Are people saved by a free will choice to
put faith in Christ, or are they selected by God’s sovereignty? Can a genuinely
saved person become lost again? Will Christians be judged for their lives? Will
they be rewarded? These are some of the issues we’ll explore in this chapter.
But first, let’s begin with an overview of the chapter’s contents.
Chapter Summary
Some Christians believe individuals have
free will and must choose to respond to God’s pursuit to be saved. Others
believe individuals only become saved because God sovereignly causes them apart from any choice of
will. The latter view is often referred to as Unconditional Election,
which is an offshoot of Calvinism.
Summarizing passages cited to support
man’s free will, Jesus told at least one (Luke 7:50) and possibly three (Luke
17:19, 18:42) repentant sinners that their faith saved them. And He said
whoever believes the gospel (Mark 16:15-16) and believes in Him (John 3:16)
will be saved unto eternal life. John said (John 1:12) whoever receives Him and
believes in His name becomes his child. The author of Hebrews said a person
must believe God exists and rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Paul
said a person is saved by confessing Jesus as Lord, believing in His
resurrection (Romans 10:9), putting faith in Him (Galatians 2:16), believing in
the gospel (Ephesians 1:13), and/or having faith in God to justify him (Romans
3:27-28, 4:5).
Additionally, individuals (often as part
of large groups or families) are depicted as being saved by their apparent
choice to put faith in Christ in several passages from the book of Acts.
Examples include Acts 4:4, 11:21, 14:1, 15:5, 16:31, 34, 17:12, 34, and 18:8.
Summarizing passages cited to support
Unconditional Election, Jesus said a person must be drawn to Him by the Father
(John 6:44) and it must be granted (John 6:65) them by the Father before they
can put faith in Jesus. Luke said God opened Lydia’s heart to respond to the
gospel (Acts 16:14) and the Christian in Achaia believed through God’s grace
(Acts 18:27). Peter said God spiritually rebirthed the believers he addressed
(1 Peter 1:3). Theologians disagree about whether Ephesians 2:8-9 speaks to a
person’s saving faith originated from the individual or God.
The first set speaks to man’s role in
exercising faith unto salvation while the second set speaks to God’s role in
providing grace to help people exercise said faith. The passages do not
contradict each other because omission is not denial. The first set omits God’s
role in assisting faith but does not deny it. The second set omits man’s role
in exercising faith but does not deny it.
While no one can be saved by the works of the Law (Romans 3:20), people are saved by the work
of believing (John 6:27-29) and the law of faith (Romans 3:27). The
former is an attempt to save one’s self through his own righteousness. The
latter is deciding to let one’s self be saved by Christ’s righteousness.
Salvation is not cause for sinful
boasting because none of us knows how much grace anyone else has received to be
saved or how well they stewarded/responded to that grace.
Some believers assert that man having any
part in exercising saving faith would diminish God’s power or sovereignty.
However, it would also diminish God’s power or sovereignty to say He is incapable
of creating beings with the capacity to choose to be helped to repent and
exercise faith in Him after falling into sin. Furthermore, convincing people to
surrender their lives to Him by wooing their hearts and respecting their free will is arguably a much greater,
more glorious feat than causing them to exercise faith like robots.
Abraham’s choice to believe God was
credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:2-3).
Two passages that state or imply that an
individual is saved as a result of an action performed by God and as the
individual’s choice to respond are 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and John 6:27-29.
Unconditional Election Calvinists assert
human free will plays no role in salvation because they interpret several
verses as teaching that human beings are so sinful that they have no capacity
to respond to God’s pursuit of their heart.
In summary, these passages teach that all
people are corrupt to some extent and do not seek God on their own initiative
(Psalm 14:3). No one meets God’s perfect standard of righteousness (Psalm
143:2, Romans 3:23). All people commit sin (1 Kings 8:46, Isaiah 64:6, Romans
3:9-10, 23, 1 John 1:8-10), became slaves to sin (John 8:34), and are unable to
cleanse their own hearts from sin (Proverbs 20:9, Isaiah 64:6). This results in
broken relationship with God, which is spiritual death (Ephesian 2:1-3). All
people have deception in their hearts as a result of sin (Jeremiah 17:9). And
all people to some extent indulge the flesh (or sin nature), which is subject
to God’s just wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). The phrase “to some extent”
applies because there is a biblical continuum of sinfulness (Romans 2:14-15, 1
Timothy 4:2).
However, these passages do not assert
that unbelievers are completely sinful at all times, with zero capacity for
kindness, love, forgiveness, generosity, or capacity to respond to God’s
pursuit of them. In fact, unbelievers instinctively make some choices in
accordance with God’s law because it is written on their hearts and because
they have a conscience that helps them make at least some accurate assessments
about right and wrong despite no knowledge of the Bible (Romans 2:14-15). Sin
obscures and distorts God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27) in us, but does not
eliminate it. Plus, God can help unbelievers act in accordance with that law,
including helping them acknowledge their need for God’s mercy and salvation (1
Thessalonians 1:4-5, John 6:44, 16:8).
The contrast between living by the flesh
and the Spirit in Romans 7:14-18, and 8:5-8 is a contrast between extremes;
these passages do not assert people are binary with only two settings, which
would contradict Romans 2:14-15. People’s choices are influenced by many
factors, including God’s law written on our hearts/our conscience (Romans
2:14-15), our flesh/sin nature (Romans 7:14-25), God’s influence (from within
for believers, from the outside for unbelievers) (John 15:26-27, 16:7-8),
demonic spiritual influences (Ex. Acts 5:3, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 7:5, 2
Corinthians 2:11, Ephesian 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 1:20, 5:15), personality/genetic
factors, and past experiences/memories/wounds.
Some Christians believe a genuinely born-again individual will
invariably persevere in the faith and can never possibly become lost again.
Summarizing passages cited in support of this view, John 6:39–40, Jesus said it
is the Father’s will that every believer remains saved and none are lost. In
John 10:27–29, He said He gives His sheep eternal life, they will never perish,
and no one is able to snatch them out of His Hand or the Father’s hand.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 5:17, Ephesians 1:13 says God establishes in
Christ, seals us with the Holy Spirit, and makes us a new creation. 1 Peter
1:4-5 and Jude 24 say we are protected by the power of God and He is able to
keep our souls unto salvation. Romans 8:38-39 says no created thing, no matter
how powerful, can separate us from God’s love. Philippians 1:6 says God will
continue and perfect the good work He began in us.
Other Christians believe it is possible
for a person, once saved, to fall away from the Lord to the point of becoming
lost again. Summarizing passages cited to support this view, 2 Peter 2:1, 20
identifies believers who brought destruction upon themselves after escaping the
world’s defilements by a mature, saving knowledge of Christ. Hebrews 6:4-6
identifies believers who previously underwent genuine repentance and became
partakers of the Holy Spirit, but then fell away to perdition.
In Matthew 24:9-13, Jesus warns believers a time of persecution was and/or is coming that will
cause most Christians to fall away and only those that persevere would be
saved. In Mathew 24:45-51, He warns Christian leaders that if they rebel
against their master and abuse their authority, they may ultimately be assigned
a place with unbelieving hypocrites. In Revelation 3:1-5, He warned believers
they were in danger of returning to a state of spiritual
death, in which case their names could be erased from the book of life.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2, James
5:19-20, Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 1:22-23, Hebrews
3:12-14, Hebrews 10:26-37, John 8:30-32, 1 Timothy
4:16, 2 Timothy 2:12-13 all tell believers that their ultimate salvation is
conditional is upon perseverance. We will be saved if
we hold fast to the word, if continue in the faith, if we hold on
to our assurance firm to the end, if we apply sound teaching to our
lives, if we continue in His word, if we endure. We
will be saved if we don’t stray from the truth, if
we don’t practice deeds of the flesh, if we don’t move away from the
gospel, if we don’t become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, if
we don’t have an unbelieving heart, if we don’t fall away from the
living God, if we don’t go on sinning willfully, if we don’t deny
Jesus Christ.
The two sets of passages do not
contradict each other because omission is not denial. The first set omits man’s
capacity for rejecting or falling away from genuine saving faith, but does not
deny it. The second set omits God’s superior, unfailing (so far as it depends
on Him) keeping power, but does not deny it. To the extent it depends on God’s power and ability, no one who belongs to Him can ever or will
ever become lost again. However, God’s power and ability are not the only
factors. A believer’s perseverance also depends on his or her own choices and
heart because God does not override their free will. Additional questions and
objections concerning these two sets of passages are addressed in the chapter
body.
Perhaps the most useful analogy for
understanding our relationship with the Lord is marriage. A marriage can go
through dry seasons. A marriage can even survive abuse, adultery, or
separation. Even a marriage that ends in divorce can be reconciled if both
partners are still alive. However, if a husband and wife divorce and then one
of them dies, the marriage can never be restored. In the same way, if a
believer falls away to the point that he effectively divorces from the Lord and
then dies in that condition, he is lost forever.
Predestination Doctrine refers to the belief held by some
Christians that God has chosen from the beginning of creation the specific
individuals who will be saved. Within Predestination Doctrine, there are two
branches: Conditional Election and Unconditional Election.
Conditional Election asserts that individuals have a free will and must choose
to respond to God’s pursuit to be saved. As stated, Unconditional Election
asserts that individuals are saved based solely on God’s sovereign choice.
Unconditional Election advocates point
out that many passages apply the words “chosen” or “elect” to those who are
saved, which they say indicates that God sovereignly chose them to be saved
apart from their own will (Matthew 24:22, 24, 31, Mark 13:20, 22, 27, Luke
18:7, Romans 8:33, 11:7, Ephesians 1:4–6, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians
1:4–5, 2 Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1, and 1 Peter 2:9). However, the
word for “chosen” or “elect” comes from the same Greek root word for “chosen”
used in Mathew 22:14, in which there is a
difference between being “called” to salvation and being “chosen” for
salvation. The latter depends on how an individual responds to being called.
Conditional Election advocates cite
several passages as evidence that God knew who would be saved from the
beginning of creation. In summary, these passages tell the believers to whom
they were written that God chose them (Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4–5,
Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 2:9), from the beginning (2 Thessalonians 2:13), before the
foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–6), according to His grace that He
granted to them from all eternity (2 Timothy 1:9), and predestined them to
adoption as sons, or heirs (Ephesians 1:4-6).
However, each of these passages can
reasonably refer
corporate remnant that God
sovereignly knew/predetermined would exist, but not the specific individuals
that comprised it. This scenario harmonizes with passages from Chapter 2 cited
in support of the Partially Open Future doctrine.
Romans 8:29-30 is a centerpiece
passage for many Predestination Doctrine advocates. However, it has nothing to
do with Predestination Doctrine because it simply speaks of already-deceased
saints that God knew in the past and then properly justified after the cross
just as He promised.
As
discussed previously, the majority of Israel was predetermined to reject Jesus
as a corporate entity, but not specific individuals (Romans 11:7, 17, 25). We
also saw that many of the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for
themselves, as did Saul and Solomon despite God providing abundant grace. We
also saw Romans 9 does not relate to Predestination Doctrine, but rather
explains the process God used to bring forth ethnic/political Israel as a
distinct political entity to disseminate His grace/mercy as broadly as possible.
Some cite Acts 13:46-48 as evidence
for Unconditional Election. However, the original Greek does not support
overriding free will. In fact, the passage appears to call attention to a
unique event in which every single person God pursued for salvation responded
with saving faith.
Some cite Revelation 13:7-8 as supporting
Predestination Doctrine, but a proper translation says the Lamb was slain
before the foundation of the world, not the book of life was populated with
names before the foundation of the world.
Some cite Revelation 17:8 as supporting
Predestination Doctrine. However, it can also be interpreted referring to as a living
document that is gradually populated as history progresses, as opposed to a
static document that was populated only once when it was first created.
Many
erroneously believe that Christians will not be subject to judgment based on
verse about God removing or forgetting their sins (Psalms 103:12, Isaiah 43:25,
Jeremiah 31:34). However, scripture teaches that God will recompense believers
for every good deed and every evil deed we ever committed throughout our entire
lives, including the motives of our hearts and the words we spoke (Ecclesiastes
12:14, Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:10, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2
Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 22:12), resurrected saints will rule over the
earth in the age to come (Daniel 7:27, Matthew 5:5, Revelation 2:26, 11:17-18,
20:4), resurrected saints will be assigned varying degrees of authority and
responsibility according to their faithfulness in this life (1 Corinthians
3:13-15, Luke 19:14-29, Matthew 20:21-23), and many who are considered the
greatest in this age will either be lost or the least and many who are the
least in this age will be the greatest (Luke 14:8-11, Matthew 19:28-30, Luke
1:52, Psalms 113:7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, James 1:9, 2:5). Believers can
also store up treasure in heaven in this life (Matthew 5:11-12, 6:20, Luke 12:33,
Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22).
In
scripture, having authority does not only refer to civil authority. Those who
are given great authority in the next age with be the ones who will be
empowered to bless and serve others on the greatest scale.
The
idea that everyone will be the same in heaven is not biblical. Galatians 3:28
refers to
impartial
accessibility to salvation for all people under the new covenant, not the loss
of individual identities or everyone receiving the same eternal rewards. The
Laborers in the Vineyard parable in Matthew 20:1-16 teaches that many people
will be rewarded similarly despite huge contrasts between how much they work
they accomplished for the kingdom because the characters we develop are more
important than the things we accomplish.
After
the resurrection, saints will be equipped to interact with both the physical
and spiritual realms like Jesus and the angels (Philippians 3:21, Luke 20:36,
John 20:19, Acts 1:9-11, Hebrews 13:2). Things on earth are a copy and shadow
of things in heaven (Hebrews 8:5). Therefore, it is reasonable to consider that
treasure in heaven could refer to literal possessions we are given stewardship
over.
Eternal
rewards do not imply license to boast in this life because we cannot accurately
judge ourselves or others until we stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ (1
Corinthians 4:3-5). Tangentially, not all pride and boasting is sinful. There
is also a righteous kind (Galatians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians
1:14, 5:12, Philippians 1:26, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, Matthew 25:21, 1 Corinthians
4:5).
Sinful boasting is based on comparison
and self-effort. Righteous boasting is based on dependence on God’s grace.
The
lost will also stand before God in judgment, but their recompense will be in
the context of eternal separation from God (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Daniel 12:1-2,
Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50, 25:31-46, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10, and Revelation
20:12-15).
Passages that Speak to Man’s Faith for
Salvation
Some believers assert that men and women
have free will and must choose to respond to God’s pursuit to be saved. Others
assert that say new converts only believe because God sovereignly causes them to believe apart from any
choice of will. This view is often referred to as Unconditional Election,
which is an offshoot of Calvinism, named after the theologian John
Calvin. Which view is correct?
Let’s begin by looking at several of the
passages used to support each side. The following verses directly state or
imply that an individual is saved by his or her free will choice to put faith
in Jesus Christ as their savior.
·
Jesus
said in Luke 7:50 to a repentant sinner, “Your
faith has saved you.”
·
Jesus
may have said the same thing to two other men in Luke 17:19 and 18:42. The
exact same original Greek words used in Luke 7:50 – literally translated “your
faith has saved you” – are used in Luke 17:19 and 18:42. However, those
words are also often translated “your faith has made you well” when the
context indicates a physical healing rather than spiritual salvation. Examples
include Luke 8:50, John 11:12, Acts 4:9, and Acts 14:9.
In the
cases of Luke 17:19 and 18:42, although physical healings did occur, there is
reason to infer Jesus still spoke of spiritual salvation rather than physical
healing. In Luke 17:19, Jesus spoke these words to the one cured leper out of
ten, a Samaritan, who returned and fell on his face at Jesus’ feet to thank Him
and glorify God. Nine other lepers were also healed, but Jesus’ statement only
referred to the Samaritan, whose actions suggest He put faith in Jesus as His
Savior.
In Luke
18:42, a blind man had continuously shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me!” despite fierce opposition (vs. 38-39). Calling Jesus the Son
of David showed the blind man recognized Jesus as the true Christ (see Matthew
22:42-45). Furthermore, after Jesus opened His eyes, verse 43 says the man “began
following Him, glorifying God.” Thus, the context supports Jesus’ words
possibly referring to spiritual salvation.
·
Jesus
told His disciples in Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be
saved…”
·
John
said in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right
to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…”
·
Jesus
said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal
life.”
·
Jesus
said in John 17:8, “…for the words which You gave Me I have given to them;
and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and
they believed that You sent Me.”
·
Paul
said in Romans 10:9, “…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…”
·
Paul
said in Galatians 2:16, “…a man is not justified by the works of the Law but
through faith in Christ Jesus…”
·
Paul
said in Ephesians 1:13, “…after listening to the message of truth, the
gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the
Holy Spirit of promise…”
·
Ephesians
2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast.” Scholars
disagree on what the phrase “and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God” most likely refers to in the original Greek construction. Expectedly,
Unconditional Election Calvinists assert the “gift” refers to “faith”,
meaning God sovereignly causes the individual to have faith to receive
salvation, apart from the exercise of his or her free will. By contrast, Arminians
assert the “gift” refers to “grace” and/or having “been saved”,
meaning the individual chooses to respond in faith by receiving the gift.
·
The
author of Hebrews said in Hebrews 11:6, “…without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that
He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
·
Paul
said in Romans 3:27-28, “…by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is
justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”
·
Paul
said in Romans 4:5, “…to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness…”
In summary, Jesus told at least one (Luke
7:50) and possibly three (Luke 17:19, 18:42) repentant sinners that their
faith saved them. And He said whoever believes the gospel (Mark 16:15-16) and
believes in Him (John 3:16) will be saved unto eternal life.
John said (John 1:12) whoever receives
Him and believes in His name becomes his child. The author of Hebrews said a
person must believe God exists and rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Paul said a person is saved by confessing
Jesus as Lord, believing in His resurrection (Romans 10:9), putting faith in
Him (Galatians 2:16), believing in the gospel (Ephesians 1:13), and/or having
faith in God to justify him (Romans 3:27-28, 4:5). Theologians disagree along
“party lines” about whether Ephesians 2:8-9 speaks to a person’s saving faith
originated from the individual or God.
Each of these passages speaks only of the
person’s part in choosing to receive the gift of eternal life and/or
forgiveness of sins and does not state or imply that sovereignly God causes
them to make this choice.
Additionally, individuals (often as part
of large groups or families) are depicted as being saved by their apparent
choice to put faith in Christ in several passages from the book of Acts.
Examples include Acts 4:4, 11:21, 14:1, 15:5, 16:31, 34, 17:12, 34, and 18:8.
Passages that Speak to God’s Grace
By contrast, the following verses
directly state or imply that a person only “chooses” to be saved as a result of
an action performed by God:
·
Jesus
said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me
draws him…” However, it should be pointed out that just because God “draws”
someone, that doesn’t mean he or she will necessarily respond to God’s pursuit.
In fact, the same Greek word for “draw” is used in John 12:32, when
Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to
Myself.” Since we know not all people respond with saving faith to Jesus
being lifted up, we can likewise know that not all people respond with saving
faith to the Father drawing them in the manner Jesus described in John
6:44.
·
Jesus
said in John 6:65, “…no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him
from the Father.”
·
Luke
wrote in Acts 16:14, “A woman named Lydia… a worshiper of God, was
listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by
Paul.”
·
Luke
wrote in Acts 18:27, “…when he [Apollos] had arrived [in Achaia], he greatly
helped those who had believed through grace…”
·
Ephesians
2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast.” As stated, scholars
disagree on what the phrase “and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God” most likely refers to in the original Greek construction. Expectedly,
Unconditional Election Calvinists assert the “gift” refers to “faith”,
meaning God sovereignly causes the individual to have faith to receive
salvation, apart from the exercise of his or her free will. By contrast, Arminians
assert the “gift” refers to “grace” and/or having “been saved”,
meaning the individual chooses to respond in faith by receiving the gift.
·
Peter
wrote in 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a
living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” However,
it should be noted that the word “caused” is not present in the original
Greek. A more direct translation would be “has begat us again” or “has
rebirthed us”, not “has caused us to be born again”.
In summary, Jesus said a person must be drawn
to Him by the Father (John 6:44) and it must be granted (John 6:65) them by the
Father before they can put faith in Jesus. Luke said God opened Lydia’s heart
to respond to the gospel (Acts 16:14) and the Christian in Achaia believed
through God’s grace (Acts 18:27). Peter said God spiritually rebirthed the
believers he addressed (1 Peter 1:3). Theologians disagree along “party lines”
about whether Ephesians 2:8-9 speaks to a person’s saving faith originated from
the individual or God.
Can the Passages Be Reconciled?
Can these two sets of verses be
reconciled? Let’s apply our aforementioned approach for addressing seemingly
contradicting passages. We ask:
1)
Is
there any sense or context in which both sets of passages could be true at the
same time without any contraction?
2)
Or
are both sets true at the same time despite
contradicting because it is simply beyond our limited human capacity to
grasp how they can both be true?
3)
Or
is one set meant to be taken at face value while the other is meant to be taken
figuratively?
In my estimation, there is no problem
reconciling these two sets of passages. The first set speaks to man’s role in
exercising faith unto salvation while the second set speaks to God’s role in
providing grace to help people exercise said faith. They are not meant to
confuse or contradict, but to complement.
Notice that these passages do not
contradict each other because omission is not denial. The first set omits God’s
role in assisting faith, but does not deny it. The second set omits man’s role
in exercising faith, but does not deny it.
Here is an illustration that portrays
both sets of verses in operation simultaneously. Once I led a small group of
high school boys. I asked for three volunteers. One represented God the Father.
One represented a man. One represented the Holy Spirit. I showed them a
billiard ball and said it represented something we need from God at a particular
moment in time. It could be the courage to share your faith with a friend. It
could be the willingness to forgive someone who hurt you. Or it could be the
willingness to give your life to the Lord. Then I asked them to execute the
following actions:
·
The
Father held out the billiard ball to the man. This action was called Grace.
·
The
Holy Spirit sat down next to the man, pointed to the ball, and gently
encouraged him to accept it. This represented the Holy Spirit helping the man
to exercise faith.
·
Finally,
the man reached out and took the ball. This action was called Faith.
(Actually, I didn’t think to include the
Holy Spirit’s role at the time. If I lead this activity again, I will modify
it.)
It is clear that no one can be saved “by the works of the Law” (Romans 3:20). However, as we have
seen, there is another kind of “work”
and another kind of “law” that do save us and that we do play a role in
fulfilling – the “work” of believing
(John 6:27-29) and the “law of faith”
(Romans 3:27), in the words of Jesus and Paul.
One is working, toiling, earning. The
other is surrendering, receiving, accepting.
One is striving. The other is deciding to
stop resisting.
One is independent and self-reliant. The
other depends on God’s pursuit, initiative, and mercy.
One is a picture of a man building a
monument to his own righteousness. The other is a picture of Jesus building a
monument, and then the Holy Spirit invites a man to look at it, confess it is
beyond Him, and agree to let it save him.
That we play a role in our own salvation
is not cause for boasting, in the sinful sense. (As we will discuss later in
this chapter, several passages of scripture teach that there are both sinful
and righteous forms of pride/boasting; the former is rooted in comparison with
others and self-reliance, while the latter is rooted in dependence on and
appropriation of God’s grace.) None of us knows how much grace anyone else has
received to be saved or how well they stewarded that grace.
As we have already discussed, in addition
to a person’s free will choices, countless variables affect a person’s
heart-response to God over the course of his lifetime, including family,
culture, time period, relationships, experiences, worldview indoctrination,
etc. Furthermore, even if we watched every minute of a person’s life on film,
we still wouldn’t be able to detect all the times demonic spirits or the Holy
Spirit tried to exert influence on him. In other words, only God knows how much
grace each person received to be saved and what he or she did with that grace.
Only God can possibly account for every factor that contributed to his or her
salvation or lostness.
Some believers assert that man having any
part in exercising saving faith would diminish God’s power or sovereignty.
However, it would also diminish God’s power or sovereignty to say He is
incapable of creating beings with the capacity to choose to be helped to repent
and exercise faith in Him after falling into sin.
Furthermore, unilaterally
causing select people to exercise faith like robots apart from any choice of
their own only demonstrates great power. However, convincing people to
surrender their lives to Him by wooing their hearts and respecting their free wills
demonstrates great love and wisdom, in addition to great power. It is arguably a much
greater, more glorious feat.
When we exercise faith, it is both a gift
from God and a choice on our part. Faith does not happen without human
agreement. Look at what Paul said in Romans 4:2-3 about Abraham, the “father
of all who believe” (Romans 4:11):
“For if Abraham was justified by works,
he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the
Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”
Notice the contrast Paul draws. The works
of the law could never save Abraham. But his faith, his choice to believe God “was credited to him as righteousness”.
It was his faith, his choice to believe, even though he
also needed the Holy Spirit’s conviction and/or the Father drawing him.
Passages that Speak to Both Man’s Faith
and God’s Grace
Let’s look at two passages that directly
state or imply that an individual is saved as a result of an action performed
by God and as a result of an individual’s choice to put faith in Jesus
Christ as their savior. First, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:13:
“For this reason we also constantly thank
God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you
accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God,
which also performs its work in you who believe.”
While the words, “you received”
and “you accepted” affirm the Thessalonian believers’ role in their own
salvations, Paul’s choice to “constantly thank God” for their response
affirms that God played a role in pursuing them. In fact, Paul describes
specifically what God’s role was earlier in the same letter – powerful
conviction by the Holy Spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul stated:
“…knowing, brethren beloved by God, His
choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in
power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…”
Notice how Paul highlighted God’s “choice”
of these Thessalonians. This comes from the same Greek root word as “chosen” in
Mathew 22:14 when Jesus said, “Many are called, few are chosen.”
Thus, 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, 2:13 is an example of how individuals who were “called”
by God when He anointed the preaching of the gospel to them with power and
conviction also became “chosen” by God when they responded with faith.
Second, the following exchange occurred
between Jesus and a crowd in John 6:27-29:
“‘Do not work for the food which
perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man
will give to you…’ Therefore, they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we
may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work
of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”
Notice how Jesus affirms man’s role in
individual salvation by exhorting them to perform a “work” that leads to
“eternal life”, which is to “believe in Him”. However, He also
calls this a “work of God”, suggesting it is a partnership between God’s
enablement and man’s response.
Passages that Speak to Man’s Sinful
Condition
One reason Unconditional Election
Calvinists assert human free will plays no role in salvation is because they
interpret several verses as teaching that human beings are so sinful that they
have no capacity to do anything good whatsoever, including responding to God’s
pursuit of their heart. Let’s look at several passages that speak to mankind’s
condition and try to assess whether this position is accurate.
·
David
said in Psalm 14:3, “The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of
men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all
turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good,
not even one.”
·
David
said in Psalm 143:2, “For in Your sight no man living is righteous.”
·
Solomon
said in 1 Kings 8:46, “…for there is no man who does not sin…”
·
Solomon
rhetorically asked in Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my
heart, I am pure from my sin.’”
·
Isaiah
said in Isaiah 64:6, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and
all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment… our iniquities, like the
wind, take us away.”
·
Jeremiah
recorded God saying in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all
else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?”
·
Jesus
said in John 8:34, “…everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”
·
Paul
wrote in Romans 3:9-10 (quoting Psalm 14:3), “…both Jews and Greeks are all
under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one…’”
·
Paul
wrote in Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God…”
·
Paul
said in Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in
which you formerly walked according to the course of this world… Among them we
too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
·
John
wrote in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving
ourselves and the truth is not in us… If we say that we have not sinned, we
make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”
·
Paul
said in Titus 1:15, which says, “…to those who are defiled and unbelieving,
nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. Unconditional
Election scholar Wayne Grudem pointed to this verse as evidence of man’s
general depravity apart from faith in Christ, but the context does not support
it. Paul was referring to a specific group of people who shared several traits.
For example, according to verses 10-16, they were “rebellious… deceivers”,
they “taught for sordid gain”, they “profess[ed] to know God”,
they denied God “by their deeds”, and they were “detestable and
disobedient”.
·
Paul
described Gentile unbelievers in Ephesus in Ephesians 4:18 as “being
darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart…” As with
Titus 1:15, Grudem pointed to this verse as evidence of man’s general depravity
apart from faith in Christ, but the context does not support it. While these
attributes can apply to unbelievers, this is not a default description
of all unbelievers. Rather it is a description of attributes that were commonly
seen among unbelievers of Ephesus, which was known for wanton sexual excess.
Hence verse 19 continued, “they… have given themselves over to sensuality
for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”
In summary, these passages teach that all
people are corrupt to some extent and do not seek God on their own initiative
(Psalm 14:3). No one meets God’s perfect standard of righteousness (Psalm
143:2, Romans 3:23).
All people commit sin (1 Kings 8:46,
Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:9-10, 23, 1 John 1:8-10), became slaves to sin (John
8:34), and are unable to cleanse their own hearts from sin (Proverbs 20:9,
Isaiah 64:6). This results in broken relationship with God, which is spiritual
death (Ephesian 2:1-3).
All people have deception in their hearts
as a result of sin (Jeremiah 17:9). And all people to some extent indulge the
flesh (or sin nature), which is subject to God’s just wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).
You may notice I twice included the
phrase “to some extent”. This is because even though all people sin,
there is still a biblical continuum of sinfulness. For example, Romans 2:14-15
says the default condition of unbelievers is they have God’s law written on
their hearts, to which their “conscience bear[s] witness”. However, 1
Timothy 4:2 identifies men whose consciences are “seared… as with a branding
iron” by hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Obviously, these passages leave no room
for doubt that all people commit sin and thereby separate themselves from God
in a way that can never be remedied by our own works or merits. However, some
Unconditional Election Calvinists take these passages to an unbiblical and
detrimental extreme by asserting that every single thought, action, and motive
of all unbelievers is completely sinful at all times, with zero capacity for
kindness, love, forgiveness, generosity, or anything else that is good. None of
the aforementioned passages make this claim. This false doctrine is
foundational to the notion that unbelievers also have no capacity in their
hearts to respond to God’s pursuit of them or to choose to let God save
them.
As stated, the apostle Paul said in
Romans 2:14-15 that unbelievers “who do not have the Law do instinctively
the things of the Law… [and thus] are a law to themselves, in that they show
the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness…”
Anyone who spends any amount of time in the real world and develops meaningful
relationships with unsaved friends, family members, co-workers, etc. knows that
unbelievers have the capacity for beautiful acts of kindness, love,
forgiveness, generosity, and so on. And they have a conscience that helps them
make at least some accurate assessments about right and wrong despite no
knowledge of the Bible. This reality perfectly aligns with Paul’s explanation.
Genesis 1:26-27 says God created men and
women “in His image” and according to His “likeness”, which is
characterized by the fruit of the Spirit Iisted in Galatians 5:22. Even though
God’s image in every person is obscured and distorted by sin, it is not
eliminated by sin. In fact, one of the most effective witnessing tools is to
point out God’s image shining through a person who does not yet know Him. When
a believer generously affirms an unbeliever’s noble actions or character
traits, it can start to awaken the unbeliever to their God-given purpose and
identity.
In addition to having God’s law written
on their hearts, God can help unbelievers act in accordance with that law. This
includes helping them acknowledge their need for God’s mercy and salvation, as
we saw the Holy Spirit did in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, and as Jesus said the
Father does by drawing them in John 6:44. (Similarly, Jesus said in John 16:8
that the Holy Spirit’s role includes convicting “the world”, or the
unsaved, “concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”.)
Romans 2:14-15 helps us to properly
categorize Paul’s statements in passages such as Romans 7:14-18 and Romans
8:5-8:
“…I am of flesh, sold into bondage to
sin… For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh…”
“For those who are according to the flesh set
their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but
the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh
is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it
is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Be careful to notice that Paul said the
mind set on the flesh “does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is
not even able to do so”. Yet Paul already said in Romans 2:14-15 that
unbelievers “do instinctively the things of the Law” because it is “written
on their hearts”. Therefore, unbelievers do not continuously live according
to the flesh, as some Unconditional Election Calvinists assert.
Thus, in Romans 8:5-8 Paul is contrasting
two opposite extremes. He is not asserting that human beings are binary
creatures with only two settings – the flesh and the Spirit. Both saved and
unsaved human beings are far too complex and nuanced to be binary. Our choices are
influenced by many factors, including:
1)
God’s
law written on our hearts/our conscience (Romans 2:14-15)
2)
Our
flesh/sin nature (Romans 7:14-25)
3)
God’s/Holy
Spirit’s influence (from within for believers, from the outside for
unbelievers) (John 15:26-27, 16:7-8)
4)
Demonic
spiritual influences (Ex. Acts 5:3, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 7:5, 2
Corinthians 2:11, Ephesian 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 1:20, 5:15)
5)
Personality/genetic
factors
6)
Past
experiences/memories/wounds
Can Salvation Be Lost?
It’s likely that every person
reading this book knows someone or knows of someone who once appeared to
be fully committed to Jesus Christ, but has since completely walked away from
Him. Several years ago, an international evangelistic crusade ministry found
that the large majority of the people who gave their lives to Christ at one of
their crusades were no longer walking with Him ten years later. This same
phenomenon occurs in many Christian homes and churches.
Some would say those converts were once
saved, but fell away and are now lost. Others would say they were never really
saved to begin with; they were false converts. Others would say many are still
saved without realizing it and they will return to conscious belief in time.
What is the truth? Is it possible for a believer to fall away to the point of
becoming lost or is a believer once saved always saved?
·
Jesus
said in John 6:39–40, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that
He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is
the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him
will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
·
Jesus
said in John 10:27–29, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no
one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
·
Paul
said in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, “Now He who establishes us with you and in
Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our
hearts as a pledge.”
·
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come.”
·
Paul
said in Ephesians 1:13, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of
truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in
Him with the Holy Spirit of promise…”
·
Paul
wrote in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
·
Paul
said in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who
began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
·
Peter
said in 1 Peter 1:4-5, “…for you… are protected by the power of God through
faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
·
Jude
said in Jude 24, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to
make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…”
Let’s
summarize these passages. In John 6:39–40,
Jesus said it is the Father’s will that every believer remains saved and none
are lost. In John 10:27–29, He said He gives His sheep eternal life, they will
never perish, and no one is able to snatch them out of His Hand or the Father’s
hand.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 5:17, Ephesians 1:13 says God establishes in
Christ, seals us with the Holy Spirit, and makes us a new creation. 1 Peter
1:4-5 and Jude 24 say we are protected by the power of God and He is able to
keep our souls unto salvation. Romans 8:38-39 says no created thing, no matter
how powerful, can separate us from God’s love. Philippians 1:6 says God will
continue and perfect the good work He began in us.
By contrast, now let’s look at some passages
commonly used to support the view that it is possible for a person, once saved,
to fall away from the Lord to the point of becoming lost again:
·
Peter
said in 2 Peter 2:20, “For if, after they have escaped the
defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse
for them than the first.” The Greek word used for knowledge is
frequently used in scripture for a mature, saving knowledge of Christ. Examples
include 2 Peter 1:3, 8, Ephesians 4:13, John 17:3, and 1
Corinthians 13:12. In context (see 2 Peter 2:1), Peter is speaking about men in
the church who became “false prophets” and “false teachers” after
“denying the Master who bought them,” thereby bringing “swift
destruction upon themselves.”
·
The
writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 6:4-6, “For in the
case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly
gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good
word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is
impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to
themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.” The Greek word
used for repentance is typically linked with saving faith in scripture.
Examples include Matthew 3:2 and Acts 2:38.
·
Paul
said in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, “Now I make known to you, brethren,
the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you
stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached
to you, unless you believed in vain.”
·
Jesus
said in Matthew 24:9-13, “Then they will deliver
you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations
because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one
another and hate one another… Because lawlessness is increased, most
people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be
saved.” In context, this passage refers to love for God, which
unbelievers do not have to begin with.
·
Paul
said in Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the deeds of the
flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I
forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of
God.”
·
Paul
said in Colossians 1:22-23, “…[Christ] has now
reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you
before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach – if
indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have
heard…”
·
The
writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 2:1-3, “For this reason we must pay much
closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.
For if… every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will
we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
·
The
writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 3:12-14, “Take
care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’
so that none of you will be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until
the end…”
·
The
writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews
10:26-37, “For if
we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of
judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” As
with 2 Peter 2:20, the Greek word used for knowledge is frequently used
in scripture for a mature, saving knowledge of Christ. Examples include 2 Peter
1:3, 8, Ephesians 4:13, and 1 Corinthians 13:12.
·
John
8:30-32 says, “As He spoke these things, many
came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly
disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free.’” The Greek root word used for “believe”
is used several dozen times in scripture (John 3:16 for example) for saving
faith.
·
Jesus
said in Mathew 24:45-51, “Who then is the
faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to
give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master
finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge
of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is
not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and
drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does
not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in
pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Notice in the passage the Jesus describes
two possible outcomes for the same believer, who is a genuine “slave” of
the “master,” Jesus Christ, and is in a position of spiritual
leadership, having been “put in charge of his household.” Luke 12:42-46
repeats the same statement by Jesus almost verbatim, except in that version,
Jesus assigns the slave a “place with the unbelievers.”
·
Jesus
said to the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1-5, “I
know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die…
remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent… He who
overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name
from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before
His angels.” Jesus’ warning here indicates that some
of the believers in this church were in danger of returning to a state of
spiritual death, in which case their names could be erased from the book of
life.
·
Paul
said in 2 Timothy 2:12-13, “…if we endure, we will
also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us…”
·
Paul
said in 1 Timothy 4:16, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both
for yourself and for those who hear you.” The Greek in
this passage simply says “you will save yourself and those who hear you.”
Let’s summarize these passages. 2 Peter
2:1, 20 identifies believers who brought destruction upon themselves after
escaping the world’s defilements by a mature, saving knowledge of Christ.
Hebrews 6:4-6 identifies believers who previously underwent genuine repentance
and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, but then fell away to perdition.
In Matthew 24:9-13, Jesus warns believers a time of persecution was and/or is coming that will
cause most Christians to fall away and only those that persevere would be
saved. In Mathew 24:45-51, He warns Christian leaders that if they rebel
against their master and abuse their authority, they may ultimately be assigned
a place with unbelieving hypocrites. In Revelation 3:1-5, He warned believers
they were in danger of returning to a state of spiritual
death, in which case their names could be erased from the book of life.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2, James
5:19-20, Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 1:22-23, Hebrews
3:12-14, Hebrews 10:26-37, John 8:30-32, 1 Timothy
4:16, 2 Timothy 2:12-13 all plainly tell believers that their ultimate
salvation is conditional is upon perseverance. We will be saved if
we hold fast to the word, if continue in the faith, if we hold on
to our assurance firm to the end, if we apply sound teaching to our
lives, if we continue in His word, if we endure.
We
will be saved if we don’t stray from the truth, if
we don’t practice deeds of the flesh, if we don’t move away from the
gospel, if we don’t become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, if
we don’t have an unbelieving heart, if we don’t fall away from the
living God, if we don’t go on sinning willfully, if we don’t deny
Jesus Christ.
Reconciliation of the
Passages
As stated previously, I
believe God sometimes sets seemingly opposing truths in tension with one
another so that we carefully search out scripture’s counsel on a topic to find
a balance that properly esteems everything He canonized. That said, how can we reconcile the two
sets of passages we just read? Let’s apply our aforementioned approach for
addressing seemingly contradicting passages. We ask:
1)
Is
there any sense or context in which both sets of passages could be true at the
same time without any contraction?
2)
Or
are both sets true at the same time despite
contradicting because it is simply beyond our limited human capacity to
grasp how they can both be true?
3)
Or
is one set meant to be taken at face value while the other is meant to be taken
figuratively?
In my
opinion, these passages are fairly easily reconciled via question one by
recognizing that the first set of passages speaks of God’s power and
ability to keep His children safe from falling away to the point of perdition,
while the second set of passages speaks of the believer’s capacity. A
believer has the capacity to faithfully persevere in the faith by appropriating
the grace God provides in accordance with the first set of passages. However, a
believer also has the capacity to fall away or actively rebel to the point of
perdition by not appropriating God’s grace.
In other words, to the extent it depends
on God’s power and ability, no one who belongs to Him
can ever or will ever become lost again. However, God’s power and ability are
not the only factors. A believer’s perseverance also depends on his or her own
choices and heart because God does not override their free will.
Once again, notice that these passages do
not contradict each other because omission is not denial. The first set omits
man’s capacity for rejecting or falling away from genuine saving faith, but
does not deny it. The second set omits God’s superior, unfailing (so far as it
depends on Him) keeping power, but does not deny it.
Answering Objections
Systematic theology books that advocate the Once-Saved-Always-Saved view typically
contain a chapter entitled, “The Perseverance of the
Saints,” which attempts to address at least some of
the second-set verses we saw with two primary assertions:
1) Anyone
who is truly born again will always persevere to the end and never fall away.
If they do fall away, it only means they were never born again in the first
place.
2)
Some people give a very convincing outward appearance
of having been born again, but never really were.
One example would be, “Systematic
Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine,” by Wayne Grudem, which is
considered a long-time favorite by Calvinist-leaning believers. In this
section, I will often quote this work as being fairly representative of the
Once-Saved-Always-Saved / Perseverance of the Saints
view. I will refer to this view with the acronym POTS.
Regarding 2 Peter 2:20, Grudem briefly
asserts that it only ever speaks of “unbelievers”, without commenting on
them having escaped the defilement of the world or that the Greek word used for
knowledge is frequently used in scripture for a mature, saving knowledge
of Christ, such as in 2 Peter 1:3, 8, Ephesians 4:13, and 1 Corinthians 13:12.
In fact, it’s the same Greek word that Jesus used to define “eternal life”
in John 17:3.
Grudem spends several paragraphs
addressing Hebrews 6:4-6 because he acknowledges that Arminians (believers who
believe human free will can affect outcomes in ways that God does not
specifically ordain) frequently cite it “as proof that believers can lose
their salvation.” However, Grudem argues that “such an interpretation is
not convincing.”
He goes on to acknowledge that the work
Greek word for “partakers” in the phrase “have been made partakers of
the Holy Spirit” can mean “a
very close participation with [Christ] in a saving relationship”, as it
does in Hebrews 3:14. However, he points out it can also mean “associates
or companions” and “need not imply that they had a redeeming work of the
Holy Spirit in their lives.” He then asserts the second interpretation is
correct without explaining why this must be the case.
He then points out that the Greek word
for “repentance” is “sometimes used to refer not to saving repentance,
but just to sorrow for individual offenses.” His use of the word “sometimes”
vaguely acknowledges that it does indeed refer to saving repentance in other
passages, such as Matthew 3:2 and Acts 2:38. Nevertheless, Grudem once again
asserts Hebrews 6:4-6 does not speak of saving repentance without explaining
why this must be the case.
Grudem
also asserts that Hebrews 6:4-6 identifies individuals comparable to the false
prophets Jesus warned about in Matthew 7:15-23 who prophesied, cast out demons,
and performed many miracles in Jesus’ name. However, Jesus said He “never knew” the Matthew 7 false
prophets, which does not apply to the Hebrews 6:4-6 individuals if Grudem’s
unsupported interpretation of “partakers” and “repentance” is
incorrect. Grudem also pointed out that the agricultural fruitlessness metaphor
in Hebrews 6:7-8 seems to parallel that of Matthew 7:19 and asserts that “people
who commit apostasy [fall away until perdition] are… like land that never bore
good fruit.” While that may be true in many cases (not all if a person can
bear fruit for a season before falling away to perdition), it ignores the fact
that saved people can also be fruitless, as Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.
Regarding Jesus’ statement to the
severely backslidden believers at Sardis that He will not erase their name from
the book of life if they overcome (Revelation 3:1-5), Grudem argues:
“…the fact that Jesus emphatically states
that he will not do something should not be taken as teaching that he will do
that same thing in other cases!”
Yes, it should. Most of the message to
the church of Sardis is a warning to believers who were “about to die”, spiritually. There is no reason not to consider Jesus’ statement, at
least in part, a continuation of that warning. (On a potentially related
note, David asked in Psalm 69:28 that his comforters-turned-enemies be “blotted out of the book of life”.) A similar remark could be applied to 1 Timothy 4:16. By
Grudem’s reason, Paul telling Timothy he would ensure his own salvation by
persevering in sound teaching does not mean Timothy could ever lose his
salvation. However, that would make Paul’s exhortation meaningless. The fact
that Paul wrote it and God canonized it suggests it is meaningful.
An important question that POTS advocates
are bound to answer is: Why would Paul, James, the Hebrews author, and Jesus
starkly warn believers about the danger of falling away unto perdition if it
was impossible for them to do so?
In response to some of these verses,
Grudem asserts that New Testament writers did not know every person’s heart,
and some of the recipients of their letters may not have been truly saved.
Therefore, the exhortations to persevere were only meant for them. Grudem
states:
“…Paul and the other New Testament
writers… are addressing groups of people who profess to be Christians, without
being able to know the actual state of every person’s heart. There may have
been people… who never had true saving faith. …Therefore he tells his readers
that they will ultimately be saved, ‘provided that you continue in the faith’
(Col. 1:23). Those who continue show thereby that they are genuine believers.”
“…the purpose [the passages in question]
is always to warn those who are thinking of falling away or have fallen away
that if they do this it is a strong indication that they were never saved in
the first place.”
In my opinion, this explanation is not convincingly
applicable to any of the passages we looked at. Let’s start with 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, Galatians
5:19-21, Colossians 1:22-23, 2 Timothy 2:12-13, Hebrews 2:1-3, 3:12-14 and James 5:19-20. There is nothing in the language of these letters to
indicate Paul, the Hebrews author, or James intended to address anyone they
thought might not be saved. In fact, there is language in each letter (aside
from frequently addressing the recipients as brethren) that indicates they were
only addressing those who were saved. Examples include 1 Corinthians 1:4-6,
5:15, 12:27, Galatians 3:2, 4:6-7, 5:13 Colossians 1:4-5, 13-14, Colossians
2:6-7, 11-13, Hebrews 10:19-24, and James 2:1. There is only language
suggesting their intended audience includes unsaved people if one assumes that
warning someone against falling away means that person might not be saved. But,
of course, that is circular reasoning.
Furthermore, there is
still no possibility that Grudem’s explanation applies to Matthew
24:9-13, 45-51, Luke 12:42-46, John 8:30-32, and Hebrews 3:12-14. Jesus warned
of heavily persecuted Christians’ love for God growing cold unto perdition,
which they would not have had to begin with if they were not truly saved
(Matthew 24:9-13). He warned that a true slave whom the master put in charge of
his household could either be rewarded at his final judgment or be sent to
eternal judgment if he rebels and abuses his authority (Mathew 24:45-51, Luke
12:42-46). He told Jews who explicitly, genuinely believed in Him that they still
must continue in His word to become true disciples and be set free by the truth
(John 8:30-32).
Grudem closes his section on the POTS
doctrine by asserting that 1 John 2:19 conclusively demonstrates that anyone
who falls away was never truly saved. He states:
“John clearly states that when people
fall away from fellowship with the church and from belief in Christ they
thereby show that their faith was not real in the first place and that they
were never part of the true body of Christ. Speaking of people who have left
the fellowship of believers, John says, ‘They went out from us, but they were
not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but
they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us’ (1 John 2:19).
John says that those who have departed showed by their actions that they ‘were
not of us’ – that they were not truly born again.”
In my opinion, this closing statement
severely damages Grudem’s credibility as an honest evaluator of passages
connected to the POTS topic. How could he possibly have not known that John was
speaking specifically about antichrist figures purposely trying to deceive
John’s audience, not ordinary church members who fell away after a season? It
seems impossible.
In its proper context, 1 John 2:18-26
states:
“Children, it is the last hour; and just
as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have
appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us,
but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have
remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all
are not of us… Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son… These things
I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.”
Passages Used to Support the POTS View
Now, let’s look again at some of the passages
that are cited to support the POTS view.
Grudem asserts that John 6:39–40 proves
that everyone who truly believes in Jesus will endure because it is “the
will of My Father”. However, the Greek root word for “will” is the
same as the word for “desires” in 1 Timothy 2:4, which says God “desires
all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Just
because something is God’s will/desire does not mean it always happens because
not all outcomes are determined solely by this factor. Some outcomes are
affected by human choice as well.
Grudem asserts that John 10:27-29
supports the POTS view because Jesus says of His sheep, “I give eternal life
to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My
hand.” Grudem acknowledges the Arminian response that being given “eternal
life” in this passage is not only a one-time event, but a “relationship
with God, which one can have for a time and then lose.” Grudem counters
that this response “does not seem to be convincing in view of the clear
nuance of unending time involved in the adjective eternal.” However, this
weak argument ignores the fact that the same Greek words for “eternal life”
are used in 1 Timothy 6:12 when Paul told Timothy to “take hold of the eternal
life to which you were called”,
even though Timothy was already saved. And they were used by Jesus
in John 17:3 when He defined eternal life as “know[ing] You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have
sent.”
Regarding
Jesus’ statement that “no one will
snatch them out of My hand”, Grudem acknowledges the Arminian argument
that “even though no one else can take Christians out of Christ’s hand, we
might remove ourselves from Christ’s hand.” His response is to rhetorically
ask, “does not ‘no one’ also include the person who is in Christ’s hand?” Accounting
for context, the answer to Grudem’s rhetorical question appears to be: No, it
does not.
John 10:27–29 is a continuation of Jesus’
extensive remarks in John 10:1-16 in which He repeatedly warns against
threatening third parties such as strangers, thieves, robbers, and wolves. The
only party depicted snatching sheep is the wolf. Furthermore, the Greek
word for snatch (to seize or snatch away) is completely unlike remove
and implies an action executed by a third party. For context, here are some
quotes from John 10:27–29:
“A stranger they simply will not follow,
but will flee from him…”
(vs. 5)
“All who came before Me are thieves and
robbers…” (vs. 8)
“The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy…”
(vs. 10)
“…the wolf snatches them…” (vs. 12)
In 2 Corinthians 1:22, and Ephesians
1:13, 4:30 Paul tells his recipients that they have been “sealed” in
Christ and given the Holy Spirit as a “pledge” or “promise” concerning
the coming day of redemption. The Greek word used for seal simply means: seal,
to set a seal. There is nothing about the word that suggests
irreversibility. In fact, the same word is used for the seal that was put on
the stone over Jesus’ tomb Mathew 27:66, which was subsequently removed. The
words “pledge” and “promise” speak to God’s capacity to fulfill
what He promises, but do not speak to a believer’s capacity either to persevere
or reject them if he chooses. The same applies to 1 Peter 1:4-5, Romans
8:38-39, and Jude 24; they speak of God’s ability not man’s capacity.
Some have argued that since 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a “new creature” and
“the old things have passed away”, we no longer have the capacity to
reject Christ. However, Paul is speaking of a believer’s standing in
God’s kingdom that still must be worked out through choices. For example, in
the very same letter Paul said he feared that these same believers may “be
led astray from… devotion to Christ” (11:3) and that many of them may have “not
repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced” (12:20).
So, even though they were new creatures and old things had passed away, by
their choices they could return to the old things and act like the old
creatures.
It was this same tension between
new-creation standing and old-creation capacity that Paul spoke to when he told
the Philippian believers to “work out your salvation with fear and
trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Nevertheless, based on his close personal
relationships with these believers (ex. Philippians 1:7, 4:1), Paul juxtaposed
that exhortation with the corporate encouragement of Philippians 1:6: “For I
am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will
perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
The letter to the Philippians is notably
absent of any major rebuke for sin or backsliding (other than some dissension
between Euodia and Syntyche (4:2)), which helps to explain the confidence Paul
felt that they would persevere. However, there is nothing about Paul’s
Philippians 1:6 exhortation that upholds the POTS view as a doctrine that
applies to all believers at all times.
Closing
I encourage you to prayerfully examine
the wording of each of these passages for yourself, perhaps using an online
lexicon to check the original meaning of keywords. I recommend using a
word-for-word translation of the Bible such as NASB, KJ, or YLT since other
phrase-for-phrase or thought-for-thought translations leave more room for
translators to insert their own beliefs. I further encourage you not to assume
your pastor or favorite author could not possibly be wrong on this issue since
there are reputable theologians on both sides.
Restating my own view, I believe God’s
power to keep us is greater than Satan’s power or the world’s power to overtake
us. No matter how badly we stumble or how far we fall, God never gives up on us
or stops pursuing us. He can recover us to His kingdom if we are willing to be
recovered. However, we really do have a choice. God did not create robots. He
will not force us to remain a part of His kingdom if we insist on living for
ourselves or rejecting His mercy.
This does not mean a believer’s salvation
status wavers from one week to the next. Perhaps the most useful analogy for
understanding our relationship with the Lord in this regard is marriage. A
marriage can go through dry seasons. A marriage can even survive abuse, adultery,
or separation. Even a marriage that ends in divorce can be reconciled if both
partners are still alive. However, if a husband and wife divorce and then one
of them dies, the marriage can never be restored. In the same way, if a
believer falls away to the point that he effectively divorces from the Lord and
then dies in that condition, he is lost forever.
Some people get married very young with
no one to mentor them. They don’t have the maturity to persevere through
trials. When things get hard, they give up. This is like people who give their
lives to the Lord because of the infatuation they experience in their early
years with Him. However, they are not prepared to lay down their lives for Him
so they leave when things become difficult.
Some marriages begin on a strong
foundation but are ruined because of addictions or adultery. This is like
people who begin strong in their spiritual journey but become entangled in
idolatry or immorality and refuse to repent.
Some couples raise children together, but
when the children leave, they realize the marriage has become loveless and
unfulfilling so they call it quits. This is like a believer who labors
productively for many years caring for other believers or the lost, but loses
his first love and ultimately turns away from the Lord to live for himself.
Across the whole of Christendom, every
imaginable combination has likely existed in terms of a believer’s age and
circumstances of his conversion, the longevity and devotion of his Christian
walk, and the age and circumstances of his falling away. Since God judges the
heart, I don’t believe there is a clear-cut formula for determining at what
point a believer crosses a line to become lost again. However, this does not
mean such a line does not exist – it just means only God knows for sure when it
has been crossed.
I think it is certainly possible for a
Christian to seriously backslide or have major strongholds, yet still be saved.
Likewise, I think it is possible for a person to intellectually believe all the
essential biblical doctrines and have no glaring vices, but not really know God
at all, perhaps because he unconsciously worships his own righteousness – like
a modern Pharisee.
POTS advocates are fond of the expression, “You can’t lose what
you didn’t earn.” This expression doesn’t make sense even as an
illustration. Could you possibly lose something someone gives you, say, as
a birthday present or a Christmas present? Of course. Whether something is
earned, purchased, or given has no effect whatsoever on whether it can be lost.
Likewise, in my assessment of scripture, while salvation can never be earned,
it can be lost.
Predestination
Predestination Doctrine refers to the belief held by some
Christians that God has chosen from the beginning of creation the specific
individuals who will be saved. Predestination Doctrine is compatible with the
Exhaustively Settled Future Doctrine and is incompatible with the Partially
Open Future Doctrine.
Within Predestination Doctrine, there are
two branches: Conditional Election and Unconditional Election.
Conditional Election asserts that men and women have free will and must choose
to respond to God’s pursuit to be saved. However, they are chosen in the
sense that God already knows who will respond. Unconditional Election asserts
that men and women are saved based solely on God’s sovereign choice, not due to
an exercise of their free will.
Unconditional Election advocates point
out that many passages apply the words “chosen” or “elect” to
those who are saved, which they say indicates that God sovereignly chose them
to be saved apart from their own will. Examples include Matthew 24:22, 24, 31,
Mark 13:20, 22, 27, Luke 18:7, Romans 8:33, 11:7, Ephesians 1:4–6, Colossians
3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4–5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:1, 1
Peter 1:1, and 1 Peter 2:9. However, in almost every one of these passages
(except 2 Thessalonians 2:13, which uses a different but comparable Greek word),
the word for “chosen” or “elect” comes from the same Greek root
word for “chosen” that is used in Mathew
22:14, when Jesus said, “Many are called, few are chosen.” As we
discussed previously, Jesus’ statement means there is a difference between being
“called” to salvation and being “chosen” for salvation. The
latter depends on how an individual responds to being called. (Revelation
17:14 also distinguishes between being “called” and “chosen”.)
This distinction between being “called”
and “chosen” is no problem for the Conditional Election view, since
it affirms the role of man’s free will in salvation. However, as stated,
Conditional Election also asserts that God knew who would be saved from the
beginning of creation, which is incompatible with the Partially Open Future
Doctrine. Here are several examples of passages cited by Conditional Election
advocates as evidence that God knew who would be saved from the beginning of
creation:
“…just as He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In
love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself…” (Ephesians 1:4-6)
“So, as those who have been chosen of
God…”
(Colossians 3:12)
“…knowing, brethren beloved by God, His
choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in
power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…” (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5)
“…God has chosen you from the beginning
for salvation…”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13)
“…[God] called us with a holy calling…
according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus
from all eternity…”
(2 Timothy 1:9)
“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God…” (Titus 1:1)
“But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…” (1 Peter 2:9)
To summarize, these passages tell the
believers to whom they were written that God chose them (Colossians 3:12, 1
Thessalonians 1:4–5, Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 2:9), from the beginning (2
Thessalonians 2:13), before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–6),
according to His grace that He granted to them from all eternity (2 Timothy
1:9), and predestined them to adoption as sons, or heirs (Ephesians 1:4-6).
How can reconcile them with the
passages we examined in Chapter 3 in which men who were raised up and/or called
by God rejected His purpose for them? How can we reconcile passages like these with the
over two dozen passages we examined in Chapter 2 that support the Partially Open Future
view? As a reminder, we saw passages in
which God changed His mind about whether to execute plans He previously
declared for an individual or nation, even though His original declaration
often did not include any caveat or condition. We saw passages in which God was astonished that there
was no one left in a nation to intercede for mercy, so He was left with no
recourse but to execute judgment. We saw passages in which God or
scripture spoke of different sets of outcomes being real possibilities. We saw passages in which God orchestrated
tests to find out information about people’s hearts He didn’t previously know. And we saw passages in which God was
surprised/disappointed by unexpected outcomes.
Let’s once again apply our aforementioned
approach for addressing seemingly contradicting passages. We ask:
1)
Is
there any sense or context in which both sets of passages could be true at the
same time without any contraction?
2)
Or
are both sets true at the same time despite
contradicting because it is simply beyond our limited human capacity to
grasp how they can both be true?
3)
Or
is one set meant to be taken at face value while the other is meant to be taken
figuratively?
In asking question one, we
immediately recognize there is indeed a sense in which both sets of passages
could be precisely accurate with no contradiction. This scenario depends solely
upon whether words such as “us”, “we” (Ephesians 1:4-6, 2 Timothy 1:9), “those”
(Colossians 3:12, Titus 1:1), and “you” (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, 2
Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 2:9) refer to specific individuals or a corporate
remnant. In the case of the latter, God sovereignly knew/predetermined that a
corporate remnant would exist in the earth during the generation of the New
Testament writers (also true of every generation), but did not
foreknow/predetermine all the specific individuals that comprised it.
Since there is nothing about the context
or the original Greek construction of these passages to demand they speak of
specific individuals rather than a corporate remnant, I believe interpreting
them as referring to a corporate remnant is the best way to honor scripture as
a whole by taking it at face value.
In response to this view, Grudem only
asserted:
“To talk about God choosing a group with
no people in it is not biblical election at all. But to talk about God choosing
a group of people means that he chose specific individuals who constituted that
group.”
In other words, Grudem’s circular logic
in this statement is: This view is not biblical because it’s not biblical.
Nevertheless, Grudem did cite as evidence
for Unconditional Election some of the verses we already examined (without
addressing the distinction between “called” and “chosen”/“elect”)
and some of the verses we are about to examine, such as Romans 8:29-30.
Romans 8:29-30: Paul Explains God’s
Faithfulness to Deceased Saints
Arguably the centerpiece passage for many
Predestination Doctrine advocates is Romans 8:29-30, which states:
“For those whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be
the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also
called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He
justified, He also glorified.”
However, a closer examination reveals
that this passage has nothing whatsoever to do with the Predestination
Doctrine. As evidence, consider what Paul said several verses earlier in Romans
8:16-17:
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our
spirit that we are children of God… if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may
also be glorified with Him.”
Do you see the problem? For the saints
Paul was addressing in the book of Romans, glorification was still a future
event. However, for the saints Paul spoke of in Romans 8:29-30, glorification
was a past event because they were already deceased.
Remember, the foundational theme of
Paul’s letter up to this point was justification by faith, not works. And he
supported this assertion by pointing to the saints of the past such as Abraham,
David, and those who imitated Abraham’s faith. For example, Romans 4 said:
“…Abraham believed God, and it was
credited to him as righteousness… just as David also speaks of the blessing on
the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those
whose lawless deeds have been forgiven…’” (vs. 3-7)
“Faith was credited to Abraham as
righteousness… that he might be the father of all who believe… who also follow
in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham…” (vs. 9-12)
“…the promise will be guaranteed to all
the descendants… to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of
us all…” (vs. 16)
Thus, in Romans 8:29-30, Paul pointed out
that the promise of righteousness by faith made to Abraham and his
faith-descendants was finally fulfilled when Jesus became their righteousness
and “the firstborn among many brethren.” At last, those whom God “called”
in previous generations were finally properly “justified” and “glorified”
in the wake of the propitiation of Christ. God kept His promise.
This is a crescendo-moment in Paul’s
letter because He is pointing out God’s faithfulness to saints of the past in
order to embolden his audience to endure severe persecution and death. Look at
what the very next verses (vs. 31-37) state:
“What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but
delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all
things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who
justifies; who is the one who condemns? …Who will separate us from the love of
Christ? Will
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? Just as it is written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day
long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things
we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
Now, going back to verses 29-30, when
Paul said “those whom He foreknew”, it simply means those whom God knew
in the past. There is nothing about the Greek word for “foreknew” that
suggests predetermination. For example, Paul used the same word in Acts 26:5
when he said the Jews in Jerusalem had “known about me for a long time.”
And Peter used the same word in 2 Peter 3:17 when he said those believers were “knowing…
beforehand” that certain people were distorting the scriptures.
The Greek word twice used for “predestined”
in Romans 8:29-30 does indicate intentionality on God’s part, but doesn’t
negate the fact that those deceased saints still had a choice about whether to
lay ahold of the destiny God called them to. In fact, when Paul said, “these
whom He predestined, He also called”, the same Greek root word for “called”
is translated as both “call” and “invited” in Matthew 22:2-8 when
Jesus used a parable to describe people rejecting His call to be saved.
Jesus stated:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to
a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call
those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to
come… Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited
were not worthy.’”
Jesus concluded this
parable by speaking the now familiar words of Mathew 22:14: “Many are called, few are chosen.”
Israel’s Partial Hardening Does Not Refer to
Individual Predestination, Nor Does Romans 9
As we discussed in Chapter 3, when scripture says
God “hardened” a person or group, it does not necessarily mean He
overrode their free will. It also can mean God gave them a revelation of His
nature, character, or existence that He knew they would reject. In so doing, He
provoked them to continue all the more swiftly down the path they were already
headed. This was the case of Romans 11:7, 25, which state:
“What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but
those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened…”
“…a partial hardening has happened to Israel
until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in…”
Although the majority of Israel (as a corporate
entity, not specific individuals) was predetermined to reject Jesus as their Messiah,
this does not mean God bypassed their free will. It simply means He revealed
Himself through Jesus in such a way and to such an extent that He knew most of
them would reject Him.
In fact, not only did God not bypass their wills,
but in some cases, they rejected God’s will. As we saw in Chapter 2, Luke 7:30
says:
“But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s
purpose for themselves…”
When we juxtapose it with Romans 11:7, 25, Luke’s
words suggest that at least some percentage of the Pharisees and lawyers were
really on the fence in their hearts during Jesus’ ministry. Just as we saw
God/scripture speak in terms of different possible outcomes in Chapter 2, some
of the Pharisees and lawyers spoken of in Luke 7:30 really might have turned to
the Lord and fulfilled a godly purpose in their generation without negating the
overall partial hardening of Israel discussed in Romans 11. In fact, maybe some
of these same men were likely among those who later believed in Jesus, per John
12:42, but were too afraid by then to fulfill God’s purpose because of the high
cost of doing so. John 12:42 states:
“Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in
Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that
they would be put out of the synagogue…”
As a last example of individuals rejecting God’s
purpose for themselves, recall from Chapter 3 how God provided Saul and Solomon
abundant grace to fulfill their callings, yet they chose to rebel.
Finally, as we also discussed in Chapter 3,
Romans 9 does not relate to Predestination Doctrine. Rather, it explains the
process God used to bring forth ethnic/political Israel as a distinct political
entity in order to disseminate the gospel truth of individual salvation by
grace/mercy through faith as broadly as possible over the course of history.
Acts 13:46-48: An Unusual Event in Which All Who
Were Called Were Also Chosen?
Some cite Acts 13:46-48 as evidence for
Unconditional Election. The passage states:
“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,
‘…we are turning to the Gentiles…’ When the Gentiles heard this, they began
rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been
appointed to eternal life believed.”
The Greek word used for “appointed” in the
passage means: to draw up in order, arrange. It is used only nine times
in the New Testament and is translated: appointed, designated, determined,
devoted, established, set. Sometimes it is used to refer to a divine plan
or action, such as when God “established” civil authority (Romans 13:1)
or “appointed” ministry tasks for Paul to fulfill (Acts 22:10). Other
times it refers merely to human plans such as when some brethren “determined”
that Paul and Barnabas should go up to Jerusalem (Acts 15:2) or when some
people “set” a day to visit Paul in Rome (Acts 28:23). In any event, the
word does not imply suspension of free will. For example, Paul still had a
choice whether he fulfilled the calling God “appointed” him to, just
like other spiritual or political leaders God called, as we discussed in
Chapter 3.
Christians sometimes use the phrase “divine
appointment” to describe a circumstance that God seems to have prearranged.
However, whether a divine appointment works out as God intended still depends
on cooperation by the human beings involved. In Acts 13:46-48, God appears to
have set up a divine appointment for some Gentiles to hear Paul and Barnabas
preach the gospel.
The use of the word “appointed” in Acts
13:46-48 could be compared to how the words “called” or “invited”
are used in Matthew 22:2-8, 14. As we have seen, this is not the same as being “chosen”,
which depends on the person’s response. In fact, the general rule of thumb (as
Jesus explained in Matthew 22:14) is that the number of people “called”
usually greatly exceeds the number of people “chosen”.
However, in the case of Acts 13:46-48, every
single person who was “appointed” also “believed” unto “eternal
life”. It’s as though Luke (the author of Acts) was saying, “Incredibly,
every single person who was called was also chosen! No one held back; every
single one gave their lives to the Lord!” This is a rare aberration in
scripture, which is likely why Luke called attention to it.
By contrast, Grudem argued:
“It is significant that Luke mentions the fact of
election almost in passing. It is as if this were the normal occurrence when
the gospel was preached. How many believed? ‘As many as were ordained to eternal
life believed.’”
It is unclear why Grudem calls this a “normal
occurrence” that Luke mentioned “almost in passing” since it is the
only time in scripture that a group’s response to the gospel being preached is
so characterized. As stated, it appears Luke described the event this way
precisely because it was so remarkable.
Revelation 13:7-8: Jesus was Slain from
Before the Foundation of the World?
Some Christians (including Grudem) cite
Revelation 13:7-8 as being supportive of Predestination Doctrine. Revelation
13:7-8 states:
“It was also given to him [the beast, to
whom the dragon, Satan, gave authority] to make war with the saints and to
overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation
was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose
name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life
of the Lamb who has been slain.”
However, the NASB and many other
translations change the order in which the phrases of this passage appear in
the original Greek. By contrast, Young’s Literal Translation says in verse 8:
“And bow before it shall all who are
dwelling upon the land, whose names have not been written in the scroll of the
life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;”
Thus, a more natural reading of the
original Greek suggests that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the
world, not that the names were populated into the book of life before the
foundation of the world. This translation could be understood to refer to God’s
sovereign plan for the propitiation of Christ for the sins of mankind being in
place even before the creation event. This translation harmonizes well with
John 17:24 and 1 Peter 1:19-20, which say Jesus was “foreknown” and was “loved”
since “before the foundation of the world”, respectively.
Ellicott’s Bible Commentary explains:
“There is some doubt about the connection
of the words ‘from the foundation of the world.’ Some connect them with the
word ‘written’: this would express that the names were written ‘from the
foundation of the world’ in the book. Others connect them with the word
‘slain’: this expresses that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the
world. For the former view, the similar passage in Revelation 17:8 is cited;
but, on the other hand, the phrase ‘from the foundation of the world’ is
connected in other parts of the Bible with certain aspects of the work of
Christ (1 Peter 1:19-20, and John 17:24), and it seems more natural to take the
words in their simple order.”
Likewise, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible
Commentary asserts:
“Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world – The Greek order of words favors this translation. He was slain in the
Father’s eternal counsels: compare 1 Pe 1:19, 20, virtually parallel. The other
way of connecting the words is, ‘Written from the foundation of the world in
the book of life of the Lamb slain.’ So in Re 17:8. The elect. The former is in
the Greek more obvious and simple.”
Revelation 13:7-8: The Book of Life Is
Progressively Populated Throughout History?
Some Christians (including Grudem) cite
Revelation 17:8 as being supportive of Predestination Doctrine. Revelation
13:7-8 states:
Revelation 17:8 states:
“The beast that you saw was, and is not,
and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who
dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from
the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was
and is not and will come.”
In Revelation 17, John was shown a vision
of a woman dressed in luxurious royal garments sitting on a beast with seven
heads and ten horns. The name written on the woman’s forehead was “BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Interpretations vary regarding the
specific timings and identities of the beast, the woman, the seven heads, and
the ten horns. Interpretations also vary regarding the timings and meaning of the
phrase “he was and is not and will come.” However, several commentators
believe the beast and the harlot in this passage refer to a satanic world
system that has operated throughout much or all of human history. For example, Benson’s
Commentary says it refers generally to “a tyrannical idolatrous empire.” Matthew
Henry’s Concise Commentary says it refers to “a seat of idolatry and
persecution.” Barnes’ Notes on the Bible calls it “one great formidable
power, having essentially the same origin, though manifested under somewhat
different modifications.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary calls the
“Antichristian world power.” And Pulpit Commentary calls it “the world
power [overseen by] Satan in his character of ‘prince of this world… [with]
[t]hree stages… marked out in the existence of this world power.’”
Therefore, to the extent these
interpretations are accurate, the book of life mentioned in Revelation 17:8 can
just as easily be understood as a living document, that is gradually
populated as history progresses, as opposed to a static document that was
populated only once when it was first created. In other words, we might assert
that the names listed in the book were written from the foundation of
the world, not at the foundation of the world. If this is true, then the
passage does not support Predestination Doctrine.
We Will Not All Be the Same In Heaven
Have
you ever thought about what it will be like to stand before the Judgment Seat
of Christ? Have you thought about what you will be doing in eternity after the
Second Coming? Many Christians believe that we will not be subject to judgment.
Verses that are sometimes cited to support this incorrect include the
following:
·
David said in Psalms 103:12, “As
far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from
us.”
·
Isaiah quoted God as stating in Isaiah
43:25, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own
sake, And I will not remember your sins.”
·
Jeremiah quoted God as stating in
Jeremiah 31:34, “…for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will
remember no more.”
Many
Christians also believe that everyone will be the same in heaven or the ages to
come, as we will discuss in a coming section. However, neither of these is
true. The fact is, even if we are saved, our eternities are still deeply
affected by our choices in this life. In the coming sections, I will show five
truths from scripture:
1)
The Judgment Seat
of Christ
Every
believer will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and be recompensed for
his or her choices in this life.
2)
Authority over
the Earth
In
the age to come, resurrected saints will rule over the earth.
3)
Varying Rewards
and Degrees of Authority
Resurrected
saints will be assigned varying degrees of authority and responsibility,
according to their faithfulness in this life. This is part of what the Bible
calls eternal rewards.
4)
The Great
Turnaround
This
assignment of rewards, authority, and responsibility will be the greatest
turnaround of all time. Many who are considered the greatest in this age will
either be lost or the least and many who are the least in this age will be the
greatest.
5)
Treasure in
Heaven
Every
believer can also store up treasure in heaven. This is another part of what the
Bible calls eternal rewards.
We
Will All Stand Before the Judgement Seat of Christ
First,
let’s look at passages that show that every believer will stand before the Judgment
Seat of Christ and be recompensed for his or her choices in this life. As we
do, note that some of these passages apply to both believers and unbelievers.
·
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:14, “For
God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is
good or evil.”
·
Matthew quoted Jesus Matthew 12:36 as
stating, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they
shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”
·
Paul said in Romans 14:10, “For we
will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
·
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, “…each
man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be
revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s
work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a
reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself
will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
·
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore
do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes
who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the
motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
·
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For
we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be
recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether
good or bad.”
·
John quoted Jesus in Revelation 22:12
as stating, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to
render to every man according to what he has done.”
In
summary, these passages teach that God will recompense believers for every good
deed and every evil deed we ever committed throughout our entire lives,
including the motives of our hearts and the words we spoke.
Saints
Will Be Given Authority Over the Earth
Second,
let’s look at passages that show that resurrected saints will rule over the
earth in the age to come.
·
Daniel foresaw in Daniel 7:27, “Then
the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the
whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His
kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and
obey Him.”
·
Matthew quoted Jesus in Matthew 5:5 as
stating, “Blessed are the [a]gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”
·
John quoted Jesus in Revelation 2:26
as stating, “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to
him I will give authority over the nations…”
·
John foresaw in Revelation 11:17-18, “…You
have taken Your great power and have begun to reign… and the time came for the
dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and
the saints and those who fear Your name…” While this passage does not
explicitly identify the reward given to the saints, we understand from other
passages about the same events that the reward includes authority of the earth.
·
John foresaw in Revelation 20:4, “And
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of
Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast
or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their
hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
In
summary, these passages state that the saints will rule over the earth in the
age to come.
Saints
Will Be Assigned Varying Rewards and Degrees of Authority
Third,
let’s look at passages that show that resurrected saints will be assigned
varying degrees of authority and responsibility, according to their
faithfulness in this life.
·
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, “…each
man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be
revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s
work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a
reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself
will be saved, yet so as through fire.” This passage discusses two possible
outcomes (really two ends of a continuum) for believers – being rewarded for
one’s spiritual labors, or suffering loss and receiving no reward despite being
saved.
·
Luke recorded Jesus in Luke 19:14-29
as stating, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for
himself, and then return. When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered
that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he
might know what business they had done. The first appeared, saying, ‘Master,
your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave,
because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in
authority over ten cities.’ The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has
made five minas.’ And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five
cities.’” This parable about the second coming and judgment depicts
believers being rewarded with different degrees of authority in the age to come
based on how faithfully they stewarded what they were entrusted with in this
life.
·
Matthew recorded the following
exchange between Jesus, John, and James, their mother, and the rest of the
disciples in Matthew 20:21-23: “And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She
said to Him, ‘Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one
on Your right and one on Your left.’ …He said to them, ‘…to sit on My right and
on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been
prepared by My Father.’ And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two
brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘…whoever wishes to become
great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you
shall be your slave…’” According to the passage, James and John sought
Jesus for high positions in His coming kingdom. Jesus acknowledged such
positions existed, although they were not His to give, and explained what
criteria will be used to populate them – servanthood.
God’s
Reward System Will Be the Greatest Turnaround of All Time
Fourth,
let’s look at passages that show that God’s assignment of rewards, authority,
and responsibility at the second coming will be the greatest turnaround of all
time. Many who are considered the greatest in this age will either be lost or
the least and many who are the least in this age will be the greatest.
·
Luke recorded Jesus in Luke 14:8-11 as
stating, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take
the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been
invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give
your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last
place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when
the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’;
then you will have honor in the sight of all who [c]are at the table with you.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself
will be exalted.” This parable depicts the marriage of Jesus Christ to the
church at the second coming (see Revelation 19:7) and how self-promotion/presumption
versus humility/servanthood will factor in to what positions the resurrected
saints are given to occupy in the age to come.
·
Matthew recorded Jesus in Matthew
19:28-30 as stating, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in
the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And
everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or
children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will
inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last,
first.” The first part of Jesus’ statement speaks only of the positions of
the twelve apostles in the age to come. However, the second part applies to all
saints, with the final words (“many who are first will be last; and the
last, first”) indicating that many who are considered the greatest in this
age will be the least and many who are the least in this age will be the
greatest in terms of the rewards/positions they are assigned.
·
Luke recorded Mary in Luke 1:52 as
stating, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted
those who were humble.” This may have been a reference to the second
coming. In verses 54-55, she added, “He has given help to Israel His
servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham
and his descendants forever.” One of the promises God gave to Abraham was
that his “seed shall possess the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 22:17),
which will be fulfilled at the second coming (ex. See Revelation 20:1-3, Isaiah
25:6-8).
·
Psalms 113:7-8 states, “He raises
the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit
with princes, with the princes of His people.” The timing context of this
statement is not conclusive, but it nevertheless speaks to God’s pattern of
exalting the lowly.
·
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, “For
consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world
to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the
despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the
things that are…” This passage is not specific to the second coming, but
does speak to God’s pattern of exalting the lowly.
·
James said in James 1:9, “But the
brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position…” This
passage is not specific to the second coming, but does speak to God’s pattern
of exalting the lowly.
·
James said in James 2:5, “Listen,
my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in
faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
This passage is not specific to the second coming, but does speak to God’s
pattern of exalting the lowly.
In
summary, the positions of varying degrees of authority given to resurrected
saints in the age to come will be assigned in accordance with God’s pattern of
humbling the proud and exalting the lowly (Luke 14:8-11, Matthew 19:28-30,
Psalms 113:7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, James 1:9, James 2:5).
Saints
Will Receive Rewards in Heaven As Well As on Earth
Fifth,
let’s look at passages that show that believers can also store up treasure in
heaven.
·
Jesus said in Matthew 6:20, “But
store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal…” A very similar
statement is recorded in Luke 12:33.
·
Jesus told the wealthy young ruler in Matthew
19:21, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” The
same exchange is also recorded in Mark 10:21 and Luke 18:22.
·
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed
are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven
is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before
you.”
What
if I’m Not Interested in Earthly Authority?
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “I’m not interested in politics or ruling. This
reward system doesn’t appeal to me.” However, in scripture, authority
does not only refer to civil authority. For example, Matthew 7:29 says Jesus “was
teaching them as one having authority”. And in 2 Corinthians 10:8, Paul
said he was given “authority” for “building… up” the believers in
Corinth. At its heart, authority refers to the capacity to bless and serve
others. Therefore, those who are given great authority in the next age with be
the ones who will be empowered to bless and serve others on the greatest scale.
Won’t
We All Be the Same?
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “I’ve been taught we will be all the same in the future.” However,
this idea is not biblical, as we have seen. This idea usually comes from two
passages – Galatians 3:28 and the Laborers in the Vineyard parable in Matthew
20:1-16.
Galatians
3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free
man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” However,
in context Paul is talking about impartial accessibility to salvation for all
people under the new covenant. He’s not talking about the loss of our
individual identities or about everyone receiving the same eternal
rewards.
The
Laborers in the Vineyard parable in Matthew 20:1-16 tells of a landowner who
hired five groups of workers who each worked less than the previous group. The
first group worked all day long and the last group worked for just one hour.
When it came time to be paid, they were all paid the same amount and the first
group was indignant. In verse 12, the first group stated: “These last men
have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne
the burden and the scorching heat of the day.”
However,
the point of this parable is that everyone will be rewarded the same in heaven
or the age to come, which would contradict all the other passages we have seen.
Rather, the point is that many people will be rewarded similarly despite huge
contrasts between how much they work they accomplished for the kingdom because
the characters we develop are more important than the things we accomplish.
Let
me say that again. Our characters will weigh more heavily when we stand before
the Judgment Seat of Christ than what works we did, even though those matter
too.
In
fact, Jesus concluded this parable by returning to the theme of varying degrees
of honor, saying in verse 16, “So the last shall be first, and the first
last.” This parable is a warning to Christians who over-emphasize works. In
effect, Jesus said, “Be careful that you don’t criticize other believers
because they don’t seem to be doing as much work as you. They may be godlier in
their characters. That kind of critical, self-righteous attitude can knock you
down to the last place.”
What
Will Heavenly Rewards Consist Of?
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “What are the rewards in heaven that Jesus talked about? If
the resurrected saints are ruling on the earth, how is heaven also a part of
their experience?”
·
Paul said in Philippians 3:21, “[Jesus]
will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of
His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things
to Himself.”
·
Jesus said in Luke 20:36, “…for
they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of
God, being sons of the resurrection.”
Both
Jesus and angels have the ability to go back and forth between the physical and
spiritual realms (ex. John 20:19, Acts 1:9-11, Hebrews 13:2). This is how we
will be able to have authority on earth and still enjoy heaven.
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “What exactly does it mean to have treasure in heaven?”
That’s a good question.
Hebrews
8:5 says things on earth are like a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things”.
Even though heaven will be more wonderful and beautiful than we can imagine
(see 1 Corinthians 2:9), it may also be familiar. Some of the things we see in
heaven or the new heaven and new earth in scripture include trees, rivers,
streets, homes, food, clothes, loved ones, and familiar materials such as
silver and gold (ex. John 14:2, Hebrews 12:1, Revelation 7:9, Revelation 21-22).
Perhaps there will be other familiar things such as mountains, oceans, gardens,
clouds, buildings, animals, etc. In light of this, it is reasonable to consider
that treasure in heaven could refer to literal possessions we are given
stewardship over.
If
so, this is the best retirement plan imaginable. Which is better – storing up
earthly wealth for a short retirement in this lifetime, or storing up literal
wealth in heaven that will last forever? When Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store
up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”, perhaps He wasn’t being overly spiritual –
perhaps He was just being practical!
Don’t
Eternal Rewards Imply License to Boast?
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “If there are eternal rewards, doesn’t that lead to pride
and boasting, which scripture forbids?” The answer is no, at least not in
this life. The apostle Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 that we must wait
until we stand before the Lord in judgment because we cannot accurately judge
ourselves or others until that time. He stated:
“But to me it is
a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in
fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against
myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the
Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until
the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness
and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come
to him from God.”
Tangentially,
it is important to note that not all pride and boasting is sinful. There is
also a righteous kind. Consider these examples:
·
Paul
said in 2 Corinthians 1:12 he had “proud confidence” that he had
conducted himself in holiness and sincerity.
·
Paul
told the Corinthians and Philippians that it was appropriate for them to be “proud”
of him, since he was a spiritual father to them (2 Corinthians 1:14, 5:12,
Philippians 1:26).
·
Paul
told the Thessalonians that he spoke “proudly” about their faith and
perseverance to the other churches (2 Thessalonians 1:4).
·
Jesus
said to one man in Matthew 25:21, “Well done good and faithful servant”,
which is similar to saying, “I’m proud of you!” This parallels 1 Corinthians 4:5, which
says “…each man’s praise will come from God”.
It is possible to feel godly pride in
one’s family or nation or ethnicity when we honor the good in them that
reflects God’s nature, not because we are comparing them with anyone else’s or
calling them superior. We can feel proud of ourselves
for overcoming a temptation or breaking a bad habit or working hard to achieve
a goal. A father can be proud of his son because he showed integrity. What son
doesn’t want to hear his father say, “Son, I’m proud of you”? God is a
good father and sometimes this is exactly what He says to us.
Perhaps
sinful boasting and righteous boasting could be contrasted like this:
·
Sinful
boasting compares our work with someone else’s.
·
Righteous
boasting examines our works in light of the grace God provided for them.
·
Sinful boasting focuses on what we have
accomplished apart from God’s help or empowerment.
·
Righteous boasting acknowledges our utter
dependence on God’s help and empowerment to accomplish anything of eternal
value.
·
Sinful boasting gets our sense of self-worth
and acceptability from our works.
·
Righteous boasting knows our acceptability comes
from God’s love and mercy, which cannot be added to or taken away from by our
works.
Similarly,
many new converts have felt God’s humbling, almost embarrassing affirmation of
their decision to surrender their lives to Him. It’s ironic. He spends our
entire lives pursuing us, loving us, and patiently bearing with our rebellion
even though it causes Him so much pain. Then when He finally chases us down and
brings us to repentance with His kindness, He celebrates as though we did
something truly great and monumental… because, in His eyes, we did. How truly
humbling.
The
twenty-four elders casting their crowns at the Lord’s feet in Revelation 4:10
is a picture of the balance between receiving honor from God and also
recognizing our dependence on Him. Even though God has chosen to give His
children eternal rewards that will be commensurate with the choices we made in
this life, we will still feel the urge in our hearts to cast our crowns at
God’s feet because we will know how utterly dependent we were on His constant
grace and mercy to have attained them.
Will
the Lost Be Judged?
Perhaps
you’re thinking, “What about the lost? Will they also be judged?” Several
passages such as Ecclesiastes 12:14, Daniel 12:1-2, Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50,
25:31-46, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10, and Revelation 20:12-15, collectively, teach
that the lost will also stand before God in judgment and be recompensed for
every moral choice they ever made. However, their recompense will be in the
context of eternal separation from God, rather than in the context of serving
Him on earth and in heaven.
At
the judgment, we will see our thoughts, words, actions, and motives from God’s
holy perspective. Then we will understand how utterly incapable we are of being
reconciled to Him on our own merits. The weight of our sins will be
unimaginable. Some scholars have considered that it is actually more tolerable
for the lost to be separated from God in hell than to remain in His manifest
presence with the full weight of their sins still upon them. However, in the
case of the believer, that sin is taken off of us and put onto Jesus Christ on
the cross. This is the remedy God provided. For reference, here are the
aforementioned passages:
·
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:14, “For
God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is
good or evil.”
·
Daniel wrote in Daniel 12:1-2, “…at
that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be
rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to
everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”
·
Jesus said in Matthew 13:41-42, “The
Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom
all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them
into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.”
·
Jesus said in Matthew 13:49-50, “So
it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the
wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
·
Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-46, “But
when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He
will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him;
and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the
left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world… Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed
ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his
angels…’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life.”
·
Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, “…those
who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus…
will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power…”
· John said Revelation 20:12-15, “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”