Wake Up Dead Man!

What brings us to the Cross? If we are so depraved, how can some actually be wrought to salvation? The heart of man is desperately sick, yes even fatally so. We are a desperate people without hope outside of the mercy of God. Romans 3:10 says that there is no one righteous—not even one! Yet many of us attempt to argue that there is something good in us that enables us to embrace Jesus Christ as He is offered to us in the Gospel. Our claims cheapen the unmerited love that is God’s grace.

Slap a dead body on the face, call the body by name, and tell it to wake up and see what happens. Of course we wouldn’t expect anything to happen lest a miracle were to be performed. And yet, we who are dead in our transgressions assume something even more ludicrous! Spiritually speaking, we believe that the dead body can wake itself up. If we are so depraved and sinful, dead in our transgression, unable to approach the Throne of Grace, then it is well to say that some kind of miracle must come about to wake us up. This is the miracle of regeneration. An awakening if you will. This regeneration comes by the free grace of God through the work of His Holy Spirit as He works in us, renews our minds and effectually enable us to embrace Jesus Christ as He is offered to us in the Gospel.

But we cannot speak of total inability to choose God and the miraculous work of regeneration without also speaking of God’s great sovereignty, predestination and election. These terms are completely misunderstood by many Christians today. The word election even causes some self-proclaimed “Calvinists” to shudder in that they become defensive and over-protective (as if the Almighty Sovereign God needed protection or could be qualified and explained). However, election is all part of God’s redemptive plan. If we ignore election, we ignore the role of God the Father in the plan of Redemption.

Before we talk about what election is, let’s talk about what it is not. Election is not salvation in and of itself. It is only part of salvation and is crucial to salvation for without election there is no salvation. But election does not save a person. Election is the special work of God’s providence and sovereignty that assures the certainty of salvation yet it is not salvation in and of itself.

There is sufficient Biblical evidence that the three Persons of the Triune Godhead made a covenant with each other from all eternity (Zech. 6:13, Jn. 5, 6, II Tim. 1:9, Ps. 2, Heb. 10:22-25). In this covenant of Redemption as it has come to be known, the Father agreed to elect, the Son agreed to provide redemption, and the Holy Spirit agreed to apply that redemption to the elect of the Father. As you can see, election is only part of the plan. The entire Godhead is involved with the redemptive work.

We cannot fully understand election without also understanding the sovereignty of God, His eternal decree and his acts of providence. God’s decree is His eternal purpose, according to His own council by which He has forordained all that has and will come to pass. He accomplishes his decree by His work of creation (which is already complete) and his acts of providence. God’s acts of providence are His most holy, wise, powerful, preserving and governing acts over all His creatures and all their actions. In other words, to quote a 1990’s contemporary Christian artist, “God is in control.”

God governs us, preserves us, curbs the destructive power of sin, causes us to act according to his purpose and yes, He has elected us. His works of providence are those acts that bring us to our purpose and ultimately to salvation through Jesus Christ. And what is our purpose? Our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But none of this happens without God’s decree.

An interesting point on God’s decree. We often think of God having many decrees. But God has one eternal purpose which is His decree. His decree is founded in wisdom (Eph. 3:9-11), it is eternal (II Tim. 1:9), it comprehends all events (Matt. 10:29), it is permissive of evil (Acts 2:23), and yet it is one eternal decree. In this decree God has elected that some should be saved and still other should be passed over (Rom. 9:18-20).

We think this is unfair. Why would God do something like this? Could not the all powerful God save everyone? Why save anyone at all? Because in God’s eternal decree he has foreordained some men and angels unto death and others unto everlasting life. God, as our Creator, owes us nothing and we owe Him everything. What is man that God is even mindful of him? Why not ask a different question? Why would God choose me?

There is certainly no one who is righteous so God’s election is a free act of God’s own will and rooted in His love and mercy. How dare we proclaim that we had a part in our salvation that was not first born of grace!

Of course this is not all there is to say about the sovereignty of God. Over the next few weeks I plan to post some of my thoughts and questions as I work through the Scriptures and the theology of election and predestination. I am not claiming that I can answer every question and problem that comes up. But I do believe we are to search the Scriptures to grow in our faith and understanding. Why preach on predestination and election? Peter tells us to be diligent in making our calling and election sure. These doctrines are full of God’s blessing, they glorify God when they are preached, and the bless those who hear it in faith. I pray that these next few weeks will draw us closer to the Lord as we see the Scriptures reveal how much we really do rely on God’s grace for our salvation.

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this not of yourselves it is the gift of God…”