| The exclusivity of Christ: For God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. John3:16 The mercy of God is demonstrated by sending His Son to be the Savior of the world. Predestination is God's chosen plan for any to receive eternal life. That plan was established through God becoming man and restoring man to his proper place with God by shedding his blood for the remission of sins. God gave man dominion over all the works of his hands (Gen.1:26). When man lost dominion through sin (Gen.3:14-19) only man could restore what man had lost. Jesus, God become man, was the only way that man could once again occupy that place with God that God intended for him to have. Jesus is God's predestined plan for the salvation of the human race. There was no other possibility for man's salvation. What man lost, only man could recover. Jesus, though Son of God, was fully human. Being fully human he could make the perfect sacrifice for sin in his life, crucifixion, and death. By not succumbing to Satan's temptation and physical onslaught at Calvary, He became the author of eternal life to all who would believe in Him and receive Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Christ, our model: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. Rom.829 If primarily predestination is salvation through Jesus Christ, then secondarily, predestination is for man to become like Christ. That is to say, "we are to be holy and without blame before Him in love." (Ephes.1:4) We are to exercise the dominion and glory that we had with Him before the fall. “These signs will follow them that believe; in my name they shall cast out devils...they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."(Mark16:17-18) The predestined plan for man is that he should become like Christ; that he should stand in a position of strength and authority, compassion and love. We are not to model ourselves after anyone in the world except as they model themselves after Christ. That is the will and predestined plan of the Father. Evangelization: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1Corin.1:18 Because only Jesus could restore us to fellowship with God, salvation could only be accomplished through Him. God has predestined salvation to come by "grace through faith" and "not of works' because only the man Jesus could recover what man had lost (Ephes.2:8-9). And it is through faith and not works because salvation is not only for the Jew but for the Gentile as well. “The law makes nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did." (Heb.7:19) Therefore, salvation is the product of preaching because it is through hearing the word that faith comes (Rom.10:17) What predestination is not: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior: who will have all men be saved, and come unto a knowledge of the truth. 1Tim.2:4 Therefore, it is God's predestined will that each person comes to know and accept His plan of Salvation. Predestination does not mean that there are only a set number of people that are going to be saved and it does not matter what we do. "God wills all to be saved". Our part as church is to evangelize. We can increase the fold in God's kingdom by recognizing the predestined person and means for salvation to be accomplished and inviting people to share in that plan. It is part of man’s destiny to share the message of God’s love and mercy for us in Jesus. Mercy apart from evangelization: And before him he shall gather all nations... I was hungry and ye gave me meat... Math.25:31-46 Jesus is the very expression of the mercy of God. For those who have heard the message, there is no mercy apart from salvation by grace through faith. Yet there are those who have never heard the message. The destiny of the nations will revolve around their own mercy and compassion. It will be the task of the redeemed to judge "the nations" with Christ (1Corth.6:2) as to their ultimate destiny. Remember, for those who accepted the salvation message, their destiny is determined by faith. Recognizing in Romans chapter 3 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, salvation of the nations can not be judged by sin but only by mercy. "Mercy rejoiceth against judgment." And "he who showed no mercy shall receive no mercy." (James 2:13) (The rich man and Lazarus Luke 16:19-31) Conclusion: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: On them which fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off. Rom.11:22 Predestination is the way and only way one receives salvation. That way predestined by God is through Jesus Christ. The consequence of rejecting the message, rejecting Christ, is to forgo the blessing of God. It is to remove oneself from the umbrella of God’s love, mercy, and protection. It is to end up in Hell. We, the church, have a great deal to do with how many people end up under God’s umbrella. That number is not predetermined. It is a question of hearing the call of God and saying "Here I am, send me." (Isaiah 6:8) Amen. |