Feeling Predestination Reverend Anthony R.

Locke
November 7th, 2010 www.FirstPresTucker.org
at the First Presbyterian Church of Tucker
Romans 8:28 - 9:33 English Standard Version
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also
glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
33 Who shall bring any charge against God‟s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is
interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”
10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God‟s purpose of election might continue, not
because of works but because of him who calls—
12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God‟s part? By no means!
15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name
might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction,
23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call „my people,‟ and her who was not beloved I will call „beloved.‟ ”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, „You are not my people,‟ there they will be called „sons of the living God.‟ ”
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will
be saved,
28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”
29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;
31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to
shame.”1

1 The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
 There is an amazing Bible topic called Predestination. It answers some pretty important
questions about God and our salvation. Specifically, predestination is suppose to make us feel
certain things in our heart and in our faith about God and about our salvation.
I know most people think of predestination as a painful journey in Calvinistic theology, but,
God doesn't handle it that way in the Bible. God doesn't think this doctrine is hard. To God this
doctrine is meant to be a huge blessing. We aren't suppose to think it first; we are to feel it.
So what are we suppose to feel?
First, we are to feel wrapped up in the everlasting arms of our heavenly Father who is in
complete control of everything. Romans 8:28 reminds us that the rollercoaster ride we call life
never catches God by surprise. Even sad events are used by God to build our character, return us
to prayer and test our submission to the will of God. Predestination means that we can be at peace
with our tomorrow because God controls our yesterday, today and tomorrow. Can you feel that?
It's the steady hands of the Lord leading you forward.
Second, we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29.
We are not elect just so we can go to heaven. That‟s never the language of scripture. Being elect
for salvation isn‟t something we can measure or quantify. We can measure our progress in a godly
life. A resurrected life that walks in the commands of God is measurable.
Saying we are elect is mysterious and out of sync with the language of the Bible. Saying
we are predestined to be living like Jesus can be judged by an accountability partner, mentor,
pastor or friend. Others can question our claim to be predestined if we are living a sinful life. Feel
the moral imperative of a Biblical understanding of predestination.
Our predestination marks us for a new life in Jesus. We were born in Adam with a broken
and blemished image of God. By resurrection we are reborn with the perfected image of God that
was uniquely manifest in the human flesh of Jesus. Feel that call to holiness and now walk in a
manner worthy of the name of Christ. This is the destiny of the elect. Feel the call to Christian
obedience, not election superiority.
Third, our salvation, justification being the beginning, will be carried forward and
completed with an eternal sanctification or what we call glorification. God finishes what He starts.
Romans 8:30. God will not leave the job half finished. You will overcome all the sin left in your
flesh and you will be fully saved. Feel the promise of future glory that is only guaranteed by this
doctrine of predestination.
Fourth, God is on our side. Most people would argue with that assessment and request
rewording verse 31 that we are on God's side. But that's not what the verse says. God chose people
for Himself by putting Himself in their corner. You didn't recruit God. He chose to be on your
team. You and God will overcome for Jesus already won the battle. That's something which is
very awesome to feel once we think about it for a while.
Romans 8:32 reminds us that in the eternal decrees of God's plan He gave the Son of God
as a sacrifice for our sin. Nothing is more important or valuable to God the Father than Jesus. In
Jesus everything else is ours. Predestination should make us feel affluent.
Romans 8:33-34 leads us to cast off our guilt. How can we feel condemned for our past
sins when Jesus suffered for them on the tree? Did Jesus handle our sins on the tree or not? Then
walk away from false guilt by looking to the finished work of Jesus.
 How do we know this Gospel plan worked? Because God raised Jesus and repositioned
Jesus back into His eternal glory to prove His death was vicarious. This salvation remains
effective for Jesus continues to intercede for us. Could God make us feel more secure? No way.
Romans 8:35-39 Nothing can ever separate us from God's love. His sovereign control over
all things means we are safe in his arms. If we are in control of our salvation than we should be
very insecure and fearful of our eternal destiny. Predestination gives us a solid confidence that we
did not cast the deciding vote to make us saved. God did. Now that's a wonderful feeling.
Romans 9 opens with an appeal for all of us to embrace this doctrine. This is not a Pauline
distinctive not found in the Old Testament. Predestination is not unique to Paul's theology. This
doctrine is not somehow only true for Calvinists or Reformation theologians. Predestination is a
Biblical doctrine that the Holy Spirit led the authors of scripture to affirm.
Romans 9:2-3 We should feel compassion for those who might not be predestined. Now
this is a funny turn in the conversation. How can we tell who isn't elect so we can show
compassion? Can we read a palm and tell a person's eternal future? No. Can we look into tea
leaves and see who is elect? No. Can we shake someone's hand or look deeply into their eyes and
figure out if they are elect? Of course not. So why are we called to compassion for those who are
not elect if we can‟t tell who they are?
Let‟s trace our steps backward to Romans 8:29. The only outward mark that someone is
elect is that their life is being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Like in Romans 12:1-2.
Believers present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is their
spiritual worship. Not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewal of
their mind, that they may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and
perfect. These sorts of people are showing themselves to be children of promise.
Those that we love who are not walking in a resurrected life are in need of our compassion.
Paul said he was their kinsman in the flesh. Boaz was a kinsman redeemer to Ruth. He had an
obligation to make every sacrifice necessary that she be redeemed. So how does this compassion
manifest itself in us? By begging God that mercy be shown and that they be given faith that they
might be saved. Most churches really need to feel this obligation to pray evangelistically.
Romans 9:4-5 reminds us that religion can be embraced and not lead to conversion of the
heart. Being a regular attendee at worship, learning the stories of the Bible and obeying the ten
commandments do not earn anyone a place in heaven. Predestination isn‟t about making us church
people. Predestination is about getting church people, and everyone else, saved.
We must pour out our soul to God that our loved ones might be saved. This goes against
logic. Didn‟t predestination already determine who would be saved? Why should we expect God
to change His predestination plans just because we prayed? Because God tells us that‟s the way it
works! Don‟t feel that the salvation of loved ones is impossible because they might not be
predestined. That‟s not a Biblical use of this doctrine. It is the opposite. Predestination is the only
hope of anyone getting saved. So ask God, who makes this determination, to save people.
We should feel confident that the Bible can lead people to saving faith. Romans 9:6. We
cannot save anyone. All the responsibility for salvation is on God's shoulders. We are responsible
to pray and share the word. Predestination releases us from feeling like we need to save our
neighbor. God does the hard part. God changes hearts and prepares them to hear the words of life.
 We should not be stressed out that there are hypocrites, half hearted believers and ungodly
people in church. The people of God are a mixed bag of sheep and goats, wheat and tares. This
isn't our responsibility to fix. God handles this on His own schedule. Our responsibility is to point
people to Jesus. Romans 9:7-13.
And God's predestination doesn't save everyone at the same time. Don't be in a rush to
blame God for not saving someone. God isn‟t finished with them yet. Romans 9:14.
We can‟t see God‟s future plans for mercy. Maybe that person is predestined to get saved
on their deathbed. Are we really going to act judgmental toward God for not saving them when we
think it‟s time? Are we really that bold or that foolish? Don't think you can guess God's plans and
then judge Him. Only a complete idiot would do that. God elects some for life and some for death.
It‟s His decision. It is what it is. Leave it to God. Romans 9:15-24.
We can‟t insist that God show mercy. That's why it is called mercy. The wages of sin is
death, not life. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None of us are
righteous. We all deserve Hell. If we insist that God be fair right now, then everyone not saved
goes straight to Hell right now. Predestination includes mercy to allow time for repentance. Feel
God‟s justice and mercy. Every person He predestines is a trophy of His mercy.
And God finds people in the strangest places, where there is no heritage of faith, no
previous church, and God predestines them to be called by His name. Romans 9:25-28. Every
tribe, every language, and every nation will be represented. God‟s grace is greater than sin.
Generational unbelievers, by predestination, are now called sons of the living God. That‟s grace.
Romans 9:29. Isaiah says our places of faith would inherit the fate of Sodom and
Gomorrah without the pre-determinative work of God's Holy Spirit to bring our children, friends
and neighbors to saving faith. If God stopped the power of His predestination right now, then our
churches would wither and die. Churches grow through God‟s unconditional election and
irresistible hand of saving grace which leads sinners to a persevering faith.
We don‟t save people: God does. We need to stop slandering God for His role in our
salvation.
Romans 9:30-31. The do's and don'ts of religion do not save souls. There is only one path
to God that leads a soul to eternal life. One foundation is a solid rock; all the rest are shifting sand.
Jesus is the rock of our salvation. Jesus is the rock and from Him flows a river of living water.
It is impossible to find God without finding Jesus. Either you stand on Jesus as the solid
rock of your salvation or you stumble over him in the night. Either way, you will have to decide
what to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 9:32.
Our eternal destiny is dependent on our relationship with Jesus Christ alone. Either we are
saved by trusting in His work, or we are lost through stubborn disbelief. We are responsible for
our own choice.
This is how God wraps up the teaching on Predestination. The invitation is wide open for
anyone to place their faith in Jesus. God ends with a promise that anyone who believes in Jesus
will not be put to shame. Romans 9:33.
Predestination doesn't keep people from getting saved. Predestination is the only way
salvation happens for a sinner such as I.
We need to submit our thoughts to God‟s revealed truth, so that our hearts can feel the
promises and blessings interwoven into this Biblical doctrine God calls Predestination. Amen.