 |
| San Quentin, Death Row |
Miracle is a word we use lightly. I made it home during rush-hour
in only 40 minutes. It’s a miracle! Or, it’ll be a miracle if the Chargers get to
the Super Bowl again…
But God is still in the miracle business and every Christian is already the recipient of five divinely-appointed, eternally-secured, destiny-altering bona fide miracles. They are summarized in one of the most beautiful portions in God’s word, Romans 8:29-30. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
But God is still in the miracle business and every Christian is already the recipient of five divinely-appointed, eternally-secured, destiny-altering bona fide miracles. They are summarized in one of the most beautiful portions in God’s word, Romans 8:29-30. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Last time I talked about Miracle #1: God Set His Affection Upon Us, the miracle of God's foreknowledge.
This time let's look at Miracle #2: He Chose Us To Be His. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. The word "predestined" literally means to determine ahead of time. God in His grace decreed, chose, ordained, determined that we would be saved and that we would bring Him glory not only by believing in His Son but by becoming like Him. Our God chose us long before we were ever born.
I guess the idea that God "predestines" anything scares people. Maybe they imagine God as a cruel puppet-master, pulling the strings of history, while human beings dangle helplessly like wooden marionettes. Of course that's not how the Bible describes it at all.
This time let's look at Miracle #2: He Chose Us To Be His. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. The word "predestined" literally means to determine ahead of time. God in His grace decreed, chose, ordained, determined that we would be saved and that we would bring Him glory not only by believing in His Son but by becoming like Him. Our God chose us long before we were ever born.
I guess the idea that God "predestines" anything scares people. Maybe they imagine God as a cruel puppet-master, pulling the strings of history, while human beings dangle helplessly like wooden marionettes. Of course that's not how the Bible describes it at all.
If you think of human beings (including yourself) as basically
innocent, good-hearted folks who all deserve a chance to be happy, and who
would want to follow God if given half a chance, then predestination seems
unfair and mean-spirited.
But the picture the Bible paints of humankind is quite different. It says
all of us are sinners by nature and by choice, and that even if given a chance, or a thousand chances, to choose Christ, no one ever would. Apart from God's grace, people are dead to God, unwilling and unable to choose Him. God's "predestination" is not about His favoring certain good people out of a multitude of good people. His choice is whether to let all the guilty remain under His just wrath, or in mercy to save some.
An analogy helps me a little. Suppose you’re on death row,
with a numberless multitude of equally guilty, justly condemned, people awaiting
the execution of their sentence. You are past pretense, and readily admit your
guilt. You deserve what’s coming.
But then something miraculous happens. The governor’s office
calls, and you’ve been pardoned. And in fact, to make sure justice is done, the governor himself has arranged to
take your place on death row.
You don’t receive this news with anything but joy and wonder
and humility. Why did the governor pick me, and not someone else?, you might ask.
You don’t know the answer, but you’re sure it’s not because you’re more
deserving.
You don’t deserve a
pardon, nor does anyone else who is pardoned. The idea that “this is not fair”
never crosses your mind, because you know what “fair” is. Fair is the gas
chamber.
Fair is hell, according to the Bible. And God in His grace
has somehow bestowed grace upon justly condemned people like you and me. He did it by punishing Jesus instead of us. That's a miracle.
The miracle of being chosen by God should not be a mental stumbling-block but an opportunity for worship. That's the attitude Paul displayed in Ephesians 1.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6, my emphasis).For next time: Miracle #3 – God Drew Us to Himself.
