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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. 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.