Becoming Better Theologians (part 15)

It has to do with the sovereignty of God if ultimately we say that we have a free will a free independent will

free of You know the heavy hand of God.

If we have a free will a free independent will that can do choose either good or evil based on

nothing, but our own desires.

Then what we are ultimately saying is that God is not sovereign in salvation.

I don't think you can say sovereign salvation if it's up to us and Ultimately as Daniel says

who gets the glory for our salvation.

If it's all of God.

Then it's all the glory goes to him.

But let's look at Acts 2 verses 22 and 23 and I wonder if somebody would read that for us So that I can take a

momentary breath.

Acts 2 22 and 23.

Thank

you,

let's just

look at

that verse 23.

There again this Jesus.

Delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.

He was turned over and crucified according to the knowledge and the

plan of God.

What does that exactly say about the free will of those who killed him?

Could they have changed their minds and not have killed Jesus

if not why not?

Because it was God's plan.

Let's look over at Acts 4 Verses 27 and

28 and if I could have somebody read that

and again, this is Peter preaching

Acts 2 of course is the day of Pentecost Acts 4 27 to 28 with somebody read that please

go

ahead

Fred.

Okay

again, Peter kind of Saying the same thing in a different way.

But look at that to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Was there a you know, some kind of chance that that wouldn't happen

and I think it really speaks to Free will

if God is sovereign if God is in control of God has

decreed the end from the beginning.

If God knows that everything that's going to happen.

In fact, he has ordained and orchestrated everything that's going to happen then.

Free will in the sense that people typically think of free will meaning we're just free agents.

We can do whatever we want.

We can sign with the Yankees world with the Red Sox that's right, why

would anybody sign with the Yankees, but That kind of free will in a spiritual

sense really is not a biblical concept.

We discussed at some length Romans 6.

I think some Sunday night or something I'll probably do a sermon about that.

But here's the question I would encourage you to study that chapter for yourself

and just ask yourself.

Where exactly is free will?

I mean we could look at let's look at a few other passages.

Let's look at Romans 8.

And and again, I think it is important to grasp this because when we're talking about predestination, we're talking

about reprobation and these are difficult concepts but

If we understand the fact that God is in control that salvation is of the Lord as Jonah said

then.

These things aren't so difficult for us.

Romans 8 28 and 29 and we know that for those who love God.

All things work together for good.

For those who are called according to his purpose.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined.

To be conformed to the image of his son.

For those whom he foreknew whom he foreknew what?

Foreknew would believe well, it doesn't say that.

For those whom he foreknew meaning as I said before.

He knew before he set his affections upon, you know knowing in biblical language is not

simply.

Having an acquaintance with it means to have an intimate knowledge of that person

for those whom he foreknew.

That he designed to set his love on before the foundations of the world.

He also predestined.

He elected he chose to be conformed to the image of his son in order with

the purpose.

That he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

In other words that Christ would have many spiritual brothers and sisters.

Verse 30 and those whom he predestined.

Those whom he elected those whom he chose.

He also called in time.

He effectuated that calling that predestination and.

Those whom he called he also justified he declared them righteous and those whom he justified he also

glorified.

And there in verse 30 speaking in the past tense because of the

certainty of glorification.

There is a process of salvation and that process goes like this God before the foundation of the

world.

Set his affection on you.

He chose you in time.

He called you.

When he called you he justified you and he will glorify you.

Then he goes on and he says, you know.

What shall we say about these things if God is for us who can be against us and he goes on to say what?

That no one can separate us from the love of God in Christ including

ourselves including our own choices.

I'm not going to take the time to do this, but in Ephesians 1 Paul in verse 3

Paul bursts out and prays because of the work of I guess it was the tape

because of the work of God in salvation the Father Son Holy Spirit working together.

And then in chapter 2 and again, I would encourage you to say this on your own in chapter 2 He lays out the reason

why it's all of God if you look through Ephesians 1 verses 3 to 14.

You will not see anywhere in there the work of man the

free the exercise of free will of man.

What you will see is the free exercise of God in choosing you in dying for you and of sealing you

for all eternity and.

In Ephesians 2 Paul goes on and explains why?

God sent his affection upon you.

He died for you.

He seals you.

Why not because you're good.

Not because of your foreseen faith, but because you were dead in your sins and trespasses and you

couldn't do anything.

God had to do it all for you.

And that's why ultimately it all redounds to his glory as we would see three times in Ephesians 1 3

to 14 and again We would see in Ephesians 2 that you were dead in your sins trespasses and

so that God might display his riches.

So that he might show His magnificence.

He brings you to life and he grants you.

All that goes with it.

So We would begin this many many weeks ago talking about why people don't

believe.

They were not chosen they hate God they harden themselves.

They are hardened by God that gospel is foolishness to them.

They love sin not God.

They're blinded by Satan.

All these things are true.

But if we want to just get biblical and theological about it, we would say that people don't believe because they're not

chosen by God which leads us to

Reprobation.

Any questions.

Guido.

Thank You counselor.

Okay,

well he can he can

well let's just put it this way can he choose to commit different sins.

Outside of God's will and I think the answer is no.

Yeah, I think the answer is no.

I mean it you know here.

Here's where your will is.

Everyone's will is bound by what?

What are the what are the boundaries for someone's will?

Their nature.

I mean the sovereignty of God which determines their nature.

But you know could.

You know could I wake up this morning and decide that I'm going to you know Reenact the Tate

-LaBianca murders.

How many remember that?

You know from 1969 Charles Manson all that stuff you have to be pretty old to remember that.

You know it's not it's not it's not in me to think.

Oh, you know that would be a great way to spend my day.

Yeah, and it wouldn't occur to most people there's a Certainly a level of depravity that has to

be there you you will not choose.

Well let's put it this way.

If somebody tells me that they are.

That they don't want to go to the doctor and get a shot.

I Don't call them on Friday night and say now you know somebody's

definitely afraid of needles.

I don't call them on Friday night and go you know what uh?

Here's what I don't want you to do this weekend is I don't want you to start using heroin.

Why.

Because.

That's not within their nature.

I mean there I'm struggling there are just things that you will not do because they are not in your

nature now.

There are things that you will do.

There are sins that you will commit because they're easy to do and you kind of you're just used to doing

them.

Or maybe you don't you know you don't understand the the

Issue.

You know.

Believers or unbelief or unbelievers, but let the key is you will choose according

to your nature if you are a believer.

Can you sin.

Yes?

But you can also obey you can also choose not to sin, but you cannot.

There are certain Boundaries over which you will not step because it's just not within you to do that.

As an unbeliever you choose to sin and The only choice you have

really is what sins you will commit.

But even those would seem to be indicated that those are already prescribed or they're ordained by

God.

From before the foundation of the world an unbeliever cannot choose righteousness.

Why?

They're bound to sin.

They don't have within them a new nature and besides that it says in Hebrews 11 6 that without faith it is

Impossible to believe God.

You can't really obey God because it's not within you.

It's not in your nature.

Yes, Pam.

And and that's a great point in spite of the sovereignty of God people are still responsible.

And it says that even in the scriptures that we read this morning acts to these people it was the foreordained

plan of God.

But people still did it.

Wasn't like God planned it, and then they you know unwillingly went along.

They weren't you know what was there?

You know on the day when Christ was crucified.

Was there a group of people saying don't crucify him don't crucify him don't crucify him.

Was the crowd 50 -50.

I mean we don't read that.

They were chanting what crucify him crucify him you are you

will choose according to your nature.

Again can believers sin.

Yes, but believers also Have a deeper sense of how

their sin afflicts Their conscience and also of how it displeases

God and so their tendency is to want to sin less.

Yes, Peggy.

Yeah,

I mean did she brings up the

example Peggy does of David and Bathsheba was God caught unaware of

David's sin.

Absolutely not.

You know was he in any way surprised.

No.

You know could I prove biblically?

Within that context that God ordained that sin.

No, but I think I could prove it in other Contexts and clearly God knew about it and God brought

it to light.

Other thoughts.

Yeah Bruce.

Yeah, I

mean certainly that that

is true.

Yeah Bathsheba's in that lineage, so that's that's an indication right there but any

events.

The idea going back to this the overarching theme free will is a

misnomer.

We do have a will we are responsible to God for what we do.

But he is sovereign in everything and you say well, I can't reconcile those things neither can I?

But the Bible teaches that God is sovereign and the Bible teaches that man is responsible.

And I mean one of my favorite examples really and I mentioned him momentarily earlier is Jonah.

God says Jonah go to Nineveh preach repentance to that city at Nineveh and Jonah

says Okay Lord will do.

No, he's on a ship, and he's gonna go cruise the Mediterranean.

And go as far away as he can.

And God says well, thank you very much for your input Jonah, but you're going back to Nineveh no matter what you want and

every step along the way Jonah is kicking and screaming and whining and complaining,

but eventually he does what the Lord says and what happens.

The city repents the people repent and of course Jonah is delighted.

By this exercise of the sovereignty of God in salvation.

You know I mean think about it.

Jonah might be one of the most successful missionaries ever,

but he wasn't faithful.

God was faithful.

Other questions or thoughts about free will.

Okay that problem solved.

Yeah, God ordains it.

Well we could say in order you know kind of God ordains it or allows it.

But he does more than that he ordains it.

But it's interesting even the Westminster

Confession of Faith just talks about how God ordains sin.

But in such a way that he is not the author of it.

No one could say God made me sin in other words.

But he so uses it.

For his own purposes in every in every case and sometimes we stand back we go.

I don't understand why God would We say allow it a lot.

I mean a more biblical way to look at it is why God would ordain that.

Why did God ordain the attack on the Twin Towers on the World Trade Center?

Why I?

Don't know you know why did this happen?

I don't know, but ultimately he has his purpose in it in his hand in it.

Dave Myers.

That's right.

That's right ultimately everything is for his glory, and we say well.

I don't get it.

How does that all add up and you're exactly right?

We don't have a perspective to get it.

You know it really comes back to Romans 9 where Paul says?

Who are you?

Oh man who answers to God?

You are the clay.

He is the Potter the Potter sitting there making things the way he wants and you know the clay doesn't go.

But that's it.

You know people go.

I'm mad at God really are you know?

What are you mad at him when he gave you that last breath?

How about what he gave you that you know?

People don't want to get mad about the grace and the mercy of God.

They just want to get mad at him when things don't go exactly as they want.

Yeah, Pam says you know people say this that if I was as powerful as God

I would do things differently than he did.

And then they say but if I was as wise as God I Do things exactly as he does.

There's something called Providence something.

We haven't really talked about very much, but this Touches on something else that Pam said

you know we When things happen in our lives we have this tendency to ask why

you know?

To be as it were the clay asking the Potter.

Why have you done this?

Why have you made me like this?

Why is this going on?

Why why why why why why and?

Often not always but often in retrospect.

We think that was exactly the right thing to happen.

I didn't understand it at the time.

I didn't like it at the time.

I might have hated it at the time.

But in Russia as we look back.

We just go that was God Preparing us for this that was God leading

this person to that it was God's hand Shaping and molding events to get exactly

where we needed to be.

Steve.

Like I say that but Right.

Yeah, I mean there certainly is the truth to that you know would you rather have an easy life, and you know

kind of Anticipate heaven less or enjoy the riches of heaven less or you know

I once there was a man here who?

Was not a believer.

I think he was here on a Sunday night, and was just told me a little something about his life, and you know.

It was a difficult life.

And he was about 40 ish, and I said well, let me ask you something I said if

You knew that your life was never gonna get any better and that the next 40 years were gonna be

absolutely miserable but After that was done.

You were gonna spend all of eternity in Perfection in the presence of Christ.

Worshiping him forever never having a tear never thinking any negative thoughts about everything that happened before having all that

wiped away.

Could you live with eternity?

In light of 40 years of suffering I mean after those 40 years were done.

Do you think you'd be thinking?

Oh boy those 40 years were tough.

I don't know how I'm gonna make it through eternity and bliss.

I Don't think you'd be thinking that.

We read first Peter.

We're told that this life is going to be difficult.

We're gonna face trials.

We're gonna face difficulties.

We're gonna face persecutions.

But the promise is heaven and what awaits us there.

That's what we look forward to that's what we press on for.

That's what's promised to us in Christ.

Other thoughts questions.

Damn, I'll decide if it's silly or not.

Thank you.

I ran across the street as

fixing light,

but

it's

not something you dwell on so imagine yourself being an eternity.

Yeah, it Daniel brings up a time where?

He gauged the distance between two moving cars.

Using his engineering skills as how old were you?

About six years old, you know anticipating the day where he would be a brilliant mathematician.

And he ran between the cars and his dad observed this and was not pleased with the result of

Daniel's engineering and.

And gave him a whippin well in retrospect.

You know what does Daniel remember about his father?

Is he just thinking you know I can never forgive him for the time.

He whipped me.

I don't know you still remember it don't you but.

But there was a lesson there and also it was the love and affection that he showered on him all the time plus the

Lesson, I'm sure that he never forgot about that.

Yeah, and I I mean I think in light.

That's a human example, but in light of all that God has given us.

You know it's kind of amazing to hear some of the things that people.

And I mean I'm not immune from complaining, but some of the things that we complain about and you just go okay, okay?

Can we just take a step back and get some perspective on this?

Can we just think about what we deserve.

I mean when I think about my own life I mean sometimes if I just let kind of the whole

Sum of all that God did for me leading up before I was saved all the times

he preserved me.

I mean just a small example I remember one time just really being upset and driving out of this little hot rod vehicle and.

And I took a turn that I think was posted at 15 I probably took it at 50 or 55 or something like that which would have

been fine except.

There was a little patch of sand there and You know the the back end of

the car went like this and then it fishtailed back like that and next thing I know I was spinning, and I'm you know

hey, I've been trained in emergency driving.

I'll just start.

I Was turning the wheels hard and fast as I could and it didn't matter.

I mean it was having no impact.

I mean you know because We do have some mathematicians in here I think they could probably explain why my

feeble efforts at the steering wheel were having no impact on this 2 ,500 pound vehicle that

was rocketing out of control now on One

side of this road that I was on There was a concrete line ditch.

That was about 10 or 12 feet deep.

Concrete that would've been bad.

On the other side there was about a 40 -foot drop.

I was not saved that car did not leave the road.

It just spun stopped right on the road.

How do you know how can you explain things like that why I really can't I remember thinking at the time.

You know because I got out of the vehicle, and I was a little bump on my head, and I thought that was pretty good.

Yeah, that was all right car was totaled.

Because I hit there was a little curb.

You know it was like four inches.

I hit that curb, and it broke both axles and You know it was bad,

but I walked away and Got the Honda that we just

retired here a couple of months ago.

But all that to say you know when we think of all the things that we've done and all that we deserve in our lives.

And how God preserves us till the day of Salvation.

And then whatever difficulties we may have in that.

Painful things you know.

Children who depart from the faith or spouses who aren't saved or financial

losses or Diseases or physical afflictions of whatever kind.

When we think of those things and we just get focused on them.

We think well I can't believe I have to deal with this really really.

In light of what we have done.

How can we ever question God in light of all that he has given us the

forgiveness of sin.

The promise of heaven.

I mean you know even getting back to Ephesians just thinking about being seated with Christ in the

heavenlies.

How does that even work?

When you read scripture when you think of the promises to believers.

You just have to kind of you should be not saying why is this happening to me now?

But I can't believe that this applies to me.

I can't believe these promises are true for me.

I don't deserve that.

Well all I know is I don't deserve to lose my job all I know is I don't deserve.

Well, okay, you know I understand and I commiserate with you you know for in this.

But I think you just need to look at the big picture.

And I know that anything I does as hard as it might be it's for good.

So I have that perspective with an expectation that something a man in

complete bondage Acting like his life is great.

This girl is going to a party.

She's gonna drink so that she can connect.

What do you bring up it you know the way the transgressors heart and you bring up a great point.

You know when we think about how difficult our lives are sometimes I.

Physically we're deluding ourselves because we do live in this country where you know The

poorest among us is would be would be magnificently wealthy in most other countries,

but in light of.

When you are with I'll tell you what try this experiment.

You know next year have Thanksgiving with your unbelieving family and friends

and Then spend Christmas with your believing Family and friends and

see if there's a difference.

It is depressing.

I'm sorry.

I love my family and everything you know like that, but it is depressing to be around people who

You know are just so self -focused and can only you know they're worried about how they're gonna have

fun.

You know how they're gonna fit in how they're gonna do all these kind of things is depressing to be around those kind of people.

And it's exciting how many of you were at suppers for six last night.

It's it's fun to be around believers.

It's fun to you know.

Rejoice in what Christ is doing in the lives of other people.

It's tough to listen to people complain and whine and you know.

Talk about how they're dealing with the situations in their lives when you're like.

Well, I could tell you how that problem will go either go away, or we'll see minimal.

But they don't want to hear about Christ.

They don't want to hear about sin.

You know they they just don't get it.

I have to tell you the truth.

I Don't want a free will if a free will means

Ultimately that I could choose not to have all that God has granted me in Christ

Jesus.

No, thanks, but the Bible teaches.

We do have a will we do make choices.

We are responsible, but God is sovereign.

Okay, and then the three minutes we have left.

Because we have to end on time.

It's one of the problems with church growth.

We have to end on time.

Let's let's talk about reprobation.

We've talked about election.

We understand that that's God's choosing of Those who will be saved.

But let's talk for just a minute about reprobation, and then we're gonna have to continue next week, sorry.

Let's look at Romans 11.

I think we started this but before but let's Let's get to

this Romans 11 and verses 7 through 10, and

I'll read that.

What then?

Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking.

The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.

Notice the passivity of that language as it is written.

God gave them a spirit of stupor who knows what stupor is.

Don't say torpor.

What is stupor go ahead.

A mushy brain and an inability to perceive what's going on.

It could be almost like it could be.

It's not a comatose state, but it's kind of you're aware, but you're really just kind of

unable to function.

Okay, so where was it here.

God gave them a spirit of stupor eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear down to this very day

and David says let their table become a snare and a trap a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and bend their backs forever.

The idea of reprobation is that while God chooses To save

some that's election.

Reprobation is the opposite that he chooses not to save others.

And when he chooses not to save them and this is why some people don't believe there is a hardening

that happens and

There is a Contrast between the chosen those who are elect those who receive

grace and everyone else the reprobate who are hardened.

Those who are eternally elected out of grace will receive grace in time.

That's exactly what we read in Romans 8.

That if God said his affection if he foreknew you and he predestined you then he would call you in

time.

Those who were not eternally Elected will not only not receive grace in time,

but they will Be hardened their desires will become

More firm Against God.

And when Paul's writing here in Romans 11, he actually quotes Isaiah 29 10.

Look, let's look at Isaiah 29.

We're gonna have to close here in just a second.

So we'll just read Isaiah 29 Verses 9 and 10 and

by the way, you know what me I'll just close with this thought by the way, none of this.

Whether we're talking about we'll just close here whether we're talking about reprobation whether we're talking about election.

Whether we're talking about the sovereignty of God, none of these things not one of them should ever

Inhibit preclude prevent any other kind of language us from doing what?

Evangelizing from preaching the gospel people say well, you know what?

I don't know if they're elect or not.

I don't know if this person's a reprobate.

I think he is a reprobate.

I think he's beyond the grace of God.

This is the worst person I know.

Okay.

Here's all I know.

Is that scripture talks about God in such a way that he is more powerful than even the most rebellious

sinner?

That God in the person of Jesus Christ Appeared to someone who was a complete enemy of God on the road to

Damascus and completely changed his life.

In fact, I like to cite that often, you know the Damascus Road experience as probably the preeminent example

of the free will of God in all scripture because they had nothing to do with the free

will of you know Saul was on his way to persecute the church.

Saul was breathing threats and he just witnessed the murder of Stephen.

He wasn't really interested in you know, he wasn't a seeker.

I'm gonna be talking a little bit about I I don't understand the whole

seeker thing.

I don't get it at all you know and all the emphasis made on church growth and who we need to look out for and reach

out to and all these things gonna mention that a little bit tonight, but

Saul is an example of the sovereignty of God and salvation and how he

chooses and how he acts and how the soul of man is set

free from its chosen bondage to sin and Then enslaved to Christ.

That's what Romans 6 is about.

When Paul writes that you are either a slave of sin or you're a slave of righteousness.

He was a slave of sin he was dead set bound to

persecute the church and to you know, basically.

Say blasphemous things about Christ.

Until God so worked in his life that he changed and he changed completely.

So nothing should hold us back from preaching the gospel.

We don't know who we're talking to.

We don't know if it's a person who's elect or reprobate and that's not our job.

It's never our job.

We have one responsibility and that is to testify of Christ to talk about

Forgiveness of sins that is available in him.

Well, let's pray.

We need it.

We need to close father in heaven.

Lord, it is Absolutely mind -boggling to think that you would set your affection on those who hated you.

That you would take those who would persecute your your church who would blaspheme against you.

That you would take out their hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh hearts that long to please you Father

even hearts that would say that we are the chief of sinners.

Hearts that would long to be free from the burdens of sin and even the the thoughts of sin.

Father, would you keep our hope set thoroughly on heaven on the promises of Christ?

The promises in Christ.

But would you make us a people who are joyous and who are happy and delighted?

To proclaim Christ to those Who don't know you Lord?

Would you keep us ever mindful that apart from your sovereign grace?

We would be blind.

We would be deaf.

We would be completely oblivious To the truth of Scripture,

would you bless each one here and just give us a an overwhelming sense of joy that you would

save us.

I Pray in Christ's name.

Amen.