Understanding Predestination: God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Predestination refers to God's appointing the final Destiny of a person before creation so for example Ephesians 1:4 and five God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will so God assigns or destines the elect for adoption that's the destiny he plans for his chosen ones before creation hence the term predestined destined beforehand for adoption. [00:02:32]

These predestined ones always correspond in real life with those whom Jesus calls to himself and those who believe on Jesus and are justified by faith and we know that we know that the predestined and the Believers always correspond because of Romans 8:30 which says Those whom he predestined he also so called and Those whom he called he also Justified and we know that justification is by faith in no other way so those are believers Those whom he called he he brought to Faith and Justified and Those whom he justified he glorified. [00:03:48]

The term double predestination is used to refer to the fact that if God destines some for salvation and adoption then he passes over others so that their Destiny is judgment and not salvation now some people think we should not call this passing over a second predestination since the Bible does not speak of it that way and I would agree that we at least shouldn't make a focus out of what the Bible does not make a focus but in fact while not using the word predestined for unbelievers who perish the Bible does refer to the reality of it. [00:04:58]

Consider these three texts first Peter 28 which is the one that was mentioned uh refers to those who stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do Romans 9:22 refers to Those whom God endured with much patience vessels of Wrath prepared for Destruction Proverbs 16:4 says the Lord has made everything for its purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble now each of those texts needs careful attention and true interpretation but my effort over the years has yielded the fact that I think they do in fact teach that God plans the destiny of each person whether judgment or salvation. [00:06:14]

The primary objection to this Biblical teaching of predestination whether you call it single or double the primary objection is that it seems to result in people being punished when they are not morally accountable so this seems to be unjust seems unjust to to people and unjust in God the alternative view says that God does not decide anyone's Destiny before they exercise their ultimately self-determining free will the Assumption of this alternative view is that a person cannot be morally accountable unless each one has ultimate self-determination which is usually called free will. [00:07:53]

The text that most often is appealed to for this view which is not my view I'm not in favor of this the text is most often appealed to for this view is first Timothy 24 which Josh uh specifically asks about it says God desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth then the inference by those who read it is drawn from this verse that God cannot choose only some to be saved because he desires all to be saved now the problem is this both interpretations admit that God prioritizes something above his desire for all to be saved because all are not saved. [00:08:59]

One view says that what restrains God is that he prioritizes ultimate human self-determination above saving all better to have some perish then that all should be deprived of ultimate self-determination usually called free will the other view says that what restrains God this would be my view that what restrains God from saving all is that he prioritizes the glory of the freedom of his Sovereign Grace above saving all better that some perish than that the freedom and greatness of God's grace be diminished. [00:10:06]

Now what seems clear to me from this verse is that Paul does not believe in Ultimate human self-determination when it comes to the all important Act of repentance in this verse repentance does not ultimately depend on human self-determination it depends on the free gift of God to a person in the bondage of sin Satan God May Grant God May grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth therefore Within These two letters of Paul to Timothy he shows that what keeps God from doing what he at one level desires to do namely save all is not his commitment to Ultimate human self-determination. [00:12:47]

No one is saved unless God grants repentance repentance is not the product of ultimate human self-determination it's a gift of God now here's the Paradox not contradiction Paradox lots of people try to make this out to be a logical contradiction it's not it runs through the whole Bible human beings are morally accountable even though they do not have ultimate self-determination there is no Injustice with God Romans 9:14 no one is punished who does not truly deserve to be punished and the measure of the punishment is always in righteous proportion to the measure of the evil. [00:13:49]

Though God predestines who will be saved and who will not be saved no one comes into judgment who does not deserve judgment this is not a logical contradiction which so many try to make it out to be it is a mystery I don't think the Bible makes plain how both of these truths God's sovereignty and man's accountability are in perfect compatibility but the whole Bible testifies to both truths they are compatible the Bible teaches the truth of both and they are profoundly important to embrace for the good of our souls and for the Integrity of God's word and for the health of the church and for the advancement of God's Mission and for the glory of God's grace. [00:14:44]

Thank you Pastor John and thank you for the question Josh thank you for joining us today you can ask a question of your own search our growing archive or subscribe to the podcast all at desiringgod.org askk Pastor John well we've talked briefly about lament on the podcast lament particularly about being angry with God you can see apj 931 for that since that episode uh 931 which Compares Godly lament with ungodly lament several questions have come in on this a lot of followup questions it's another topic we can't ignore uh and it's up next time I'm your host Tony ranky and we'll see you back here on Monday for the topic of lament we'll see you then then. [00:15:44]