When you turn back to Ephesians
1, some of you noticed Chris Cunningham here. I asked him
to preach, and he said no. So I don't blame him. He needs a weekend off, but he's
been up with us this weekend. It's been such a blessing having
him. Ephesians 1 verse 3, blessed
be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
And he named some 16 or 17 different blessings down through verse
14. And we've already considered the first three blessings. blessing
of election according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world. The blessing of being chosen
to be holy that we should be holy. Then last week we considered
without blame before him and this morning I want us to consider
the blessing of predestination. Now I want to ask you this question. Do you consider predestination
a spiritual blessing? Some people would think of it
as something to argue over or a kind of philosophy. But do
you personally consider predestination a spiritual blessing that from
your heart you thank the Lord for? Now, if you don't, number one, something's wrong
with you. Number two, I pray that by the end of this message,
you will count it a spiritual blessing. I've entitled this
message, Predestination and Salvation. Now, there are six times this
word is used in the New Testament. And predestination has to do
with the love of God. Predestination has to do with
the will of God. Predestination has to do with
the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Predestination has to do with
God's great end in salvation. Predestination is the guarantee
of every other aspect of salvation. And predestination is about revelation. And all six of those things are
seen in the six different places where the word is used in the
New Testament. Predestination and salvation. Now, usually when people think
of predestination, they'll have a vague, there's a reason for
everything. Anytime something happens, people
will generally say that. There's a reason for everything.
Or they'll think about every event being predetermined. If
you believe in predestination, you believe that when I snap
my fingers, well, that was predestined to happen, and that's why it
happened. And all events being predetermined. Well, whatever
will be, will be. Well, that's better than whatever
will be, won't be. That doesn't make sense, does it? What is predestination? Now many misrepresent predestination
with these three caricatures. First, God predestinated some
to heaven and some to hell. That's not what the Bible teaches. Now the second caricature that
people use with regard to predestination is If you're predestined to be
saved, you'll be saved no matter what. Even if you don't believe, even
if you don't bow the knee to Christ, if you're predestined
to be saved, you'll be saved no matter what. And the third
caricature that men make of predestination is if you're not predestined,
you'll not be saved even if you ask for mercy. Even if you come
to Christ and beg for mercy, he's going to say, nope, not
one of the predestinated. Now, that is not what the Bible
teaches with regard to this glorious spiritual blessing of predestination. Now, understand predestination
always, always has something to do with salvation. Now, it's true there is such
a thing as reprobation, and we have a lot of scriptures with
regard to that. I'm not trying to hide that or
put it under the cover, but predestination, that's enough to deal with this
morning, always has to do with salvation. Now, the meaning of
predestination is found in the word predestination, predetermined. Now, in the Bluegrass Airport
this morning, I don't know how many flights have gone out, but
every single one of them had a predetermined destination,
didn't they? They didn't just go up in the
air and think, where are we gonna go? No, no, it was predetermined
where they would land. That's what predestination is.
Determined beforehand. You didn't get in your car this
morning and think, well, well, where will I end up? You know,
let's just start driving and see what happens. And lo and
behold, you end up at the Tod's Road Grace Church. No, it didn't
work that way at all. You predetermined to be here,
didn't you? It was your determination and you determined beforehand
that it would be done. Did God know you would be here
this morning? Obviously. Is there any way you wouldn't
have been here this morning if God knew you would be? Of course not. This is all a
part of God's predetermination. He is in complete absolute control
over the free actions of men. You do what you want to do. I
do what I want to do. We're not caused. We do what we want to do. And
God is in complete sovereign control over even the thoughts
that are going through your mind right now. That's God. That's who he is. He has absolute
control. Now the word is found six times
in the New Testament and it's taught in the Old Testament as
well. But God is a God of absolute predestination. And if that is
not the God you worship, the God you worship does not exist. Now think about that statement.
If that is not the God you worship, the God you worship does not
exist. And you really have never worshipped. That's how important this subject
is. God is the God of absolute predestination. Predestination
is God being God. That's all it means. He really
is God. I know people have objected to predestination and said, well,
that makes men puppets on God's string. Well, if you deny predestination,
you make God a puppet on man's string. Which way would you rather
have it? I'd whole lot rather God be in
control with you. Let God be true in every man
alive. Predestination is God being God
and any objection to predestination. is an objection to God's rule
and God's reign and God's control. God is God. And if I object to this, it's
a battle I'm going to lose because God is God. Now in our text,
I'm going to look at all six places the word is used, but
in our text, verse five, having predestinated Men made these
chapter divisions and these verses, and I'm thankful for them. I
am. Well, what if I said, you can
find somewhere in the book of Isaiah, you know, we'd spend all day
looking. So I'm thankful for these chapter divisions and these
verses, but sometimes they are obviously man-made because this
in love at the end of verse four should be in verse five, in love
having predestinated us. Now here's the first point. Predestination
has to do with the love of God. The love of God is the moving
cause of predestination. I love that scripture in Romans
8, 29. We're going to go there in a little bit, but it says,
for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. And you know that that word foreknow
is not just talking about a knowledge of events. It says for whom he
did foreknow, for whom he did forelove, he also did predestinate. The love of God. is behind predestination. The love of God that is presented
by religion is a weak, pathetic, sterile thing. God loves you. Now this is the
message of most preachers, most churches. or so-called churches. God loves you and he wants to
save you, but he cannot unless you of your own free will accept
him and what he did. And if you don't accept him and
what he did, you will not be saved. His love will do you no
good at all. Now, is that a fair representation
of what generally is preached? Am I overstating it? No. God loves everybody, wants to
save everybody, and offers salvation to everybody. And it's up to
you to either accept it or reject it. Do you know that's not even as
good as human love? What do I mean by that? If that's
the way you love your children, they're going to put your children
in foster care. If you won't violate your children's
will and you won't make them do what's right, they're going
to end up putting your children in foster care because you're
not being a good parent. And yet, people ascribe that
kind of love to God. He wants things for you, but
He can't do this for you, even though He loves you, unless you
let Him. That's not love. That's lack
of love. That's all that is. That's not
love at all. If you love somebody, you're going to do what it takes
for their good. And God has the power. A lot
of times you and I don't have the power or the wisdom to do
what we ought to do, but God always does. And that's the way
his love is. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter
two. Verse four, but God, you read
the first three verses of what we were, children of wrath, even
as others. Verse four, but God, who is rich
in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
you are saved. and hath raised us up together
and made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." That great
love is the love of Ephesians 1, 5, in love having predestinated
us. All that God loves, he has predestinated
that they will be saved and be perfectly conformed to the image
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he has the power and the
wisdom to make that come to pass. But does that imply that he doesn't
love all men? It's not an implication, it's
a fact. Psalm 5 verse 5, thou hatest
all workers of iniquity. He said, regarding Esau, Esau
have I hated. And I'm not going to make any
apologies for the Lord. Whatever he does is right. It's righteous
and holy. Whatever he does, I don't need
to, I don't feel any need to try to defend him and try to,
his word says what it says. And we love what his word says. Now take away predestination
and you take away the love of God. That's how important this
is. Predestination has behind it
the love of God for his elect. Now look in Ephesians chapter
1 verse 11. Here's the second time we're going to see where
the word is used. In whom. That's where all of
God's salvation is. In whom also We have obtained
an inheritance, we've got it, being predestinated, there's
the word again, according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will. Predestination
is a declaration of the sovereignty of God in salvation. Notice the word purpose, verse
11, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated
according to the purpose, the purpose of Him, who worketh all
things after the counsel of His own will. God is a God of purpose.
Everything He does, He purposed to do. And His purpose is always
done. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose. Romans 9, 11, for the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of
works, but of him that calleth. God is a God of purpose, and
predestination is His purpose coming to pass. Salvation is
according to the will of God. Turn with me to Isaiah 46. Verse
9. Remember the former things of
old, Isaiah 46 verse nine. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God and there's none else. I am God and there's
none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning. And from ancient times, the things
that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand. I will
do all my pleasure. Calling a ravenous bird from
the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country,
yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass, I have
purposed it, I also will do it. Now that is the God of the Bible. He works all things after the
counsel of his own will. Well, what's included in all
things? All things, all things. He works all things after the
counsel of his own will and his good pleasure. Now, here's the
point. Why is a man predestinated? Because God willed it. Why is
a man saved? Because God willed it. It's not
of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
showeth mercy. He said to Pharaoh, even to this
same purpose have I raised you up that I might show my power
in you and my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will,
he hardens. Now that is the word of God. Predestination is neither more
nor less than the supremacy of God's will in salvation. And if I have a problem with
that, I have a major problem, don't I? God is God. I think of that scripture in
1 Corinthians 4, verse 7, who maketh thee to differ from another? God did. Amen? God did. What do you have that you didn't
receive? Predestination is the declaration of the supremacy
of God's will in salvation. If I'm saved, I know this, it's
because God willed it. And that's my only hope. Now
turn to Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four. Now what is very interesting
about this passage of scripture, a lot of things interesting about
it, but this is the newborn church. These people had only been saved
for a few days. This is right after Pentecost.
And if you want to know what newborn believers believe, here
we go. These were newborn believers. that had only been saved for
a few days, right after the sermon on Pentecost. And look what they
said, verse 23, in being let go, they went to their own company
and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto
them. And when they, the early church, when they heard that,
they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said,
Lord, thou art God. which has made heaven and earth
and the sea and all that in them is, who by the mouth of thy servant
David had said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine
vain things? The kings of the earth stood
up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and
against his Christ, for of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus,
whom thou hast anointed Both Herod and Pontius Pilate with
the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. Now that's the same word, predestinate. They were gathered together when
they were putting the Lord to death. They were gathered together
to do whatever you predestinated for them to do. Now, here's the point. Predestination has to do with
the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, preeminently. This is what comes
first. in importance, I don't know how
to say it, but Revelation 13, eight says, Christ is the lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. And when those men
got together in hatred and enmity and nailed Christ to a cross,
they were doing what God predestinated them to do. Now, why make a point
of that? Why make a point of that? The
living God has as his motive for all he does his own glory. Think about that. God's motive
For everything he does is his own glory. Now, some people will
think, well, isn't that kind of selfish? Well, for me or you,
it'd be evil and ungodly, but not for the God of glory. He's
glorious, and His only motive for all He does, no, His only
motive, everything is covered in that, but His only motive
for what He does is His own glory. And the way He glorifies Himself
the most is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of His attributes are glorified
in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. You think of any attribute
you can think of God, His holiness, how it's manifest in the cross,
His absolute justice. He's going to punish sin. How
that's seen in the cross, His power, how He can actually put
away sin so it's no longer there. That's seen in the cross. His
wisdom in making a way to be just and justify folks like me. Oh, it's manifest in the cross.
The cross is the most God-like thing that God ever did. And
He did it for His own glory. Listen to me. The cross is not
God's response to Adam's fall. The cross is God glorifying Himself. You believe that? The cross was predestinated. So when those men were driving
the nails in his hands and his feet, they were doing what God's
hand and God's counsel determined before to be done. You know,
Peter opened up the message on Pentecost, that first gospel
message begins like this, Him being delivered by the determinant
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and with
wicked hands have crucified and slain. So when we talk about
predestination, You can't separate it from the cross of the Lord
Jesus Christ. This is God's eternal will to
glorify himself. Can't you see clearly how predestination
has to do with salvation? The cross of Christ is salvation. Now turn to Romans chapter 8. I've already quoted this once,
but let's look at it. Romans 8 verse 29, for whom he
did foreknow, and hold on just a second, this foreknow, that
means forelove. That's really all it means. Adam
knew his wife Eve. It's used of an intimate relationship. For whom he did For no, he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now, what is predestination? God, I want to say this reverently. You know, anytime I'm dealing
with anything with regard to the truth of the scriptures,
I always feel like I wish I could say it with the proper reverence
and proper fear. And the predestination is this. God took a look at his only begotten
and well beloved son and he said I'm going to have a bunch more
just like him. Perfectly conformed to his image. I've thought about this all week,
Tom, Donna, you won't mind me talking about Tom, but he's perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ right now. Beholding his face
in righteousness. And that is God's great end in
predestination to have a people just like his son. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. And that's God's end in salvation,
to have a people just like His Son. What could possibly be better
than that? Now, all that God has predestinated They shall
be conformed to his image to this extent. I think in that
scripture in 1 John chapter 4 verse 17 it says, As he is, so are
we in this world. Now I can't see it. I can't see
it. But whatever Christ is like, that doesn't even, you don't
talk about, is Christ holy? I am too. And one of these days
I'm gonna experience it in its fullness, because I'm not gonna
have this sinful nature wracking me down. Is Christ perfectly
righteous? Altogether lovely to the Father?
I am too. That's what I've been predestinated
for, and that's how I'll spend eternity. Whatever Christ is,
every believer is, conformed to his image. That's what predestination
is about. It's God predestinating. a bunch
of people to be perfectly conformed to the image of His Son, just
like Him. Now, predestination is glorious,
isn't it? What God's great end, you know,
people think of predestination, just, well, I fell, it was predestinated,
I'm glad that's over with. Well, if you did fall, it was
predestinated. God's in control of it. What part is God not in
control of? But that's not the point of predestination. Predestination in the Scriptures
always has to do with salvation. being predestinated to be conformed
to the image of his son. That's the, that's the inheritance
every believer has. Now look in verse 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called. Now this is very important. Somebody
hears about predestination and they say, well, if that's true,
what's the point in believing? What's the point in coming to
church? What's the point in hearing the gospel? What's the point
in doing anything if everything's being predestinated? I mean,
it just seems pointless. No, them he predestinated, them
he also called. Now what predestination does
is it secures every other aspect of salvation. You see if he predestinated
you, he calls you. And you know what happens when
he calls you? You come running. That's what happens. Lazarus,
come forth. He that was dead came forth. Zacchaeus, make haste, come down. Today I must abide in thy house. And he made haste, and he came
down, and he received him joyfully. You see, this thing of calling,
it's what's called the irresistible call. If you can resist, it wasn't
God. When God calls, you come. Matthew, follow me. He rose up,
forsook all, and followed the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, if
you're predestinated, He's gonna call you, you're gonna come to
Him, you're gonna find your all in Him, you're gonna walk with
Him all your days. That's what calling is. I love
that passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 1, 23 and 24, when
it says the Jews require a sign, they want something that could,
see, I must be saved, I've experienced this. The Greeks, they seek after
wisdom, philosophy, and so on. But we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness,
but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks. Christ,
the power of God, and Christ, the wisdom of God. You see, predestination
is not fatalism. It's not, well, what will be,
will be. No, with predestination, there's
calling God's invincible, irresistible call. If He calls you, you'll
come. He calls you, you'll follow Christ
all the days of your life. And you're going to see Him as
the altogether lovely one. And your only desire is to be
found in Him. Now that's what predestination
does. Notice it says, and whom He called, then He also justified.
Whom He justified, then He also glorified. All of God's salvation
is comprehended because of predestination. That's who God is. salvation
is of the Lord. Now, look in 1 Corinthians chapter
2. This is the sixth time. This is the last verse we'll
look at. And this is all every time it's mentioned in the New
Testament. Verse six, How be it? We speak wisdom among them that
are perfect. No man's perfect, are they? In
Christ, they are. In Christ, they are. In Christ,
I'm perfect. In Christ, every believer's perfect.
Nobody's perfect. Yeah, they are. Everybody in
Christ. They have no sin. It's been put away. They're perfect in Christ Jesus.
How be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not
the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world that
come to naught, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom, which God predestined." That's the
word. Same word. Which God ordained
before the world unto our glory. Now, the gospel, every aspect
of the gospel, is mystery. It's mystery. It's not something
you, I got that down. I got that. I've got that down,
Pat. I understand. No, no truth of the gospel is
like it's all mysterious. It's something we would never
have known had not God pleased to make it known. And it's not
something we so much understand as believe. We believe the mystery. How would you know that God is
one God in three separate distinct persons unless the Bible revealed
that mystery? You never know it. You'd be clueless.
I'd be clueless. Regarding all the truth of Holy
Scripture, it's mystery. Tis mystery all the immortal
dies who can understand his strange design. In vain the firstborn
seraph cries to sound the depths of love divine. I'm probably
not quoting that right, but it was close. And I like it. I like
it. The mystery of the gospel. It's mysterious. You're astounded. You believe. You don't so much understand
as believe. Now, the gospel is mystery and
the only way I'm going to have this mystery is if God reveals
it, uncovers it. I won't see it. I'll never see
it unless the Lord uncovers and reveals himself to me. Let's
go on reading this passage of scripture. But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained
before the world and to our glory, which none of the princes of
this world knew. For had they known it, they wouldn't
have crucified the Lord of glory. They had no idea who he was.
But as it is written, I have not seen nor ear heard, neither
hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him. But God hath, what? Revealed
this. uncovered them. You'd never see unless God revealed. Salvation doesn't come by education.
Salvation comes by revelation. And anything that's been, think
of the preciousness of this, anything that's been revealed
to you is what God predestinated to be revealed to you. Do you count predestination a
spiritual blessing? You know some people look at
it kind of as a philosophy of life or a way to look at things
or just kind of a fatalistic view. That's not the way to look
at predestination. It's one of the spiritual blessings
he blessed us with in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Now remember this about predestination. You can't really understand the
love of God without predestination, can you? See, God, He's not like us. Now, if I had
the ability, everybody I loved, I'd predestinate everything for
them and it'd all work out, but I can't do it, but God does.
And there's really no understanding of the love of God without predestination. There's really no understanding
of the sovereign will of God and salvation. without predestination. There's really no understanding
of the cross of Christ without predestination. He wasn't making
an attempt at saving. He was saving everybody he died
for. You know, I think of the love
of God, there ain't gonna be anybody in hell that he loved. No way. Predestination guarantees all of every aspect
of salvation. Predestination guarantees that
every believer will be perfectly conformed to the image of his
son. Predestination is about the revelation of God. So, how
do you view, when the Lord looks in your heart right now, what
does he see? How do you view predestination? I hope and pray everybody here
will see it as glorious spiritual blessing that God has blessed
every believer with in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Thank God for predestination. It glorifies God and it makes
salvation sure. Let's pray.