For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. Ephesians 1:4

 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified Romans 8:29-30  

 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”–Matthew 7:7-8

 [a]s it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.- Romans 3:10-11

Who Chooses Who

 Lord, not for the first time I’m struggling with my faith
It feels so weak and I’m not sure what I need.
It used to be so easy to do what I was told
But now it’s important to know what I believe.
Is the Bible final truth, is it your final word?
Or is it just what some old men had to say?
Can I believe what my pastor thinks is true?
And is it even relevant today?
Some people tell me the choice was up to you.
Others tell me I must make a choice.
But the one thing I’d really like to know
Is do you even care about my voice?
Because if you chose me before the world began
It seems that makes free will antithetical?
This is the question to which I need an answer
Can you tell me who chose who and by whose will?

I really want to have a relationship with you.
But that seems to get harder all the time.
I don’t even know which way I’d like for it to be
That you chose me or that the choice was mine.
But for all that I learned  from learned men,
Nothing that I was told made much sense.
And for every one of them who told me he was sure,
There was another still sitting on the fence.
Finally, it was from a simple friend
I heard what I instantly knew was true.
She told me she thinks we’re in this together
That you chose me and then I said yes to you.
I think her answer is the best one of all
It makes sense and is intuitively true.
You the Father will choose me as your child
But I’m still free to choose what I will do.
So, Lord, I think I have found my answer.
I think I found exactly what I need.
But even more importantly than that
I found something in which I can believe.
©Linda Troxell 5/27/2019

 

Why is This so Difficult?

The Bible is often a difficult book to understand. And I think God wanted it that way. Partly because He wants us to study His word not just read it. If it was easy we wouldn’t have to study. And partly because there are mysteries about God and His ways that He doesn’t necessarily want us to understand in this life.

Or, perhaps our finite brains are not capable of understanding everything about an infinite being operating outside of time. But, still, He wants us to accept the things the Bible tells us and believe them. He wants us to trust Him even when we can’t understand Him.

The Bible tells us that God chose us before the creation of the world to be part of the body of Christ and to be saved as blameless and holy. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”-Ephesians 1:4.  

And in Romans, it tells us more, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30). 

From these verses, it seems that even before He made the world God had already decided who He would save. At face value, this seems really unfair. If God picked His people before He even made the earth then what of those He didn’t choose? Well, let’s hold on a minute before assuming we understand. 

Well, can it be Both Ways?

From what we’ve read, the Bible tells us God chose who would be conformed to the image of His Son.  But, look at this, the Bible also tells us that we choose and before we do we have to seek and find and ask. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”–Matthew 7:7-8

These verses seem to create more questions than they answer. Like, if God could choose us then how can we say we have free will? And if He only calls some to be part of the body of Christ, why do those He doesn’t call go to hell?  And if He chooses us why do we have to ask, seek or find? These are all good questions. And I believe they are questions God wants us to ask.

The concept that two opposite statements or conditions cannot be true at the same time is the foundation on which logic is built. The door cannot be open and closed at the same time; an object cannot be in motion and at rest at the same time. Opposite conditions cannot both be true because they are mutually exclusive. The very existence of one excludes the possibility of the other.

So, logically, it seems that the opposite claims in the Bible cannot both be true. If God chose who would be saved even before the world began, then how could salvation be ours to chose? Well, despite the rules of logic and as counterintuitive as it might seem, both are true because they are not mutually exclusive.

But How Can it be Both Ways?

Let’s take a closer look:
Does God choose us or do we choose God?  Both. Bear with me here, there are 5 parts to the Romans scripture that we are supposing says that God chooses us:  Foreknew, Predestined, Called, Justified, and Glorified. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.- Romans 8:29-30.

 Now, let’s take them one at a time.
Foreknew: God is omniscient and as such, He can see past, present, and future all at the same time. He knows everything that has happened, is happening and will happen in every part of the earth at all times. Therefore, He knew before the world was made who would accept His call to salvation. So, that is who He calls at the proper time. But do not be mistaken, foreknowing the future does not mean controlling the future.

Predestined: This word causes many people distress. They cannot understand how we could have free will and be predestined at the same time. But that’s because there is confusion about the use of this word. This word, as it’s used in this scripture, indicates appointing beforehand; or making arrangements for something to happen at a specified time in the future. It’s very similar to making a reservation or an appointment. When God knew which of His children would accept His call He made a future appointment for their sanctification to begin.

Called: We also know from Romans 3 that because of our sin nature, none of us would seek repentance or rebirth on our own: as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.  Romans 3:10-11.   So at the right time, God calls those of us He knows will accept His offer.

Justified:  The Greek word translates, “rendered righteous. When we answer God’s call we, because of our sin, are not suitable to have a relationship with Him. But with the blood of Jesus, He washes away our sin making us faultless, innocent, and guiltless, thereby justified to be in a relationship with Him.

Glorified: In God’s eyes, because we answered His call, we were rendered righteous. And in the eyes of God, that means we are dressed in splendor, we are adorned with glory and we are looked upon with honor. Of course, we will not be this, in fact, until Jesus returns hailing the resurrection.

It seems undeniably true that God chooses who He calls. But I think it is important that we don’t jump to the conclusion that because God chooses, He chooses one person over the other. God chooses for all people to be saved. But He calls those who He knows will answer yes. 

Let’s Get to Our Part Now

While we’ve clearly seen that God is actively involved in our salvation, none of these things means that we don’t also have a part in our own salvation. While we cannot save ourselves, and while clearly, according to Romans 3:10-11, we are not even capable of seeking God on our own, we still have to say yes to His call.

And while God has predetermined those He will call, He didn’t just write off everyone else. Even though God is omniscient there is still free will as a wild card in all human behavior. Because we have free will, there is a chance that someone will be open to changing their minds if salvation is available to them. It’s also possible, that using their free will, someone will choose not to heed God’s call.

For these reasons, although God will not directly call others, He does pursue them to the very end just the same. Romans 1:20 tells us that, in order to miss the existence of God, one would have to make an effort. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.“

And if That’s not Enough!

And, if by chance, the glory of His creation is not convincing, He sent His only son to earth to live a faultless, sinless life while He taught of the Father’s will for all to come to Him through His Son. After Jesus completed that mission he was brutally murdered on a cross to pay for ALL of our sins. Again, a difficult sign to miss. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”-John 3:16

And, finally, if that explosive moment of History went unnoticed, God commanded all of us, beginning with the original disciples, to participate in bringing the Gospel to all nations to teach about God and the Son He sacrificed. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. “ -Matthew. 18:19-20.

To give everyone the chance to be saved God took the extra step of promising this world would not end until all nations have heard the testimony of the Gospel. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”-Matthew 23:14. I think it is clear that even if God only calls those He knows will answer yes, salvation is available to all who chose to turn to God.

God Wants to Include Everyone

God wants to reach all of His children with the message of salvation through His Son. He hopes that everyone will understand at least one of the ways in which He invites us to His family and will accept the salvation being offered before it’s too late.

Many Christians would be happy for the end to come sooner rather than later. They’re anxious to get to heaven where there is no more pain or sorrow. So, we may be wondering why the end is so slow in coming when the world seems to be at least as corrupt as Sodom and Gomorrah were.

But God isn’t ready; perhaps because He wants to wait for as many people as possible to be saved. What we are thinking is slowness Peter tells us is actually patience. “So, while The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. It will happen in God’s perfect timing.

As a parent, there were many times in my daughter’s teenage and young adult years that she was walking straight toward danger or heartache and would not hear my warnings. It is so frightening and frustrating when someone you love will not hear the truth that you are offering. Knowing you cannot make them do the right thing for their safety, all you can do is hope that they will learn before it’s too late. I cannot even imagine how much it hurts God to watch those He loves head straight toward eternal death.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank you for loving us enough to make many continuing efforts to save us from certain death even after we have refused your offer of salvation. You love all of your children so much that even when they turn their back on you, you will not abandon them. Thank you that you are willing to delay your eternal plan in order to give all sinners a chance to choose you. Lord, please help those of us who know your love and salvation to successfully bring the Gospel to those who are still lost. Give us, your anointing, Lord, so that we will always find just the right words to speak as we go out and try to make disciples of the world. Lord, may the fruit of the Spirit shine through us reflecting your glory to those we seek to bring to Your Kingdom. May they see and desire the joy, peace, love, and kindness we have found in you. Help us, Lord, to find a way to share with those who are lost the glory of our lives lived for you. I ask you for your favor, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Points for Pondering and For Prayer

Or Perhaps for Putting Pen to Paper

A. Do you find the Bible difficult to understand? If you do reflect on or write about what you find difficult and how you deal with that.

B. Do you believe that God chose you and then called you at the appropriate time? Write about why or why not.

C, Do you believe that salvation is open to all who want it? Why or Why not.

D. Do you believe even if God does not call an individual if that individual seeks God and salvation, it is made available to them? Reflect, or write about why or why not.