Predestination
The assault of Satan and the worldviews of humanism, Marxism, and other false religions will only be defended as God’s people stand for truth girded by a proper understanding of God’s Sovereignty. The doctrine of Predestination is not abstract theology but part of our proper defense and comfort in the face of this great spiritual battle.
This brief chapel talk certainly does not deal with all the theological and philosophical issues relevant to the doctrine of predestination and God’s eternal decrees, but I believe it provide an introduction and basic foundation.
1. Introduction: Let me begin by asking five questions?
- 1. Has God planned all things on earth?
- 2. Does God know all things that will happen on earth?
- 3. Is God ever surprised by what happens on earth?
- 4. Does God’s eternal plan mean that He is responsible for sin?
- 5. Does God’s eternal plan mean the men are not responsible?
2. Proposition: God has planned all things from eternity and yet God is not the author of sin nor is man simply a robot.
3. Organizational Sentence: We will be reflecting on several Scripture passages which I believe establish all three points.
4. Scripture Passages:
I. Gen. 3:6-7
A. The main point here is to show that Adam and Eve were not forced to sin. Sin is not any created thing but rebellion against God.
II. Genesis 45:7; 50:20
A. God clearly had a plan and was not merely responding to what Joseph’s brothers did to him.
B. Joseph’s brothers were fully responsible for their actions. They were not forced to sell Joseph into slavery. In God’s perfect plan things worked out for good.
III. Psalm 139:16
A. God knows and has planned each of our days before we even our first day out of the womb.
IV. Acts 2:22-23
A. I believe that the most wicked act in all of history was the murder of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, who lived a totally perfect life.
B. Here we see that Jesus was crucified according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Foreknowledge doesn’t mean simply that God just sees the future; it is closely related also to God’s plan of all things.
C. Here also we see that God’s eternal plan did not mean that those responsible for Jesus’ death – both Jews and Romans – were not responsible.
V. Acts 4:27-28
A. I believe that in this prayer of the apostles we see the same three points. God has planned all things from eternity and yet God is not the author of sin nor are men and women simply robots but are responsible for their actions.
Conclusion: The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3, section 8: 8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men, attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.