Predestination

Have you ever felt so strongly about a certain belief it made you who you are but you could not fully explain it after a certain point, it took faith? As Christians, followers of Christ Jesus, I hope we know this experience. God says without faith it is impossible to please Him. This theme of predestination and once saved always saved, simply put scares me on some level. At the other end of the spectrum there is the belief that I lose my salvation every time I disobey God’s commands. Let us agree that at the extreme ends both thought processes are wrong. Predestination is not saying that if I’ve won God’s lottery I can live like the devil and still go to heaven and on the other hand it is not my works that save me and each time I sin I start over as a new believer, how foolish! So the answer lies somewhere in the middle, no doubt.

I do understand the process that God knows all and sees all, not just in the past and present but also in the future and because of that He knows if I belong to Him and in that way I am predestined but only God knows but that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to do with it. However, I do not agree that it is possible to accept Jesus Christ at an early age, grow up believing in Him, having real relationship with Him, knowing who He is, and then at the end of my life fall away because some unimaginable tragedy has taken place only to be told that I never belonged to God in the first place or it’s ok, I can do what I want, God will turn a blind eye because I was saved as a child and I have the golden ticket. This thought idea of what predestination looks like is a flawed process. You cannot dismiss John’s revelation where God shown Him what will take place in the end and where he listens to God address the seven churches in Asia because they had left their first love. There is an eminent threat of falling away and their decision to listen and obey or turn to their own selfish desires will indeed determine what eternity will look like for them but that doesn’t mean they never belonged to God. Revelation 2:10 God told the church, “But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.” (NLT) The words “if you remain” tells us that what we do does have a part to play in our destination. Revelation 3:3 “Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to Me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.” Revelation 3:15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one of the other!” 16 “But since you are lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”

God tells us in Hebrews 12:6 “For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” We are told that in the Old Testament as well – Proverbs 3:12 and again in Revelation 3:19 and because we are God’s children let’s look at this from a parent’s perspective. As a parent are you happiest when your children will not obey and you have to confront them before they take the garbage out and they do it begrudgingly or when they do it without you asking because they want to please you, because they care about the relationship they have with you? There is something about the “want to” that pleases God’s heart. It says God you are important to me, I love this relationship we have, and I want to do everything I can to cause it to grow, that’s why tithing is so important, really everything we do from reading our Bibles to prayer and study, worship… if we have real relationship with Jesus then it is because of the “want to”. However, if I am predestined (in human understanding) it creates a void, in that I can do whatever I want and God will overlook it. Predestined in this sense doesn’t grow relationship with God but repeals me from God and the very thing that made me feel safe, in that I can’t mess it up, causes a hollow space between my Savior and me because I cannot respond to His marvelous love and His unquestionable grace. Without free will how are we different than the heavenly host? The Bible tells us of one time they were able to choose and a third of them were thrown out of heaven with Satan.

We’ve been stepping around this without landing on it but at the center of this debate is Matthew 7:22-23. God never ceases to amaze me in little subtle ways. Just six days ago I was led to this scripture and He’s been preparing me for this talk since then. Let’s start at Matthew 7:21 and stop at verse 27.

Matthew 7:21-27 NLT  "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter.  (22)  On judgment day many will say to Me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.'  (23)  But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.'  (24)  "Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  (25)  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock.  (26)  But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  (27)  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

Did you catch that Jesus said “Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows…”? This is a strong statement indicating that there is no golden ticket but instead the work of my salvation is done by Christ Jesus alone yet it is how I respond to it that determines what that means to me but the center of Christ’s words here is in Him knowing me. Now what does that mean, after all He knows everyone even so much so that the hairs of our heads are numbered! What Jesus is talking about here when He says I never knew you speaks of relationship and if it is about relationship then it is the “want to” that makes a difference. Therefore, if I fall away and no longer have relationship with Him I no longer know Him but I once knew Him. However, Jesus said I never knew you which points back to the fact that He is God and because of predestination He is able to look into the future and know the exact condition of our hearts when we will be called to give an account of how we lived our lives and because of that He knows which ones are His. Like wheat and tares to the human eye are indistinguishable God knows which will produce a harvest and which will not because He is God.

Don’t ever lose the “want to” in your relationship with Jesus, yes God has predestined you but that does not mean you don’t have a choice. And should you fall away His mercy is sufficient and though He will correct you it is because of His great love and His Father’s heart that He does so but still we must respond to receive His love. I have no answers other than to know and follow God’s leading, like Paul told the Philippians 2:12 work out your own salvation with hard work, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. God is in control not man and for that I am exceedingly glad; in the end the extreme middle of the two camps are not so far apart.

From the book “Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart” by J.D. Greear

            Repentance and faith are heart postures you take toward the finished work of Christ. You might express the beginning of that posture in a prayer. But don’t make the mistake of equating that prayer with the posture. The sinner’s prayer is not a magic incantation or a recipe you follow to get a salvation cake. The real stuff – the stuff that matters – is the posture of repentance and faith behind the words you speak. The prayer is good only insofar as it verbalizes the posture.

 

Does God hurt people?

This week the idea of God hurting people was laid before me in a group setting. Knowing the person who said it because of previous conversations with him/her I also know why it was said and the story is gut wrenching involving the death of a child. Even though my wife and I had a very close call with our own son and his near death experience and we shared how we cried out to God to have mercy on him and God did but not once did we blame God or was angry at God because of it happening but the story had no effect on this person. We were told if our son had died we would have been angry at God but this person was wrong because regardless of the outcome we know that God is good and this life’s conclusion is not the end but the beginning.

In the conversation that happened this week both my wife and I sat there without a response (it had such a great impact we still haven’t talked to each other about it) but others did speak out to say that’s not who God is, which made me glad. The comment was made that God hurts people and it’s not right. Our pastor has been teaching about the character of God and having relationship with Him and how good He is and this same person said they feel like screaming at the pastor when they hear him describe God that way. These words have haunted me ever since they were spoken, feeling like I should have had a quick response defending who God was and is but I know this person is hurting and in this case time is not healing wounds. My concern is if this person really knows who God is and what eternal impact that will have on any individual who is feeling this way? In this case does going to church make a difference if I am that angry at God? I am reminded of this scripture…

Matthew 7:21-27 MKJV  Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.  (22)  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?  (23)  And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!  (24)  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.  (25)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.  (26)  And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.

In this group we went on from there to discuss people being sick and God not healing them, even though they do great things for God, implying how can God allow this and still be just? At that point I did speak up and said this, “I believe in the law of reaping and sowing, many times we do things in our youth that is bad for our body but as we grow up we turn towards God to serve Him and when we get older we blame God for poor health but in truth it is the result of decisions made in our youth.” I know this first hand to be true and yes I do believe God is gracious and merciful but His ultimate mercy will be made known when we pass from this life to the next. This is what I am experiencing now, God leads us (His true believers) by His spirit, we have a choice to either humble ourselves, listen, and obey or we can be completely oblivious to His call and do our own thing because we like being comfortable. It is not God who causes us to get sick but rather, in many cases, He warns us, if we will listen, to make healthy choices. Here is a simple example. Because of not eating right and lack of exercise I have had low energy for some time now as a result I started drinking coffee so that I was coherent at work. Unfortunately, that temporary boost of energy allowed me to make things even worse by not keeping a good schedule and going to bed on time! What was my answer? Start drinking two cups of coffee in the morning. It came to my attention that I was doing something wrong when I took the family to CoSi science museum in Columbus not too long ago and there was a machine that when you grabbed the handle it would cause a kick drum to beat according to your own heartbeat. My wife’s was nice and slow like it should be but when I grabbed it you would have thought I just got through running five miles but I had done nothing strenuous. You see God had been telling me for a long time to eat right and it was then I was reminded that I should pray before eating and ask that God bless the food and guide me so that what I do eat is good for me and that my portions are according to His will. You want a diet plan that has results, then start here.

I am happy to report that I am eating less red meat, regularly drinking veggie blends, and exercising more. I cut out drinking coffee all except once or twice a week I’ll have one small cup. You see it wasn’t about me doing more or drinking more or eating more but it’s about me stopping and listening to God’s quiet, still voice. Had I kept going I know it would have led to me to a hospital bed somewhere and if I were like many in the church today I would no doubt say, “God how could you have let this happen? I was serving you at church, I was tithing, I was providing for my family.” Yes I understand how the enemy will lie to people to get them to believe God hurts them but it’s not true. I also know it is easier to blame God than it is to change bad habits or to move out of our comfort zone but where will that lead us? Will that way of thinking be profitable for us in the end?

On judgement day those who have not had real relationship with God’s Son will have all of their excuses ready but when they see God’s face their defense they worked so hard on will have no ground on which to stand for all the sand beneath their feet will have washed away and for those who do trust God and have relationship with Him, even we will have questions. We will ask, “God why did you not heal?” and “Is healing no longer for today?” God will say, “Child I was ready to heal, why did you not listen and follow me? For my will to heal you was as strong in the last days as it ever had been but it required you to listen and obey.”  You see the law of reaping and sowing is not set up to punish but to remind us that God’s ways are higher than our own. The more sensitive we are to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit and the more determined we are to obey the higher the heights we experience on this path to righteousness in which God is leading us. Our determination to step exactly where He has stepped is in direct relationship with the things God has prepared to show us this side of heaven. And who are we to tell God what He does or does not do is right or wrong, for we are the ones that are strangers to righteousness! True heaven is being with the One who gave everything so that we might have relationship with Him, it is not a place! Are we going through a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” so that we can go to a final destination and why do we want to go there so bad? Is it to see those who have passed before us or is it to come face to face with the One who has led us on this journey, the One who allows us to feel the consequences of not following, putting us in a place of temporary discomfort so that the eternal is made secure? What kind of God would we serve if He made us comfortable now but we missed all that He’s planning on the other side? And should we get it wrong and this life end prematurely does that mean God does not love us or He gets pleasure from punishing us because He wants to hurt us? No, I tell you the truth, God’s grace and mercy is long suffering but you must understand these things must be experienced because this life is not the end of the adventure! Yes, we will celebrate and finally the earth will know peace and it will cease to moan for the coming of God’s Son because His glory will be revealed in that day but the purpose God has placed in us has not come to its final destination, even then but I tell you all of the things we have experienced in this life will be nothing more than preparation for what God has planned next, of which we cannot know now but one day it will be revealed and all our questions why will be answered!

A dark valley

I know many have wondered what’s going on with me not writing and sharing what God is doing in my life the past couple of months. I believe there are many reasons but only a few of them I am aware of at this time. Behind the most relevant reason is the ideal that from the beginning of me keeping a journal, which was late 2009, each time I sat down at my desk to write I sensed God’s presence and His Holy Spirit leading me but early this year I heard God say gently and almost understated, “A test is coming your way.” I remember thinking to myself okay some trial will be here soon, God has faithfully led me this far, I know right from wrong surely this is an opportunity to prove how much I love God. I did not know the test would be that for a period of two months I wouldn’t feel His presence or leading! With no compelling force bringing me to His table each morning what was revealed were the things that was keeping me from growing in Christ Jesus, the things that my flesh craved. Surprisingly it’s not what you think I simply didn’t come to Christ as I did previously; though I continued to pray for this short period I wasn’t hungry or desperate for Him I just felt drained, which led to lack of purpose, which ultimately led to despair. I know this thought pattern was more than just my flesh being self-serving by getting up later or allowing other things to take that place with God each morning because of where it led me. I started feeling like everyone was against me and the more I felt this way the more I wanted to retreat, I even started to plan how to make it happen but fortunately God had other plans for me. My thought life began to race and it headed straight down like after coming up the long first hill of a roller coaster but something which looked almost unrelated happened. My diet and health started to decline and I started seeing real warning signs that if I didn’t do something to change I believe my life span would have been greatly impacted and seemingly unrelated as well God brought someone across my path who is not even a believer but was used by God to begin speaking to me about eating healthier. Since then my thought life has become noticeably brighter, I’m thinking more clearly, I have purpose once again, I’ve even lost some unwanted weight but the best thing is that I’ve heard God’s call to come to His table and rest with Him once again.  

I’m not sure the test is over or how much I’ll be writing but I do know I’ve made it past one of, if not the lowest part of this valley. I also know journaling about what God is doing in my life is part of who I am and that will continue but it will be in His time. I pray that the Lord our God blesses you in this time as well and no matter if it is on mountain tops or in valleys where it’s hard to get a glimpse of the Son at times know that His eye is upon you and His staff will protect you. For only God knows the purpose of these types of tests and we know if He calls us to it there is a reason. You see we were not there when God’s story began and the end has not yet come all we know is a very short time in the middle of His book. Only God knows what is needed and when, who is man that he should think the ways of God are obtainable? This one thing I know God is good at all times regardless of what circumstance look like, trust in Him now and when this race is run you will have no regrets.