Post by evanschaible on Jul 26, 2006 13:17:41 GMT -5
Predestined but not Conformed?
Today, in modern Christianity, the mindset is, “If the pastor says it, it must be true”. This is devastating to not only the lay Christian, but also the pastor whom people just obey rather than examine his teaching and conduct in the light of scripture. I am in no way suggesting an upheaval of ecclesiastical authority, and I call for no revolution, just a step back from our modern misconception of “if it is said from the pulpit it must be true”.
In the day of the great reformer Martin Luther, two things were destroying true Christianity. The first was the indulgence preachers were selling people false assurance, and the second was the word of God was kept from the people. There was “a famine of hearing the word of the Lord”. Today the same things are happening.
In the light of this famine, let us look to the storehouse of God. Like Joseph in the midst of famine, the Word of God holds for us the riches of the bread of life. But sadly we have a vicious heresy that has now swept into even Arminian denominations, Calvinistic predestination.
What exactly does this word “Predestined” mean? It cannot be denied that it causes much confusion and many a heresy has sprung from a misunderstanding of it. Let us look at Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren”, the favorite verse of the chosen few who perpetrate the teaching that only the chosen few are now, or will be saved.
There are three interesting words that must be examined in this much-misunderstood scripture. 1) Foreknew 2) predestinate, 3) conformed. All three of these words lead to the final glory of Jesus Christ, as he will become the firstborn of many brethren. It is important that we understand this passage of scripture and how it relates to us as it has been and always will be misunderstood and twisted to mean something God never intended it to mean.
It is true that God foreknew all that would happen from creation to the final consummation of all things when our Lord Jesus returns. However we must not make the mistake of thinking that just because God knew something would happen, He caused it to happen. I know that one day Jesus will return to call the nations to judgement, but will I cause that to happen? Of course not, that is God’s eternal purpose.
God knew before the foundation of the world who would be saved, and who would be d**ned, but that does not mean He caused it. We are free moral agents (we have the freedom to choose). God did not sit blindfolded in a dark room sorting out souls. God is perfect. His justice is sure and He has extended His hand of mercy to all that would answer the call. This brings us to the next point, predestination.
This word is comprised of two words, PRE and DESTINATION. It literally means a destination appointed before hand. Now we cannot take this scripture out of the context of its surroundings. We are now talking of the called, and foreknown. It is my conviction that every human being that has ever been born is predestined for eternal glory. “For God so loved the world…” “God is not willing that any should perish…” But we can see in every day modern life that many, many people live contrary to their destiny henceforth living as “children of wrath” and choosing to be destined for eternal hell.
The saddest thing is not that people skew this text to mean God chose only certain people to be saved and the rest He chose to go to hell, but that the people that claim to be that “chosen few” live lives that are contrary to scripture and bring God’s name immeasurable shame. All are predestined for heaven, but many people use their freedom to choose in such a way that they rebel against God and therefore choose, and deserve hell.
This brings us to our next point, being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. God has not called us to uncleanness but to holiness. The sole purpose of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection was to purchase a people for Himself. You are a blood bought child of God if you have confessed and forsaken your sin that you might live a lifestyle of “holiness unto the Lord”.
Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. If we have answered the call to Christ, from the world, then we should be separate from the world and “perfect as you Father in heaven is perfect”. Jesus Christ can and will set you free from sin that you might “sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee”. Perfect love toward God results in keeping His commandments. Jesus said, “apart from me ye can do nothing” and that includes living free from sin; for what is the branch without the vine?
I think it is very interesting that so many people believe that this scripture means that God has chosen some to be saved and some to be d**ned, but yet those same people believe that we can never be conformed to the image of God’s Son. The important part of this text is not predestination, but conformity to Christ. The question is not, “Am I predestined?” but “Am I conformed to Jesus Christ?” If you are not conformed to Christ, it does not matter whether or not you are predestined because “without holiness no man shall see the Lord”.
Let that be your search in this wicked and adulterous generation, to be like Jesus Christ. Because of His death and resurrection, the Father’s love, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can live that life of holiness. God has said, and continues to say today, “be ye holy, for I AM holy”. Will you answer the call?