and they shall all,
sorry, and they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that have heard and have learned of
the Father cometh unto me. So again, Jesus speaking of the method by which people would
come to Him by hearing. It's the same thing that we read in Romans, right? Romans 10 17,
so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That's all Jesus Christ is teaching.
You can't come to Jesus without the word of God. That's how God draws you through His word.
That's the method. And so that's consistent. But not only that, so the Calvinist would read John
6 44 and go, well, see, God only chooses some and chooses others to be damned, even though that's
not what Jesus says, but that's their conclusion because of their bias. Come with me to John
chapter 20 please, John chapter 12, John chapter 12, John chapter 12 and verse number 32,
John chapter 12 and verse number 32. So again, they read it like God is only drawing some men
to be saved. That's how they read it. But then you got John 12 32 and again, these are words of
Christ. He says, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. All men unto me.
If I wanted the Calvinist thought, I'd be like, oh, see, it's just men. The women aren't going
to get saved. Just build your doctrine of what the Bible says. Not what it doesn't say. Okay?
And then it says verse number 33, this is said signifying what death he should die.
So by Christ being lifted, dying on the cross, being lifted up, that's what's going to draw all
men. That again is the method by which we are saved through the word and our faith on Christ's
sacrifice for us. And Christ says, look, all men, this is, this is available to all men.
Okay. And this is why the gospel has gone through the whole world. It doesn't, look, you can go to
any country in the world and they've heard of Jesus. The gospel has gone out throughout the
entire earth. And I hope we can repeat it again. Every generation. That'd be wonderful if we can
just repeat, not just our church, but all churches that believe in Christ, if they can do a great
work and we need to reach Australia, we need to reach here, the Sunshine Coast. Come with me to
John chapter 15, since you're in John chapter 15.
John chapter 15. I'm just showing you other verses that they use and they'll show you and
you'll be like, I don't know how to answer that. Okay. So I'm hoping I can equip you with some
understanding. John 15, 16. Jesus says, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.
Oh, so I didn't choose to receive the gift. Jesus chose it for me
and ordained you. Oh, okay. So Jesus, again, the Calvinist, Jesus chose me to be saved.
I didn't choose him. That's a problem, right? I just think, like think about that.
The Calvinist can boldly say, I never chose Jesus. Then are you saved? What?
Anyway, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruits. Is that how you get saved?
Go and bring forth fruit. I've chosen you to go bring forth fruit. So is what must I do to be
saved. You must go bring forth fruits and that your fruit should remain. And whatsoever you
shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it you. And look, I understand again,
you read that verse on its complete own. You can be a little bit confused. Oh, they're using
that verse. Okay. Context matters. Okay. This is Christ speaking to his 12 or not 12 because
at this point, Judas has already betrayed. Well, Judas is on his way. He's gone. He's left the
supper. He's on his way to betray Christ. Jesus is left with his 11 disciples here. Okay. At the
last supper. And we've gone through John recently. You may recall that Jesus was warned them again
and again that they're going to be scattered. All right. The shepherd will be smitten and the
sheep will be scattered. Okay. And Jesus knew ahead of time that they will panic. They'll be
afraid. You know that Peter will deny him three times. And all these chapters at the last supper,
he's trying to encourage them. He's trying to reinforce them. Okay. He's telling them. And so
he tells them, look, you have not chosen me. I have chosen you. This is specific. This is not
about salvation. It has nothing to do with salvation. These men were chosen to be his
apostles. He's saying, look, I've chosen you. You'll be fine. You'll be okay. Be encouraged.
Okay. I'm going to equip you. You're going to have the ability to get through these tough times.
And then he encouraged and reminds them that he's going to return. That this is just a short
period of time, a little while, that he's going to be gone. But again, you read the verse on its own
and the Calvinist can confuse you. This must be about salvation.
No, it's about him choosing his 11. One was the devil. Okay. And just encourage them. Look,
your fruit's going to remain. Like everything we've done in our ministry, all the work you've
done has not been in vain. When I die, don't be like, oh man, we give up. And it was all
worth nothing. Because no, your fruit's going to remain. It's all going to be worthwhile. It's all
going to, we're going to make it. You know, it's all going to make sense to you. Be encouraged.
Don't give up. That's the whole purpose of Jesus saying these words. He's not teaching them how
they got saved. Okay. Let's go to another passage. Second Timothy chapter one. Second Timothy chapter
one. Second Timothy chapter one.
Second Timothy chapter one. Look at verse number nine.
It says, who have saved us, so God saved us, of course, and called us with an holy calling.
Okay. So we were, we received a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
So the Calvinist would read this. All right. So before God created the earth,
he already gave us a holy calling to be saved for those that would be saved.
Okay. That's what they mean by the holy calling. Again, the calling for them again here is
salvation. Okay. And many times I don't have a problem with that, that concept about being
called and, but I'm just trying to show you, I'm going to show you later on their inconsistency.
All right. But what is this holy calling? Again, Reverend, please let me encourage,
if you learn anything from me, just learn to keep things in context. What is the holy calling?
Is the holy calling how to get saved or is it something else?
Now verse number nine is sandwiched between verse number eight and verse number 10.
So do you think if we're speaking of a holy calling, do you think it's going to be explained
just close proximity? It's explained actually before and it's explained after. Okay. So let's
start before verse number eight. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,
nor of me his prisoner. So Paul is telling Timothy this,
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.
Paul is encouraging Timothy, preach the gospel, pastor Timothy.
Okay. Preach the gospel. Who have saved us and called us with an holy calling.
Now as we're reading this, yes, God has saved us, but He's given us, now that we are saved,
He's given us a holy calling, which is preaching the gospel. That's your calling to preach the
gospel. Okay. Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. So before the world began,
God had already decided the people are going to get saved by preaching the gospel.
Okay. Verse number 10, just in case verse number eight doesn't do it for you,
but it is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who have abolished death and have brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
So the holy calling sandwiched between verses eight and 10, keeping it together,
is preaching the gospel. Okay. God has called us to preach the gospel. God made that decision
before the world began. God knew already that man would sin, would need a Saviour.
And when God decided, you know, how men would be saved, He said, you know what, I'm going to
equip believers with a holy calling to see other people saved by preaching the gospel.
But you see how context changes everything. You take a verse here, oh, it's about salvation.
Oh, faith without works is dead, that's about salvation too. It's like, just read the rest of it.
Just read the rest of it. Like people, I just,
it's not because I'm a pastor. Reverend, I was like this before I was a pastor.
I was like this before I was a pastor. You know, I was like, I just got tired of being lied to.
Do you get tired of getting lied to? I get tired of it. And I want to trust my preacher. Like,
I don't want to be sitting in the church going, I don't know what I'm going to say.
Man, you know, or even preaching and sitting in church, I don't know if my pastor is saved. I
don't want to be like that. I want to have confidence coming to church. I'm going to
learn something. And Reverend, look, just the best thing you can do. And look, I like topical sermons.
This is a topical sermon right now. But I much prefer chapter by chapter, verse by verse,
because it's taught me so much. Because things that I thought I would use to teach some doctrine
when I got there. Again, just studying, meditating, like, hold on, that's not really what it's about.
I mean, maybe you can apply it, but that's not even the main reason that was written.
And it really opens your eyes when you start to see the Bible as a whole, you know.
Let's go to Matthew chapter 22, please. Matthew chapter 22. Matthew chapter 22.
Now remember, the reason I've said it multiple times, the calling, calling, calling,
Calvinist, to be saved, predestined, predestined to be saved, saved, saved, saved, saved, right?
The holy calling, all that kind of stuff. Again, for the Calvinist mentality, calling equals saved.
Okay, so we get to Matthew 22, verse number 14. Verse number 14, Jesus says,
Now, if the Calvinist is going to be consistent, what are they going to say?
Well, that's, they're saved. But then, but few are chosen. But for them, the few that are chosen
are the ones that were called. But Jesus now is saying, for many are called, but few are chosen.
What they're trying to look, again, it's just, when your doctrine is messed up,
you're going to be inconsistent in the way you describe anything in the Bible, okay?
So for them, yeah, many are called. For them, that means, yeah, people are going to hear the gospel,
but the only ones that are going to be saved are going to be those that were chosen by God already,
ahead of time. But then that, if that's their interpretation, which it is,
that then demolishes everything they've just said, because for them, the calling, calling, calling,
the holy calling, all that stuff is saved. Now you're no longer consistent with your teaching.
And these are the things that I find very easily when I'm sitting in the pew, listening to
preaching. I hear one thing, and then they'll do something else. Preaching on the pre-treat
rapture. No man knoweth the day and the hour. I'm like, Amen. That's in Matthew 24. And then the next
words, but Matthew 24 is not for us. It's for the Jews. Like, but now you're being inconsistent.
And, and when I choose to say no man knoweth the day or the hour, after Jews just said,
immediately after the tribulation of those days, oh, no, no, no, that's for the Jews.
But then your verses, just a few verses later, which I agree with, in the same chapter,
he hasn't finished talking. He's still talking. Why? Why? Just
just teach God's word. Right? I'm sorry. I've got to vent sometimes. I'm sorry.
Matthew 22. Matthew 22. All right. Again, context. What is this about? Okay. So many are called,
but few are chosen. Okay. So what, and yes, this is an illustration or a parable
about salvation. I agree with that. Okay. But what does it mean to be chosen in this story?
Matthew 22 verse number nine. It says,
So this is about soul winning. Now let's go out there. Let's go to the streets.
And as many as we find bid to the marriage, hey, come to the wedding. This is an illustration.
So we're trying to, hey, anyone we talk to, hey, we want to tell you how to get saved. We want to
tell you how to go to heaven. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together
all as many as they found both bad and good. And the wedding was furnished with guests. Hey,
both bad and good. You can be bad and be saved. You can be bad and go to the wedding.
Because salvation is not based on how bad or good you are.
In fact, I'm getting to the point right there. What is it that gets us to heaven?
Let's keep going there. Verse number 11.
So cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
So that outer darkness is hell. Now did the king go, hold on, you're bad.
So you shouldn't be here. So cast him into hell. No, the decision was made. You haven't got the
right garments on. You're not wearing a wedding garment. Okay. You're not dressed for the occasion.
Okay. Then Christ says, for many are called, so we go out there, preaching the gospel,
but few are chosen. Why are certain people not chosen to be part of the wedding celebrations?
Because they're not wearing the garment. Okay. Brethren, we go to heaven not based on how good
or bad we are. We go to heaven based on, do you have Jesus? Do you have his righteousness on you?
Have you believed in Christ? Have you trusted him? And Brethren, if you try to go to heaven
based on your own righteousness, you haven't got the right garments on and you'll be cast into
hellfire. So chosen is not God chose you to be saved. Hey, bad and good. Anybody,
go to the highways and hedges. That's what the parable is about. Go everywhere. Tell
them they're invited, but they better put on the garments. They better put on the wedding garments.
And so the chosen here is the lack of a wedding garments. Okay. He was not dressed in Christ
righteousness. So he was not chosen to participate in the wedding ceremony. Okay. Again, this is not
God deciding, oh, you get the wedding garments and you don't get the wedding garments. No,
he made the decision, come into the wedding without the garment on.
Okay. And so he's not chosen to celebrate in the celebrations.
All right. Come with me to Revelation 13 now. Revelation 13. Revelation 13 verse number 8.
Revelation 13 verse number 8.
And this is another one that they will turn to. It says and all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him. This is worship the devil and the antichrist whose names are not written
in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
So if you've been in this church long enough, when we read this passage, we'll read like
whose names not written in the book of life of the lamb. Yes. Slain from the foundation of the
world, meaning that Christ from God's perspective was already slain before the foundation of the
world. So God already, I guess, preordained, if you want to use that word, chose that the
way of salvation will be by the slain of the lamb, of his lamb, his son. Okay. That's yeah.
And it's, it's that lamb that is slain whose books you want your name in. All right.
But the Calvinist reads it like this. And I will not blurt out his name at the book of life,
sorry, whose names were not written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. So before the foundation of the world, God already decided in his book of life,
Kevin, not going to include him, not going to save him. So I'm not going to write his name in.
Uh, Pony, uh, no, I don't like him. He's reprobate. I'm not going to write his name in,
you know, that's what they believe. That before God created, before the foundation of the earth,
God only wrote the names that he wants saved in the book and names that he doesn't want saved and
not in the book before the foundation of the earth. Now, obviously we can explain it to them,
uh, from that verse alone, but this is why you need other verses many times to just help cement
the right doctrine in this topic. And we can just say in the book of revelation. So come with me to
revelation chapter three and verse number five, revelation chapter three, verse number five.
And this is important. This might seem like an insignificant issue, but this is actually
quite important that you understand this about the book of life. Nowhere in the Bible does God
add to the book of life. Nowhere. All he does is remove from the book of life. Okay. In revelation
three five, he that overcometh, we know that means someone that is saved, the same shall be clothed
in white raiment. Sounds like he's got the right garment on. Okay. And I will not blot out. I will
not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and
before his angels. Does Jesus have the ability to block out people's names at the book of life?
He does, but he says, if you're saved, he will not do that. Eternal security, you're saved forever,
no matter what the promise of Jesus. So what we see here is not Jesus adding, but promising that
if you're saved, you will not be removed. Meaning that he can remove. And obviously he removes those
that do not get saved. Revelation 22 please. Verse number 19. Revelation 22 verse number 19.
Revelation 22 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of this book of this prophecy,
anyone that changes God's word. Okay. God shall take away his parts out of the book of life
and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book. God says anyone.
Now, obviously believers aren't going to do this because believers won't have their names
blotted out or taken out of the book of life. But those that corrupt God's word,
their fate is sealed. They are reprobate. Okay. Those that mess with God's word, add and remove.
God says, well, I'm going to take your, what's it say? Your part out of the book of life.
Meaning the name was there. The name was in the book of life. And God says, you know what?
You're done. You're finished. I'm removing you. And obviously anyone that dies without Christ
has a name or has their part taken out of the book of life. So God only removes. He doesn't add.
Meaning that everybody's name before the foundation of the world was written in the book
of life. Every single human being is in that book. And the moment you become reprobate for
whatever reason, or you just die in your sins and go to hell, that's when God will remove your name
out of the book of life. Okay. And anyone that has the names remain in the book will be in heaven
forever in the holy city with God. But you see how just looking at some of the passages just
clarifies it, their doctrines messed up. It's really horrible, really. But they can throw
that verse at ya, they can throw this verse at ya, this verse at ya. And if you're not settled,
you know, I can understand how you can get a little bit, I'm not sure. That does sound like
you're saved. But is that how you, look, all those verses, is that truly teaching us how we get saved?
Being conformed to the image of his son. Things like that. Like, whoa,
that's a huge, that's a lot of work. That's a lot of work to get saved and I can't do it.
Let's go to one more passage. Just this one. Second Peter, chapter three. I'm sure you guys
know this. Second Peter, chapter three, verse number nine. Second Peter, chapter three,
verse number nine. Second Peter, chapter three, verse number nine.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but his long
suffering to us would, not willing that any should perish, but that all, all should come
to repentance. That's our God. He's not willing that any of us perish. Anyone. That's why he sent
Jesus. For God so loved the world. You know, praise God that we received him as a Saviour, but
how sad is it for those that reject him and go to hell. They got no one to blame but themselves. God
did it all. God wrote their names in the book of life. God said, you know what, they're going to
have the chance to hear the gospel and be saved. All right, you know, I'm going to make it free.
I'm going to, Jesus is going to pay with his life and with his blood and with his death.
You know, I'm going to give them opportunities to believe on me.
And they just said no. They said no. Okay, so this idea that God has preordained whether who's
going to be saved or not is ridiculous. And I know sometimes we say, well, God knows. And yes,
he does know ahead of time who's going to be saved and who's not going to be saved. But that's
actually not the right answer to these passages that they throw at you. Okay, so we're trying to,
when we look at these passages, there are two things we are maintaining in the scope of all
the Bible. Our free will, salvation available to all men and our free will to decide whether we
receive it or reject it. But also what we are establishing that yes, there is a destiny. There
is something that is predestined. There are things that are predestined that God has decided for us.
God didn't ask us if we wanted a choice or not. That the moment you're saved, you'll be made like
unto Jesus. Alright, so the title of the sermon was Understanding Predestination. I hope I've
given you some thoughts with these passages. Okay, let's pray.