Alright, let's take our Bibles
and turn to Ephesians chapter 1. I want to recap just a little
bit and read through. We're going to be looking at
verse 5. He said, Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus
and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, grace be to you and peace
from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,
according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will."
Now, the lesson this morning is from verse 5 of Ephesians
1, and the subject is predestination. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children, Now my goal this morning in the lesson
is that when everything is said and done, that you'll see in
this verse three things that I believe we need to understand
and need to see about predestination. And the first is the fixed and
unalterable purpose of God. That's obvious when you read
the verse. His purpose all the way through this. He just keeps
going back and telling us what God has done, what God has appointed,
what God has ordained. And now he says, having. It's
like he turns around, throws a loop back over everything he
said. Having predestinated us. The second thing I want you to
see is that this purpose, I want you to see it in the connection
with a particular people. Having predestinated us, he said. going back to the verse before
it, to those who were chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world. And then thirdly, that this purpose,
I want you to see that it has the highest ends and goals in
mind. It's this thing of predestination.
What God has predestinated has to do with what God intends to
do. It has to do with this glory.
about which God was willing to manifest, willing to do everything
that He did to show this glory. And that's the end. That's the
goal of this predestinating purpose of God. Now, in order to teach
these things, I'm going to have to make four declarations about
predestination. And I think you'll learn as much
on the negative end of this as you will on the positive. But
there's four things that need to be said that predestination
does not teach. That men who hear it, ignorant
men say, oh, I see what you're saying. But they don't see what
you're saying. There's four things. And I feel like these four things
need to be talked about before we can even begin to understand
what the doctrine actually does teach. The first thing that predestination
does not teach is that men and women are robots. That men and
women are just puppets without responsibility or accountability
for their own actions. If God's predestinated all things,
it don't matter what I do. Huh? Isn't that what men say? That's exactly what they say
when you start talking to them about predestination. And I don't
care whenever this doctrine's taught, ignorant men and women
will, without prayer, without study, without any kind of scriptural
foundation, just based on their own limitations and based on
their own fallen nature, arrive at some of the most erroneous
conclusions that I've ever heard in my life. If you just sit and
listen to what, if they just sit and listen to what they say,
they don't understand how foolish it is when they try to apply
those things toward God. And Paul deals with that very
thing over in Romans 9, verse 19, talking about Jacob and Esau. Before these two were ever born,
before these two had ever done any good or evil that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, it was said to Rebekah,
their mother, These two hadn't been born yet. Hadn't done anything. Hadn't said anything. Hadn't
did anything. That the purpose of God, according
to election, might stand. He said, the elder's going to
serve the younger. Going to be contrary to the laws
and rules of men. The elder's going to serve the
younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. And then he goes on to say, so
then, If this is the case, then it's not of him that runneth,
it's not of him that willeth, it's of God that showeth mercy.
These are things of God. Now, Paul said, here's what you're
going to say. Just what I just got through reading it. Here's
what you're going to say. Why doth he yet find fault? For
who hath resisted his will? How can God hold me accountable
if nobody can resist his will? It doesn't matter what I do.
And here's the answer. It follows quick on the heels
of the question. Paul already knew what the question
was going to be. This wasn't his first time preaching.
He knew what the question was going to be. Why does God yet
find fault? He said, nay, but, O man, who
art thou that replies against God? I don't understand these things
because I'm not God. I don't see how these things
can be if I try to reason these things out by logic and human
reasoning. There's no way you can reason
that out. God declares the end from the beginning. That's beyond
my ability to comprehend. I just believe it because he
said it in the word of God. I believe it. I accept it. And
I see why he did it and rejoice in it. But that's not what they
say. They reply back against God.
And He said, shall the thing formed say unto him that formed
it? Why? Why? Why did you do this? Why
did you do that? Huh? You going to hold God accountable? In Acts 17, Paul preaches that
God, this God that they didn't know anything about, he said
this unknown God. He said, He hath of one blood
made all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth. and hath determined the times before appointed, and set
the bounds of their habitation, and then commanded them to seek
him and to repent." How can that be? Because he's
God. Because he's God. He's God. Predestination does
not teach that men and women are robots or puppets with no
responsibility or accountability. And then secondly, predestination
does not teach a religious fatalism. It doesn't teach a religious
fatalism that basically says God's elect are going to be saved
no matter what. Now the first neighbor who ventured
over to speak to me was the one that lived directly behind me.
And he didn't know how. He said, I'm not really qualified
to And don't feel like I'm qualified to ask you this question, but
this is kind of what I'm getting out of this thing that I've heard
from some of the folks there at the church. He said, do you
preach and believe that God's only going to save certain men
no matter what? And I said, no, I don't preach
that and I don't believe that. I don't believe that. I don't believe that. But that's
what men say. I said, I don't preach or believe
that. I believe and preach that God chose a people to save for
the glory of his name, and he predestinated everything required
to accomplish that end. Now, that's what I believe about
predestination. While election deals with men,
predestination primarily deals with means. It deals with ends. It incorporates everything that
it takes to accomplish that end. The Bible teaches means, and
these means are ordained of God. This book declares the sovereign
will of God in the preaching of the Gospel. Paul said he was
ordained to the ministry. Ordained. That word ordained,
that word has to do with the predestinating purpose of God. God ordains. When God ordains
a thing, it's going to be. He ordained him to the ministry. He said, in James, of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth. And this book commands
men to repent and believe. This book teaches a persevering
walk of faith. And this book teaches evangelism
and missionary-type preaching throughout the world. This book
teaches the assembling of ourselves together. Forsake not, he said,
the assembling of yourselves together. This book teaches local
churches with a pastoral government and teaching. This book teaches
prayer, encourages prayer and worship. This book teaches a
growing in grace and knowledge of Christ. And what this book
does not teach, what it does not teach is a thoughtless, heartless
indifference to the things of God. And that man, I don't care
who he is, I don't care how much he attends church, that man who
can live his life with no regard to the means of God, no regard
to the things and ways of God. He's a reprobate. He's unaffected
by the Word of God. He's unaffected by the means
of God. He's a reprobate. There is no saving work of God
in his soul. The absolute predestination of
God nowhere in this book teaches or even hints at a religious
fatalism. And then thirdly, the doctrine
of predestination does not teach that God, without standards,
without conditions, and without reason, predestinated some to
heaven and some to hell. God doesn't do anything based
on something outside his own character and nature. He has
conditions, but they're not conditions as we know them. His conditions
is who He is. God's not going to do anything
contrary to His own character. That's why sin must be paid for. That's why these means must be
given. Actually, if you get right down
to it, you can't find the word predestination or election in
reference to anyone except believers. And I know, and I'm going to
be quick to say this, without question the everlasting condemnation
of the reprobate was as much the part of God's decree as the
salvation of God's elect. I'm going to give you three references
if you want to go home and read them concerning that. Proverbs
chapter 16 and verse 4. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 8.
And Jude verse 4. All three of these scriptures
have to do with God's eternal purpose in the reprobate. But
whenever to fail to recognize that God's predestination while
securing the salvation of God's elect by God's hand alone, he leaves that responsibility
and accountability of ungodly men square on their shoulders.
That's where it is. That's where it is. God's elect
are described in Romans chapter 9 as vessels of mercy or prepared
unto glory by God's free grace in Christ. And the reprobate
is described in the same chapter as a vessel of wrath fitted for
destruction by their own sin and willful unbelief. You read
through the chapter. So that in the end, all who appear
in heaven with Christ will owe that destination to the free
and sovereign pleasure of God. All those who appear in the torments
of hell will have nobody to blame but themselves. That's exactly
right. God's divine predestination does
not teach men and women are puppets. And as it's viewed in the Holy
Scripture, it does not teach or even hint at any kind of form
of religious fatalism. And the doctrine of predestination
does not teach that God arbitrarily, that is, without conditions,
without standards or reason, predestinated some to heaven
and some to hell. And the last error is this. Predestination,
as it's stated in the scripture, in the book of God, nowhere indicates
that it's based on the foreknowledge of God. I'll let that sink in for a minute.
God's predestination, nowhere in this book, is based on God's
foreknowledge. Nowhere in the book. Years ago
I was reading a book, and I want to say the author's name was
H.A. Ironsides. I had no knowledge
of these things, and I just had a few scriptures that I'd begin
to see some truth about, so I'd go over to the Baptist bookstore
and just pick up a book and read about Romans chapter 9 or Romans
chapter 8. In a few minutes, I'd get an
inkling if this guy had anything to say about him. If he did,
I'd buy the book. Later on, I'd find out he didn't
know anything. But that's the only way I knew
how to buy a book. So I went over there. And I got
a hold of this man. His name was H.A. Ironsides.
And I was reading about him. He had some pretty good things
to say about God's sovereignty. And so I bought the book, and
I got home, and he started to talk about predestination. And
he said, here's what predestination is. It's God looking down through
the telescope of time and seeing who would and who would not choose
him. Now, that's what I'm talking
about in this fourth error. It's not based on God. It's not
based on God seeing who would and who wouldn't do anything.
It's based on God's own will. And His determinant counts. long
before man ever existed. And one of the strongest, clearest
declarations of predestination found anywhere in the Scriptures
is right here in Ephesians chapter 1. If you want to look with me
at it, over in verse 11. In whom? That is this eternal,
sovereign mediator of God's will and purpose to save sinners.
In whom? Also, we have obtained an inheritance
being predestinated, now listen, according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. And I don't care what subject
it is you want to study, you're going to find it's owing to the
will of God, even the death of Christ. They did what they did
to him because this is what his hand and his counsel determined
before to be done. And you just go through scripture.
I don't care if you want to talk about man's good works. We are
his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in. I don't care
what it is. You just name the subject. Here it is. God's ordained it.
God's already set this thing in motion. God determined this
thing to be. To achieve the predestinated
end, which is the adoption of His people as sons, God arranges
and orders all things in harmony to this end. He worketh all things. All things. Well, does that include
providence? All things. All things. Well, what about
the reprobate? All things. What about Pharaoh? Even for this same purpose have
I raised him up. The God of the Bible is the God
of purpose. He does not act by reaction to
circumstance. He acts and works to a determined
end. And to have a determined end,
everything from beginning to end must be in His hands. And
therefore, when God speaks of faith and good works, He said
we are His workmanship. When he speaks of the willful
unbelief and sin of the reprobate, he said, and for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion. Does that mean God sends men
and women who are seeking after Him with all their hearts strong
delusion? No. No. He's just telling you
why they did what they did. And there's a reason for it.
There's a reason for it. Predestination is the destiny
of God's elect, which is predetermined by the living God. And it includes
within it everything that comes to pass in time, even the reprobation
of evil men. I tell you, we ought to tremble.
We ought to tremble before Him who is able to do as He will,
with whom He will, when He will, how He will. David said, our
God's in the heavens. He done whatsoever He please.
Man's gods down here, he said, they do whatever man lets them
do. This God does what he pleases. Well, I don't like that. He still
does what he pleases. I ain't going to bother him.
He still does what he pleases. And all you're going to accomplish
in all your jumping up and down and anger and mad and rebellion
and all that, you're doing exactly what God determined before to
be done. That's all you're going to do.
Predestination is nothing less than the God of purpose doing
His will in all things to the glory of His great name. Paul
began over in Ephesians chapter 3 to talk about his calling and
ministry to the Gentiles. This great mystery hid in the
counsels of God for men for thousands of years, but now revealed through
men like himself. Look at this over here, Ephesians
3 verse 10. To the intent That word is purpose. That now unto principalities
and powers and heavenly places might be known by the church
the manifold wisdom of God. What's this? According to the
eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. God
does everything according to that purpose. Everything, and
especially the means associated with the salvation of God's elect
are brought to pass in the predestinating purpose of God. Listen to this,
2 Timothy 1.9. God hath saved us, Paul said,
us. Now, he's taking that which was
eternal, that which was back beyond our comprehension, and
he's bringing it right down to the present. God hath saved us
and called us with a holy calling. Not according to our works done
in time, not according to our wills we exercised in time, but
according to his own purpose and grace which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began. That's predestination. He told his disciples, he said,
you've not chosen me, but I've chosen you and ordained you that
you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should
remain. Listen to this, Romans 13, verse 1. He said, let every
soul be subject to the higher powers, governmental authorities.
For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are what? Ordained of God. Isn't that predestinating
purpose of God? The gospel Paul said in his closing
remarks to the church at Rome is now made manifest by the scriptures
of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting
God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Why
does it have to be that way? Because that's the way God predestinated
it. And that's the way it's going
to be. That's the way it's going to be. Predestination is the
determinant counsel of God concerning the salvation of His elect. And
it incorporates all of the work of the Trinity and all of the
work of creation and all of the providence of time. I was talking
to a man one time and he said, that can't be right. He said,
that doesn't give every man a chance. And I said to him what Barnard
said to the church in Ashland nearly 60 years ago. He said,
the God of the Bible doesn't save men by chance. He saves
men on purpose. He's the God of purpose. He does
everything He does on purpose. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians
and he said, God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation. And He did it through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. And because He did it,
he said, you're called by my gospel. to the obtaining of the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, if God's predestinated
all things, does that mean that we don't have to hear the gospel?
No, what that means is God will arrange for you to hear the gospel.
That's what that means. Does that mean that men and women
will be saved no matter what? No, it means that God has predestinated
the means and chosen the people. Does that mean men are puppets?
No sir, it means that it's God that worketh in you. That's what
Paul, he didn't say let every man work out his own salvation
in fear and trembling and just go on. He said let every man
work out his own salvation in fear and trembling for it is
God that worketh in you, both the will and to do of His good
pleasure. I love the way Barnard had a way of putting things.
And here's what he said. He said, God is going to save
all his people against their will with their full consent. And that's exactly what predestination
intends to do and does. May God give us an understanding
of it. If we ever see it, we'll rejoice
in it. It won't be a bitter, cold doctrine. It'll be something
you can rejoice in, something you don't see. I tell you, if
there's a chance, one chance for me to be lost, I'll be lost.
But there is no chance, not with God. God does things on purpose.