 |
|||
| Books | Sermons | Today's Devotion | |
| Devotion Archives | Scripture Reference Index | Sermon Archives | |
| Home | About Us | Contact Us | Links |
Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
PREDESTINED
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." ACT 2:46-47.
Look at the principle taught in our text and see how the gospel went forth to the whole multitude, not just the elect. Do you see the sovereignty of God in that? The gospel went to the whole multitude, but only those who "should be saved" were added to the church. The proclamation of the Word went out publicly to all people; not one person in that crowd could say that the atonement wasn't for him on the basis that it was not proven to him that he was among the elect.
One time I asked a person close to me to ask the blessing before a meal. His response was, "Listen, God says that the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord; I don't know if I'm elect, and so I can't pray." That is pretty far-fetched, but Satan has many traps to hinder and lead us astray.
Look at the trap Satan has for people who want to argue the limitation of the atonement, see how Satan uses that argument to put people in bondage! Can you imagine the bondage you would be in if Satan had you convinced that you may not pray to God until you see it written in stone that you are one of God's elect? Do you see how such folly encourages one to continue in sin and fatalism, putting the blame on God? "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" ROM 6:1-2.
Our text says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Not one person on earth need despair of mercy, but those who, like the Jew, hear and refuse to believe will perish. Why do they refuse to hear? Those whom God has ordained to eternal life believe. It is only by the grace of God, the Divine influence of the Spirit upon the heart, that the Apostle Paul, or you or I, will ever believe, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," ROM 8:7. Only those who are ordained to eternal life, who receive the Divine influence of the Spirit upon the heart to break their enmity against God, will believe.
Now we can see the harmony between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. We are all responsible, but only those who are foreordained will believe.
Only those whom the Father has loved from eternity does He influence by the power of His grace to turn from sin to serving the living God. This does not mean that God can't influence others, but the ones He has chosen are the ones He does influence. This is a shocking statement to many people, but let's prove this right out of Scripture. ROM 8:29 says, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
The word foreknow means that He had an intimate relationship with that person, like the union between a man and his wife. Those for whom He had this intimate love, He predestinated. Where is the source and the fountain? The fountain of this love springs from eternity; those whom He loved before the foundation of the world, He predetermined that they will conform to the image of His Son.
We must not govern our lives by the secret will of God, but by His revealed will. DEU 29:29 says, "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." We all have the revealed will of God revealed in His Word, and we are to control our lives by His reveal will, not His secret will.
Now where is the evidence of our salvation? The evidence of our salvation is a new heart given to us by the Father; it is a heart filled with new desires. Has God worked that grace in our souls? Is it our desire to walk in the path of His Son and follow in His footsteps?
The unspeakable gift of the Father in giving His Son was for those whom He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. ROM 8:30-31 says, "Moreover whom he did predestinate [those to whom He gave repentance, those who became conformed to the image of His Son], them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Who can be against us? In pondering our answer we must include the ugly, wretched nature of mine, the ugly monster, "I." God can alter those things and influence us with a flicker of light. He turns on a little light and all of a sudden a monster like Saul becomes the Apostle Paul; he's a totally different man.
That is what God is telling us here; those whom He loved from eternity He predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. Those are the ones He calls, and they are the ones He sanctifies, justifies, and glorifies. The rest are allowed to remain in their rebellion. That is where the difference lies. Our text says, "Whosoever believeth...;" this is where the distinction comes. Who will believe? Those who are foreordained to eternal life will believe because as we read in PHI 2:13, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Amen.
"WHOSOEVER WILL"
"Whosoever heareth," shout, shout the sound! Spread the blessed tidings
all the world around; Tell the joyful news wherever man is found,
"Whosoever cometh," need not delay, Now the door is open,
enter while you may; Jesus is the true, the only Living Way.
"Whosoever will," the promise is secure; "Whosoever will,"
forever must endure; "Whosoever will," ‘tis life forever more;
"Whosoever will may come." Whosoever will, whosoever will!"
Send the proclamation over vale and hill; "Tis a loving Father
Calls the wanderer home: "Whosoever will may come."
These on-line devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion. See also our sermon notes. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.