Freewill & Predestination

EPHESIANS 1:4C-6 YOU BOARD A CRUISE SHIP •HEADING TO HAWAII •THE DESTINATION HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY THE CRUISE LINE. •NO ONE ON BOARD THE SHIP CAN CHANGE THE DESTINATION. •THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE PREDESTINATION… •GOD ELECTING THOSE WHO WOULD BE SAVED… ON BOARD THE CRUISE SHIP ARE •100S OF PASSENGERS…. THE PASSENGERS •ARE NOT IN CHAINS.. THEY ARE COMPLETELY FREE •TO MOVE ABOUT AS THEY WANT. •THEY EAT, SLEEP, PLAY, ON THE DECK, READ, TALK, HOWEVER THEY WANT •BUT ALL THE WHILE THE GREAT OCEAN LINER •IS CARRYING THEM STEADILY ONWARD TOWARD HAWAII •A PREDETERMINED PORT…"BOTH FREEWILL AND PREDESTINATION ARE OCCURRING ON THIS CRUISE SHIP…. AND THEY DO NOT CONTRADICT... •THIS IS A LITTLE BIT HOW I THINK IT WORKS WITH MAN’S FREEWILL AND GOD’S PREDESTINATION. •THE MIGHTY CRUISE SHIP OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN DESIGN •KEEPS ITS STEADY COURSE OVER THE SEA OF HISTORY.“ •FREEWILL AND PREDESTINATION ARE BOTH TAKING PLACE. FREEWILL AND PREDESTINATION •ARE LIKE A DOOR. THE SIDE OF THE DOOR TOWARD US •SAYS, "FREE WILL…" ONCE YOU GO THROUGH •THE DOOR YOU TURN AROUND AND SEE •THAT THE OTHER SIDE SAYS, "PREDESTINATION." THIS SEPARATES THE CAUSE OF •SALVATION INTO TWO PERSPECTIVES: •THE PERSPECTIVE OF MAN, AND THE PERSPECTIVE OF GOD. •THE IDEA IS THAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, •WE USE OUR "FREEWILL" TO CHOOSE TO BE SAVED. AND FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE, •GOD USES HIS SOVEREIGNTY TO PREDETERMINE WHO WILL CHOOSE SALVATION… •UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH •THESE PERSPECTIVES ARE TRUE IS A CHALLENGE •WE DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW THIS WORKS BUT WE DO NEED TO KNOW •THAT IT DOES… IN FACT WORK… •SOME PASSAGES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE US FREELY CHOOSING •TO TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST FOR OUR SALVATION •IN OTHER PASSAGES THE BIBLE DESCRIBES GOD ELECTING… OR PREDESTINING •US TO SALVATION…BOTH ARE PART OF GOD’S PLAN •BOTH ARE TRUE… WE NEED TO BE OK WITH BOTH… •TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT A VERSE •THAT FOCUSES ON GOD PREDESTINATION TURN TO EPHESIANS 1:4c •PAUL ADDRESSED THIS LETTER TO THE SAINTS, •THE FAITHFUL ONES IN CHRIST JESUS •HE TOLD THEM THEY WERE BLESSED AND THAT GOD HAD •CHOSEN THEM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. EPHESIANS 1:4C–5 IN LOVE HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL, THIS WORD PREDESTINED HAS •A VERY SPECIFIC MEANING. IT MEANS TO •COME TO A DECISION BEFORE HAND… TO DETERMINE A HEAD OF TIME … •LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE VERSE RIGHT BEFORE THIS ONE •WHERE IT SAYS; “JUST AS HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD” THAT VERSE TELLS US WHEN •GOD CAME TO THIS DECISION… •BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED… •THAT MEANS GOD DETERMINED SOMETHING •ABOUT US AHEAD OF TIME… BEFORE WE EVEN EXISTED. AS I SAID LAST WEEK… THIS IDEA •MAKES SOME PEOPLE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE…. •MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE THE CONCEPT •THAT GOD DECIDED SOMETHING ABOUT US… •BEFORE WE EVEN EXISTED… BUT, IT SHOULD BE COMFORT US •TO KNOW THAT GOD DID NOT PREDESTINED US •IN ANGER… OR IN WRATH.. •HE DID NOT PREDESTINE US IN SPITE •OR VENGEANCE… HE PREDESTINED US IN LOVE… FOR ME… AS LONG AS I KEEP THIS •IN MIND… I HAVE A LOT LESS TROUBLE WITH •THE IDEA OF PREDESTINATION… •THE DECISION GOD MADE ABOUT ME •BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED •WAS MADE OUT OF GOD’S LOVE.. IN LOVE HE PREDESTINED •THAT LOVE… THAT THE FATHER HAD FOR THE WORLD… •WAS THE MOTIVE BEHIND HIM CHOOSING US •AND HIM PREDESTINING US… •IN THE BOOK OF JOHN WE READ JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. THIS LOVE THAT MOTIVATED •GOD TO GIVE HIS ONLY SON… IS THE SAME LOVE •THAT MOTIVATED GOD TO CHOOSE AND PREDESTINE •THOSE WHO WOULD BELIEVE IN HIS SON.. •NOW, DOES THIS MEAN WE DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE •TO BELIEVE…. NO, NOT AT ALL.. •NOTICE WHEN I READ JOHN 3:16 IT SAID; •“THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” •GOD PREDESTINED US… BUT WE STILL HAVE TO CHOOSE… I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL •YOU EXACTLY HOW THAT WORKS… •BUT THE TRUTH IS THE BIBLE DOES NOT GIVE US ALL THE DETAILS… •WE DO, HOWEVER, HAVE SOME INFORMATION •ABOUT THIS FUNCTIONS… •FIRST WE KNOW GOD’S MOTIVE WAS LOVE SECOND WE SEE GOD’S GOAL •IN ELECTING US… HE •PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS •AND DAUGHTERS… I KNOW IT DOES NOT SAY DAUGHTERS •BUT THE GRAMMAR IMPLIES SONS & DAUGHTERS… WHEN I FIRST BECAME A CHRISTIAN •I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT GOD’S GOAL •WAS SAVING ME FROM HELL… MAYBE THAT WAS MY GOAL… •BUT HERE IT SAYS GOD’S GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTION •AS SON’S AND DAUGHTERS.. AND THAT MEANS SO MUCH MORE •THAN JUST OUR SALVATION… •GOD COULD HAVE SAVED US FROM HELL •BUT NOT TAKEN US TO HEAVEN… HE COULD HAVE •TAKEN US TO HEAVEN… BUT NOT HAVE ADOPTED US.. HIS GOAL WAS NOT JUST TO KEEP •US OUTTA THE FIRE… IT WAS TO BRING US INTO HIS FAMILY… •THAT IS HUGE… IF I EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH •THE FATHER PREDECIDING… THIS FIXED IT FOR ME… THAT HIS GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTION…. •THE WORD PAUL USES FOR ADOPTION HAD A SPECIFIC LEGAL MEANING •IT WAS USED TO FORMALLY AND LEGALLY DECLARE •SOMEONE WHO IS NOT YOUR CHILD TO BE HENCEFORTH •TREATED AND CARED FOR AS YOU OWN CHILD •INCLUDING COMPLETE RIGHTS OF INHERITANCE. NOW… FOR JUST A SECOND… I WANT •YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR GOD •TO ADOPT YOU… THAT MEANS YOU WILL BE TREATED •AND CARED FOR HENCEFORTH AS GOD’S CHILD •YOU WILL HAVE COMPLETE INHERITANCE RIGHTS AS GOD’S CHILD GALATIANS 4:4–5 “BUT WHEN THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME CAME, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN, BORN UNDER THE LAW, SO THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM THOSE WHO WERE UNDER THE LAW, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION AS SONS.” GOD THE FATHER HAS ONLY ONE •UNIQUE SON… JESUS CHRIST… BUT IN LOVE •THE FATHER PREDESTINED ALL THOSE WHOSOEVER WOULD •TRUST IN HIS UNIQUE SON… •TO BECOME ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS THIS MEANS FAR MORE THAN JUST •SALVATION FROM HELL… IT MEANS MORE THAN •JUST ENTER INTO HEAVEN… •IT MEANS WE ENTER INTO AN ETERNAL LOVING RELATIONSHIP •WITH THE FATHER.. WHO CARES FOR AND TREATS US •LIKE HIS VERY OWN CHILDREN… SO, THE FATHER’S MOTIVE WAS LOVE •HIS GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTION •NEXT PAUL WILL TELL US ABOUT THE FATHER’S... MEANS •PAUL SAYS; “HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, WAY BACK, BEFORE THE WORLD •WAS FORMED THE FATHER PREDESTINED US… •AND WHEN HE DID THIS… HE KNEW THAT •THE MEANS OF OUR ADOPTION WAS GOING TO BE •JESUS CHRIST… NOW THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.. LET IT SOAK IN… WHEN HE PUT •ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN… GOD KNEW •THE MEANS FOR OUR ADOPTION WAS GONNA TO BE JESUS CHRIST.. •JESUS WAS NOT A BACK UP PLAN, CAUSE THE GARDEN FAILED.. •WHEN GOD FLOODED THE WORLD.. HE KNEW JESUS WAS GOING TO BE THE MEANS •OF OUR ADOPTION… THE CROSS WAS NOT A LAST MINUTE THING… •THE CROSS WAS THE PLAN FROM BEFORE TIME STARTED… •JESUS WAS ALWAYS THE MEANS OF OUR ADOPTION… •MEANS OF OUR SALVATION… THE MEANS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP •WITH GOD…. FROM THE VERY START… •SEE… THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE IDEA OF ELECTION… •I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU… BUT IT MAKES ME FEEL •AWESOME TO KNOW WE HAVE A GOD WHO PREDETERMINED THE WHOLE •PLAN...BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS WERE LAID •AND IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND •THAT JESUS IS NOT JUST A MEANS HE IS THE ONLY MEANS… •ADOPTION IS NOT THROUGH BUDDHA OR MOHAMED… NOT JOHN SMITH OR THE POPE.. •ADOPTION IS NOT THROUGH WEALTH OR POWER OF FAME… •SALVATION FROM HELL… ENTRY INTO HEAVEN •ADOPTION INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD IS ONLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST JOHN 14:6 JESUS SAID TO HIM, “I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME. PART OF GOD’S PREDESTINING US •WAS HAVING JESUS CHRIST BE THE ONE •AND ONLY MEANS OF COMING TO THE FATHER. •ONLY THROUGH CHRIST… ONLY BY HAVING FAITH •IN HIS WORK ON THE CROSS CAN WE BECOME ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS •OF GOD THE FATHER… •GOD’S MOTIVE WAS LOVE, HIS GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTIONS •HIS MEANS WAS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST… •AND THEN PAUL TELLS US THE FATHER’S METHOD… BY METHOD.. I MEAN HOW GOD •THE FATHER WENT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING •AND PREDETERMINING WHO WOULD BE ADOPTED •THROUGH JESUS CHRIST •PAUL TELLS US THAT THE FATHER DID THESE THINGS; ACCORDING TO THE KIND INTENTION •OF HIS WILL •AND…I LOVE THE WAY PAUL SAYS IT WAS THE FATHER’S KIND INTENTION… •JUST IN CASE WE FORGOT THAT THE FATHER WAS DOING THIS IN LOVE WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT •BEFORE TIME… WHEN THE FATHER CHOSE THE ELECT •AND PREDETERMINED WHO WOULD TRUST IN CHRIST… •HE DID NOT CONSULT ANYONE ELSE… •HE DID NOT ASK ANYONE’S OPINION.. HE DID NOT TAKE A POLL… •HE CONSULTED ONLY HIS OWN WILL.. •HE LOOKED AT HIS KIND LOVING INTENTIONS.. •AND BECAUSE OF THIS… •I DON’T THINK THE FATHER LOOKED DOWN THROUGH TIME AND SAW THOSE WHO WOULD •TRUST IN JESUS AND ELECTED THEM •BASED ON THEIR CHOICE TO BELIEVE... •NOW IT IS TRUE THAT WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT •THE KIND INTENTION OF THE FATHER’S WILL IS… •MAYBE HIS KIND INTENTION WAS TO CHOOSE THOSE WHO WOULD TRUST.. THE KEY THING I WANT US TO GET •OUTTA THIS… IS THAT THE FATHER PREDESTINED US •BASED ON HIS WILL AND HIS WILL ALONE… •WHILE I DON’T KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT THAT MEANS.. •KNOWING THAT IT WAS GOD’S WILL AND GOD’S WILL ALONE CAN BE AN AMAZING COMFORT… •IMAGINE HOW SCARY IT WOULD BE •IF IT SAID.. GOD PREDESTINED US ACCORDING •TO OUR BEHAVIOR… OR OUR GOOD LOOKS… •OR OUR BANK ACCOUNT…. •REALLY IF HE PREDESTINED US BASED ON ANYTHING ABOUT US THAT WOULD BE TERRIFYING… KNOWING THAT GOD DOES NOT •LOOK AT ANYTHING ABOUT US… •THAT HE ONLY LOOKS AT THE KIND INTENT OF HIS WILL •SHOULD COMFORT US.. •THIS IS SO IMPORTANT •PAUL WILL REPEATS IT AGAIN.. IN JUST A FEW VERSES EPHESIANS 1:11 ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, HAVING BEEN PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE WHO WORKS ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.. IT REALLY •MAKES SENSE THAT GOD WOULD ONLY •CONSULT HIS OWN WILL… THAT HE WOULD NOT •LOOK TO ANYONE ELSE ABOUT WHO TO PREDESTINE •HE IS THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT KINDA CHOICE. ONE DAY, WHEN I WAS A KID I FOUND A DOG… •THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS •WE LIVED IN SOME APARTMENTS •THAT DID NOT ALLOW DOGS.. •SO BECAUSE OF THE DOG WE MOVED TO A NICE TOWN HOUSE…. THE NEXT YEAR THE DOG HAD •GROWN SO BIG… MY DAD DECIDED •HE NEEDED A BACK YARD… SO WE MOVED •TO THE SUBURBS AND GOT A HOUSE WITH A YARD… •A COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT MY DAD DECIDES THE DOG NEEDS A BIGGER YARD… •SO WE GOT 5 ACERS OUT IN THE COUNTRY •SO CHARLIE THE DOG HAD A NICE BIG YARD •NOW… THE TRUTH IS WE DID NOT •REALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE ANY OF THESE MOVES IN ALL SERIOUSNESS MY PARENTS •CAME PRETTY CLOSE TO DIVORCING •OVER CHARLIE THE DOG… AND HIS NEED •FOR A BIGGER YARD… THE IDEA OF A MAN DECIDING •TO GET A BIGGER HOUSE BECAUSE OF THE DOG IS PRETTY ABSURD… BUT IT IS •NO WHERE NEAR AS ABSURD AS •THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF THE UNIVERSE •MAKING ANY DECISION BASED ON ANYTHING •ABOUT A HUMAN BEING… WE DON’T LIKE THIS IDEA…OF ELECTION •IT BRUISES OUR EGO’S A LITTLE •THIS IDEA THAT WE ARE NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH •FOR GOD TO DECIDE ANYTHING BASED ON US.. •BUT THE HARD TRUTH IS… GOD DOES NOT DECIDE ↓ ANYTHING IN HIS PLAN BASED ON •ANYTHING ABOUT US… GOD MAKES HIS PLANS •BASED ONLY ON HIS OWN WILL.. HIS OWN COUNCIL… •BECAUSE OF THIS… GOD GETS ALL THE PRAISE •ALL THE HONOR AND ALL THE GLORY EPHESIANS 1:6 TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, WHICH HE FREELY BESTOWED ON US IN THE BELOVED. PAUL HAS TOLD US THAT WHEN •THE FATHER PREDESTINED US... HIS MOTIVE WAS LOVE. •HIS GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTION •THE FATHER’S MEANS WAS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST… •HIS METHOD WAS BY THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL NOW PAUL TELLS US THE RESULT •WAS TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, •OR… “TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE” •THIS IS THE RESULT OR OUTCOME OF THE FATHER •CHOOSING.. OR PREDESTINING US.. YES, WE ARE SAVED ETERNALLY •YES… BUT THAT IS NOT THE FINAL GOAL OF GOD’S PLAN… •OUR SALVATION, OUR REDEMPTION, IS PART OF GOD’S PLAN •BUT THE END RESULT OF THE PLAN… IS FOR •THE WHOLE UNIVERSE TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD. AND THE RESULT OF HIS ELECTING US •IS THAT PRAISE WILL BE GIVEN TO GOD’S GLORIOUS GRACE… •SURELY, WE SHOULD GIVE GOD PRAISE FOR THE GRACE •HE HAS GIVEN US… BUT WE ALSO HAVE VERSES •THAT INDICATE THE ANGEL’S WILL PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GRACE THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS •IS THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF THIS RESULT EVERY DAY… •WE CAN PRAISE GOD FOR HIS AMAZING GRACE •WE CAN SING SONGS OF PRAISE… WE CAN GIVE A TESTIMONY OF PRAISE •WE PRAISE GOD’S GLORIOUS GRACE↓ BY TELLING OTHERS HOW GOD •SAVED US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. •HOW HE GRACIOUSLY SAVED US.. •NOT BASED ON ANYTHING ABOUT US. •NOT BECAUSE WE EARNED IT… BUT OUT OF HIS AMAZINGLY GLORIOUS GRACE… •AFTER TELLING US THE RESULT OF THE FATHER’S ELECTION PAUL TELLS US THE MANNER •THE MANNER IS THE WAY THAT IT DID IT.. •WHEN PAUL DESCRIBES THIS HE SAYS.. •WHICH HE FREELY BESTOWED ON US •THAT IS THE WAY HE GAVE HIS GRACE WHEN HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION… WHEN PAUL SAYS FREELY BESTOWED •THE WORD HE USES COMES FROM THE SAME WORD •WE SEE TRANSLATED GRACE…. •SEE, THAT’S WHAT GRACE REALLY MEANS.. •TO FREELY BESTOW SOMETHING.. •TO GIVE SOMEBODY SOMETHING THEY DID NOT EARN… GOD FREELY BESTOWED •OUR ADOPTION… AND HE HAD TO DO THIS… •BECAUSE WE COULD NEVER HAVE EARNED IT. •WE HAD NO MEANS TO BUY OUR SALVATION.. •WE SURE CAN’T PAY FOR SALVATION WITH OUR GOOD DEEDS ISAIAH 64:6 FOR ALL OF US HAVE BECOME LIKE ONE WHO IS UNCLEAN, AND ALL OUR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS ARE LIKE A FILTHY GARMENT; AND ALL OF US WITHER LIKE A LEAF, AND OUR INIQUITIES, LIKE THE WIND, TAKE US AWAY. THIS IDEA… THAT GOD •FREELY BESTOWED OR GRACIOUSLY GAVE HIS GRACE •IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS IN CHRISTIANITY… •IT SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP GOD… IT SHOULD KEEP US HUMBLE… •IT SHOULD KEEP US FOCUSED ON JESUS CHRIST. •BECAUSE THIS FREELY BESTOWED GRACE IS ONLY FOUND IN ONE PLACE… •PAUL CONCLUDES HIS STATEMENTS •ON THE FATHER PREDESTINING US BY TELLING US WHERE WE RECEIVE •THIS FREELY BESTOWED GRACE…. •THIS GRACE IS ONLY FOUND IN THE BELOVED… •THE WORDS THE BELOVED ARE A TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST… •THIS TITLE COMES FROM THE VERY WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER… MATTHEW 3:17 “AND BEHOLD, A VOICE OUT OF THE HEAVENS SAID, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELLPLEASED.” SO THAT MEANS THAT THE ONLY •PLACE TO RECEIVE THE FREELY GIVEN •GRACE OF GOD THE FATHER… •THE ONLY PLACE TO RECEIVE ADOPTION AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS.. •IS IN THE BELOVED OF GOD THE FATHER… JESUS CHRIST. NOT ONLY IS JESUS THE MEANS •THROUGH WHICH WE ENTER INTO ADOPTION •HE IS THE LOCATION IN WHICH WE RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE… •THIS IS BECAUSE HE IS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.. 1 TIMOTHY 2:5 “FOR THERE IS ONE GOD, AND ONE MEDIATOR ALSO BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS,” EVERY GRACE WE EVER RECEIVE •IS FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST… EVERY GIFT WE DID NOT EARN.. •OUR SALVATION… PEACE WITH GOD… •THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT… •THE BIBLE… THE WORD OF GOD… •ARE ALL FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST… IMAGINE YOU ARE HALF A MILLION •DOLLARS IN DEBT. SOMEONE COMES TO YOU •AND WRITES OUT A CHECK FOR $500,000, SAYING, •“THIS IS ALL FOR YOU, TO CANCEL YOUR DEBT. •YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BUT REACH OUT AND TAKE IT SO YOU TAKE THE MONEY AND PAY •YOUR DEBT. YOU ARE NOW DEBT-FREE •AND TOTALLY IN THE CLEAR. •WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BOAST ABOUT? •CAN YOU GO AROUND BRAGGING THAT YOU HAD THE POWER, •THE SKILL, AND THE BRAINS TO REACH OUT AND TAKE THAT CHECK? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT •A FAVOR YOU DID FOR YOUR BENEFACTOR, •TAKING ALL THAT TROUBLESOME MONEY OFF HIS HANDS? •DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? •OF COURSE NOT. YOU RECEIVED GRACE —NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. YOU WERE IMPOVERISHED; •YOU RECEIVED RICHES FROM ANOTHER PERSON. •THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NOW DEBTFREE •IS A HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO YOUR BENEFACTOR, •ZERO PERCENT DUE TO YOU. WHO, THEN, DESERVES THE PRAISE •AND GLORY FOR YOUR SALVATION? •CLEARLY, NOT YOU! YOU HAVE RECEIVED RICHES FROM THE RESOURCES OF GOD. •HIS GRACE MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE. AND HIS GRACE IS LOCATED IN •JESUS CHRIST… AND JESUS CHRIST ALONE. •IT IS NOT FOUND IN FAME, POWER, OR MONEY… •IT IS NOT FOUND IN PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, OR SCIENCE. •IT IS ONLY FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST. FREE WILL AND PREDESTINATION •ARE LIKE A DOOR. THE SIDE OF THE DOOR TOWARD US •SAYS, "FREE WILL…" ONCE YOU GO THROUGH •THE DOOR YOU TURN AROUND AND SEE •THAT THE OTHER SIDE SAYS, "PREDESTINATION." THIS SEPARATES THE CAUSE OF •SALVATION INTO TWO PERSPECTIVES: •THE PERSPECTIVE OF MAN, AND THE PERSPECTIVE OF GOD. •THE IDEA IS THAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, •WE USE OUR "FREE WILL" TO CHOOSE TO BE SAVED. AND FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE, •GOD USES HIS SOVEREIGNTY TO CHOOSE WHO WILL CHOOSE SALVATION… •UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH •THESE PERSPECTIVES ARE TRUE IS A CHALLENGE •THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US EXACTLY HOW THIS WORKS BUT WE TRUST THAT IT DOES •IN FACT WORK… WE CAN TRUST THIS BECAUSE GOD •HAS TOLD US ALL WE NEED TO KNOW IN HIS WORD.. •WE KNOW HIS MOTIVE WAS LOVE •WE KNOW HIS GOAL WAS OUR ADOPTION WE KNOW HIS MEANS WAS •JESUS CHRIST… AND HIS METHOD •WAS THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL •THE RESULT WAS TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE… •AND THE WAY HE DID IT WAS TO FREELY BESTOW… AND FINALLY WE KNOW THE •LOCATION OF THIS FREELY BESTOWED GRACE •WAS IN HIS BELOVED… JESUS CHRIST.. •WHOM WE ENTER INTO WHEN WE •PLACE OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS •THAT IT PAID FOR OUR SINS.. •IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE TODAY…