Predestination – Being a Pilgrim

“It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.”
Romans 11:5-6 NLT

Paul concludes that in his day there were still a remnant of the “people of Israel” who were faithful to God. And this because they had accepted God’s grace and kindness, and not because of the “good works” that they might have been doing. Once again Paul reminded his readers that God’s grace was “free and undeserved”.

But there is a contentious thought embedded within Paul’s writings – that the faithful few had been chosen by God. Once again we come into contact with the doctrine of predestination. We read Romans 8:29 and perhaps draw the conclusion that God selects certain people, not all, to join His family. We read, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters”. But we balance this verse with another from 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent”. So from a backdrop of Romans 3:23 – “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” – we find that God’s invitation has to be responded to. God choosing any one of us matters little unless that person repents and turns to Him. And anyone who becomes a Christian will join the family of God. Another son or daughter.

But regarding the thought that God chooses some people rather than others, we have to accept that there are verses in the Bible that support this doctrine. Because He knows the end from the beginning, perhaps God knows who will accept His kindness and grace and who won’t. Of course, He never gives up on people. And He is always fair. Perhaps someone who responds to Him has, in effect, proved that God’s universal invitation of grace means that they were chosen.

Some people were, and are, obviously chosen by God in a high profile way. The writer of this epistle, Paul, once called Saul of Tarsus, knew that God had chosen him. We read in Galatians 1:15-16, “But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvellous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being”. Many faithful people in his generation were also chosen by God, some like Paul to undertake a high profile and demanding role in God’s Kingdom, others just to go about their business as an example to those around them. Every generation has been blessed by a selection of “Paul’s”, men and women who have faithfully served God by extending the Gospel into new places and nations. We think of Jackie Pulling, or Billy Graham. But the majority of God’s chosen people find themselves in lower profile roles, as a remnant of God’s grace, fulfilling their calling as “salt and light” in their families and communities, schools and workplaces. God has no favourites and treats all people equally. We will all one day be saved and join Him in Heaven.

In some Christian circles today we wonder if there will be a “faithful few” in a generation’s time. But as with the “people of Israel”, the life of the church flows and ebbs over the years. But God never changes. He is always faithful and kind. Always freely accepting repentant sinners through His grace and mercy. Never turning anyone away. Paul realised, along with Elijah many years before, that God will always keep a remnant of faithful people. People who will never abandon their faith. And we pilgrims count ourselves in that number, faithful God-followers who never forsake Him.

Father, we echo the words of Peter, who said to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life”. Where else could we go? We will never abandon You. Thank You. Amen.

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
Romans 8:29-30 NIVUK
“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”
Romans 8:29-30 NLT

Our verses today from Romans 8 can cause some angst amongst Christians and those close to them. Is it really true that God knew who His people would be one day, long before they were born? If that is the case, then why do we bother to share the Good News about Jesus with our family and friends, our workmates and casual contacts in the street? After all, from these verses it appears that God already has His hand on those He has chosen. To support this view we read what Paul wrote to the Ephesian church – Ephesians 1:4-5, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure”. Part of God’s plan for Planet Earth seemed to be the creation of a people who would be His own, a divine choice spanning the centuries between Adam and the Last Days. So for those of us who are Christians, do we relax a bit, perhaps sin a bit, and assume that we must have been chosen by God, so we will be ok in the end? And what about all those who apparently haven’t been selected by God and who are heading for a lost eternity? Is all that compatible with a God of Love?

So many questions! But, as we know, these verses in Romans must be balanced with other verses in the Bible. Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy these verses in 1 Timothy 2:3-6, “This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time”. Jesus instructed His disciples (including us) to, “ … go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). And of course we have John 3:16-17, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him”. So we have a dichotomy that can be puzzling, but one day we will know all about it because we can ask God.

The fact is that God will never reject anyone who turns to Him. Yes, on the one hand, He predestines people, choosing them to follow Him, but they can of course reject Him if they so wish. We may have been selected for a job after an interview, but we can still choose to reject the offer. On the other hand, God’s love and grace extends to everyone, and He will never reject a repentant sinner. Consider the penitent thief being crucified with Jesus. We don’t know if he was one of God’s chosen ones, but His repentance just before he died assured his place in Heaven. Chosen, or not chosen, by God will, in the end, not make any difference to our final home.

So, what do we pilgrims make of what has become to be known as the doctrine of predestination? That fact that we are Christians following Jesus, loving and worshiping God, reaching out to those around us with God’s love expressed through the Gospel, is not dependant on our status in accordance with God’s plans, made so many years ago. What matters is that we are doing His will. We can leave the difficult questions for God to answer one day.

Father God. We don’t know if we are on Your “chosen” list but we do know that You love us and, through Your Son Jesus, have brought salvation to us. Our gratitude knows no bounds. Amen.