“When the
Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all
who were appointed for eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).
Last month we considered the topic of
predestination. This is a vital topic for understanding the Calvinism vs.
Arminianism debate that we have been considering for the past several months.
Our conclusion last month, based on Scripture, was that predestination does not
refer to God’s predetermined choice of who will be saved and who will be
damned. Rather, in context, every time that the word predestination occurs it
speaks of benefits that believers will receive. Thus, predestination is not
about lost people being saved; it is about saved people being promised their
inheritance.
Now this month,
we will consider another passage that has been used as evidence that God
chooses who will be saved and who will not, Acts 13:48. The New International
Version states, “all who were appointed for eternal life believed.” Thus, the
question is, does this verse support the Calvinistic predestination view? And
what are the implications?
The key to
understanding this verse is context. In verse 46, Paul and Barnabas explained
that the Jews were the first to receive the message of eternal life since they
were God’s chosen people by which He would send the Messiah, Jesus, into the
world. And they were to be God’s messengers to the world, proclaiming the
Gospel message. Thus, salvation is first to the Jew and then to the non-Jewish
(Rom. 1:16). However, the Jews rejected the Gospel message and so proved
themselves “unworthy of eternal life” (NASB). On the other hand, since the
Gentiles (anyone who is not Jewish) accepted the Gospel message, they have
proved themselves worthy of receiving eternal life.
This explanation
of the controversial passage can also be seen when one examines the Greek. The
Greek of verse 48 can be translated “Those who were determined to
have eternal life believed.” Gareth Reese explained it like this, “In the
passage before us, the context presents no allusion to something done by God
for one part of the audience and not done for the other. Rather, it speaks of
two contrasted states of mind among the people, and two consequent courses of
conduct. Of Jews in Paul’s audience it is said, first, that they were filled
with jealousy; second, they contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul;
third, that they judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. In contrast with
these, the Gentiles, first, were glad; second, they glorified the word of the
Lord; third, they were determined to eternal life...Let it be noted that
being determined for eternal life, and the believing, stand here as a cause and
effect...A man who has learned that eternal life may be obtained, and has made
up his mind to obtain it, if within his power, is the very man to readily
accept the true way of obtaining it when that way is clearly pointed out to
him; while the man who is so much absorbed in worldly matters as to be
indifferent to eternal life is the very man to allow the testimony concerning
the way of obtaining it to pass in at one ear and out the other” (Acts,
p. 491).
Thus, as we have
seen, the context of this passage does not teach the Calvinistic version of
predestination. Rather, this passage shows that those who first had the
opportunity to receive eternal life, the Jews, were determined in their minds
to reject it. On the other hand, those who were determined in their minds to accept
the offer of eternal life, the Gentiles, received it.
Now, let’s take a
moment to consider the implications that this verse would have if it did mean
what the Calvinists take it to mean. First, there is no point whatsoever in
witnessing to other people because those whom God has appointed for eternal
life will believe regardless of what anyone does.
When William
Carey, was preparing to go as a missionary to India, he was told the following
by the Calvinistic Church leaders that he served among. “Sit down, young man!
If the Lord wants to convert the heathen He’ll do it without your help—or
mine!” In this we see a complete rejection of countless verses throughout the
Bible teaching the importance of the Great Commission, that all the world might
hear and receive the Gospel message. While most Calvinists will never say that,
nor do most Calvinists adhere to that in actual practice, it is a very natural
result of Calvinistic predestination. On the other hand, from a practical
standpoint, when Christians are not active in supporting missions and
personally sharing the Gospel with others, they are conveying the same message
by their actions that William Carey was told.
Thus, I have
heard some Calvinists state that the point of missions to awaken the elect so
that they understand that they are the elect. Yet again, this undermines the
point of sharing the Good News with others both locally and abroad. Of course,
that can be seen throughout the entire notion of Calvinistic predestination.
God has predetermined those who will be saved and there is nothing that anyone
(except God) can do about it.
So what are the
actual implications of this verse when it is properly understood? Furthermore,
what are the implications of Biblical predestination as was discussed last
month?
God in eternity
past determined those who would accept Christ, being found in Him, will be
saved. This comes as a result of God’s unlimited foreknowledge of every
freewill choice that anyone would ever make. Jack Cottrell spends several pages
in his systematic theology book explaining God’s foreknowledge, and then
concludes: “The preponderance of the evidence shows that “foreknowledge” is not
equivalent to election or choosing, and that in Romans 8:29 and 1 Peter 1:1-2
(foreknowledge) refers to nothing more than the cognitive act by which God knew
or identified the members of His family (as distinct from all others) even before
the foundation of the world. He identified them by the fact that they were
(would be) the ones who met (would meet) the required conditions for salvation.
Knowing through His divine omniscience who these individuals would be, even at
the point He predestined them to be part of His glorified heavenly family
through resurrection from the dead after the pattern established” by Jesus (The
Faith Once for All, p. 398).
Meanwhile, those
who freely reject Christ will be lost. “God brings various influences to bear
on a man’s life, but He never forces the man to go against his own freewill.
Reese said, “The sovereign God determined that there would be two, and only
two, ways a man could walk, either a life of belief, or one of disbelief. Man
is free to choose whether he will be “in Christ” or not…God has been working
out His plan for history. He has determined to have a family of adopted sons,
made up of those “in Christ,” who He can forgive and justify because of the
redemption that was wrought at Calvary. God also determined the conditions
which when complied with He would reckon a man as “in Christ.” God did not
predestine sinful acts (that Jesus later was sent to die for), for such an idea
cannot be harmonized with the punishment for evil that God sends because He
holds men responsible for their own evil acts. God’s family will be huge (Rev.
7:9), but the number of those who are saved is smaller than the number of those
who are lost (Matt. 7:13, 14; 22:14)” (Reese, Romans, p. 569-570).
Therefore, the
entire notion that God has predetermined those who will be saved and those who
will be damned apart from a person’s own freewill choice should be completely
rejected! Of course, as Gareth Reese pointed out: “No matter how it is worded,
making membership in God’s family ‘conditional on man’s response’ seems to
detract from God’s sovereignty and lordship over all things, for it surely does
seem to make more depend on man’s ability to choose, than on what God does; in
fact, a wrong choice by man can almost be seen as frustrating God’s will.
Perhaps, if it’s remembered that even in Adam’s case (and that before he ever
sinned), being what God intended him to be was made conditional, then it will
not be so hard to see that God’s majesty and sovereignty is not diminished when
He grants to men the freedom to act. Instead, it should enhance our
appreciation of, and dependence on, a God who can overrule even willful men’s
attempts to frustrate His will and plan” (Romans, p. 570). Thus, God’s sovereignty is actual amplified!
In His service,
Matt
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