God didn’t predestine us to sin. He didn’t predestine some of us to go to heaven ⬆☁ and others of us to go to hell ⬇🔥. He predestined us all before the foundation of the world to have eternal life. He predestined us all to be adopted into sonship and daughtership 👶. He predestined us all to be in the image and likeness of his son Christ Jesus.
But because of one man’s disobedience (the first man, Adam), sin entered into the world and all mankind has become sinners, because we are offspring of Adam. We inherited sin nature from Adam. Because of Adam’s sin, we are all condemned to die and are now destined to go to hell. (Thanks alot, Adam! 😠😬😡) And it’s not unfair for God to allow us all to go to hell, either. It would be entirely just and fair if he judged all of us to go to hell, for we all deserve it. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But it is because of his grace and mercy and love for us that he offers us an opportunity to be saved–all of us whom answers the call. 📞
Everyone isn’t going to accept salvation, though. And God’s not going to force everyone to get saved, either. That’s not love. (In fact, there are some who don’t even want to be saved.) By God allowing some to go to hell, that demonstrates that he’s a just God, giving them who broke the law what they rightfully deserve. But by him saving those of us who receives Him, that demonstrates that along with him being just, he is also a merciful God. God demonstrates his character in both situations, thus he gets the glory in either case.
For those of us who will accept salvation from God, it’s not that we chose him initially, but that he chose us. For no man can come to the Son, unless the Father draws him to the Son. The bible even says that because of sin, there is no one seeks after God, not even one. We have all become worthless and have gone astray. Our sins have caused us to become spiritually dead and have separated us from the living God.
We were all dead in our sin and transgressions. And as dead people, we can’t resurrect ourselves to life. Death is sin’s strongest curse. We are powerless to come back to life on our own after we die. If we were to come back to life, then someone else, with omnipotent power, has to raise us from the dead.
For example, Lazarus couldn’t come back to life on his own, Jesus had to call his name and call him to rise up and come forth. Had Jesus not called Lazarus to rise from the dead, he would have still been sleep.
This is where the good news come in! Jesus is the Lord of the resurrection! Only he has the omnipotent power to awaken us from our spiritually dead state through rebirth and regeneration, to call us out of our sins through justification and sanctification, and grant us eternal life by the Spirit. Even though salvation is a free gift, we can’t accept this great gift on our own unless it’s offered to us first. And it’s offered to us by the preaching and receiving of the gospel. But even if the gospel is preached to us, we still can’t accept salvation unless God gives us the grace to repent and grants us the faith to believe. For no man can say that Jesus is Lord except by revelation which comes from the Spirit.
Understanding that salvation has nothing to do with me choosing to be saved in my own strength, but everything to do with God offering me salvation through his sovereign grace makes me even more appreciative of my salvation! I have nothing to boast about in myself. If he never would have initially offered salvation to me, I could have never received it! So all glory to God! 👐☝👆👏
He didn’t have to offer me salvation. He could have allowed me to just go straight to hell without ever offering me a way of escape, and without ever allowing me to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. He would have been completely justified to do that, because I was a sinner. But he chose to offer me salvation. Who am I that he was mindful of me? I was a wretch undone! The chief of all sinners. But oh how he loved me! 😍😍😍
Many will receive a call from God to salvation, but few will be chosen, because they choose to push the ‘reject call’ button. I am so grateful that I was one of the few who received the call to salvation and that I actually answered the call. I am forever grateful!!
Transparent For Christ Movement 