Not long ago, I received an e-mail that expressed "concern" that I teach God has already chosen those who will be saved, and those who will be the objects of his wrath (which is Romans 9:22-23). They sent me some notes from a former pastor of theirs who said such a teaching implies, "from eternity God has picked those who will be saved, based on nothing, including a person having faith." Nothing could be further from the truth.
After reading that, I wanted to know: Where does that pastor think that faith comes from? Because if faith is from us, it is a work that we do, and scripture is clear that we cannot be saved by our works. Going back to something we talked about on Sunday, the Bible says that by faith Abraham obeyed, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:9). So was Abraham saved by his works because he had a faith that came from himself? No, because faith comes from God.
As it says in Romans 10:17, "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." More specific still is Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Neither grace nor faith can be achieved by us, therefore neither can salvation. It’s the gift of God! As it also says in Titus 3:5, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."
Here's some deep theology for you today. Psalm 71:5-6 reads, "For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you." Many of the Psalms were corporate songs that were sung by an assembly of the Israelites together. One of the things this Psalm expresses thanks to God for is being born into the bloodline of Abraham, the covenant people of God and recipients of his blessed promises.
If you're a follower of Jesus, then believe it or not, you're actually a part of that same bloodline. Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, and it is by his blood that we have become the children of God. So it is no longer those who are genetically born of Abraham who are of the covenant, but those who are spiritually born again in Christ! The Psalm is so deep in its theology, the person singing it has traced God's work in their lives all the way back to their very beginnings, even to considering that their faith began before they could speak it.
It might seem a little pretentious to praise God for being "born" into a situation that's better than someone else's. But that shouldn't be how we approach it. Rather, it's quite humbly and fully submitting to God that it is by no act of our own that we can earn our salvation. We're sinners saved by grace. It is only according to God's sovereign will that we have been chosen for eternal life. Praise God for that every day.
As has been said any time we talk about this subject, having been chosen for salvation does not release you from any kind of obedience. In fact, we should enjoy obeying God! John 5:2-4 reads, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith."
After reading that, I wanted to know: Where does that pastor think that faith comes from? Because if faith is from us, it is a work that we do, and scripture is clear that we cannot be saved by our works. Going back to something we talked about on Sunday, the Bible says that by faith Abraham obeyed, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:9). So was Abraham saved by his works because he had a faith that came from himself? No, because faith comes from God.
As it says in Romans 10:17, "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." More specific still is Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Neither grace nor faith can be achieved by us, therefore neither can salvation. It’s the gift of God! As it also says in Titus 3:5, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."
Here's some deep theology for you today. Psalm 71:5-6 reads, "For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you." Many of the Psalms were corporate songs that were sung by an assembly of the Israelites together. One of the things this Psalm expresses thanks to God for is being born into the bloodline of Abraham, the covenant people of God and recipients of his blessed promises.
If you're a follower of Jesus, then believe it or not, you're actually a part of that same bloodline. Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, and it is by his blood that we have become the children of God. So it is no longer those who are genetically born of Abraham who are of the covenant, but those who are spiritually born again in Christ! The Psalm is so deep in its theology, the person singing it has traced God's work in their lives all the way back to their very beginnings, even to considering that their faith began before they could speak it.
It might seem a little pretentious to praise God for being "born" into a situation that's better than someone else's. But that shouldn't be how we approach it. Rather, it's quite humbly and fully submitting to God that it is by no act of our own that we can earn our salvation. We're sinners saved by grace. It is only according to God's sovereign will that we have been chosen for eternal life. Praise God for that every day.
As has been said any time we talk about this subject, having been chosen for salvation does not release you from any kind of obedience. In fact, we should enjoy obeying God! John 5:2-4 reads, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith."