7-14-25 Weekly Devotional / Predestination and Man’s Responsibility
God’s predestining persons to salvation and yet holds them responsible for it presents a considerable challenge. How can that be, can both be true? Yes! Salvation is two-sided. God efficaciously calls certain ones to Himself, however, the one called must respond positively to His call. John 3:16-21 addresses this well. “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
In this passage we first note in verse 16 that God so loved man (the world) that He gave His only begotten Son for their salvation. Secondly, we read that man must believe in the Son or be condemned. God did not send His only begotten son into the world to condemn man but that man through Him could be saved (Verse 17). Believing in the Son (man’s part) for salvation is a prerequisite. Verse 18 affirms this truth “18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Verses 19-20 tells us why man is condemned; man in his natural state, his fallen condition has no desire to search God out, he is controlled by that which he only knows, the things of his flesh. Turning to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians we read: “9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God” (1st Corinthians 2:9-11). Thus, knowing God is a spiritual matter.
Paul clearly states that for a person to know God (not just knowing about God but knowing Him intimately (relationally) there must be a spiritual connection. But in his letter to the Romans Paul writes “ There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God; (3:10-11) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23); And that “the wages of sin is death (spiritual separation from God (6:23a)” making that relationship impossible. Therein lay the problem. God desires fellowship with man but man in his fallen state has no desire for God. This needed to be fixed, and it is God’s predestination and man’s positive response that accomplishes this goal. Man’s positive response however is not automatic, his sin nature and spiritual separation from God must be overcome. The overcoming is not accomplishable by man it is the work of God.
Now remember, according to John 3:16 God has offered salvation to all but also remember that according to John 3:18 many refuse to respond positively to that offer. And consider, God does not force salvation on anyone, it is His gift to those who respond positively. The offer stands, but it must be received and acted upon, “man’s responsibility.” To ensure that some will respond positively God overcomes their resistance and causes in them a desire of fellowship with Him and a turning away from that which caused the separation. As we have demonstrated no one, on their own would desire God, that lack of desire must be overcome and this is where “God’s predestination comes in.” His predestination is completely necessary because man is spiritually dead toward Him enslaved by their fallen nature. Understand that in the physical realm a dead person is completely separated from life, and this is equally true in the spiritual realm. A spiritually dead person is completely separated from having any connection with God. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus (and all others by extension) that a person must be reborn spiritually before he can see (understand) or enter into heaven (John 3:1-8). This means that God must move first before a person is able to perceive or have a desire for Him. This issue was recalled by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian church, consider:
“1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-5).
John 3:1-8 affirms that His Spirit, the Holy Spirit must move in the heart of a person before he or she will have a desire for God. Verse 8 of that passage affirms “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The Spirit of God spiritually regenerates some to newness of spiritual life but not all, this translates to choice. And in that God cannot fail, those He chooses to regenerate will be regenerated. When was this choice made? Before or after He created the world? Revelation 13:8a suggests that those whose names are written in the Book of Life was so written before God created the world. And John 6:37-40 affirms that God the Father gave certain ones to Jesus because of His obedience to Him. “37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
As mentioned above these determinations were made before God created the world, which translates into the predestination of those given by God to the Son.
But consider, God does not prevent someone from coming to Him for salvation if they would (man’s choice), the problem is they will not. About this, consider Jesus words to the Jews of His first advent: “ 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you–Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:37-47).
In closing, consider 2nd Peter 3:8-9 “8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”.
God does not will that anyone perishes (John 3:16). They may, on their own, turn to Him if they would, but they will not. When someone does turn to Him it is because of his calling and His overcoming the hardness of their heart.
Thank you, Father God, thank you Lord Jesus, and thank you Spirit for your work on behalf of man, on our behalf.
Stevelampman
Transforming Power; Thee Work of God on Behalf of Man