No Other God

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:48

I want to consider this week some of Christ’s words in Joh 6 which give further light to our text above.  We see God’s sovereign work in our text–He appointed certain souls to eternal life–and then we see the corresponding response to God’s work–namely they believed!  The Lord’s dialog in Joh 6 revealed this same principle.  Man will exercise his will in believing and obeying God, but it is in fact God that is working first in a man to exercise that will.  As Php 2:12 instructs us, we are responsible to obey and “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling“, but the ability to do so is revealed in the next verse: “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (v. 13) As we emphasized last week, listen closely to the language used in the following portions of Scripture.  Make sure you hear these words just as they are given.

In Joh 6:37, Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”  Note in the first part of the verse, the Father is active.  He doesn’t respond to a person believing; rather He acts first and gives these souls to Christ.  The result is they will come–that’s where we get in on this thing!  And when we come, guess what?  We will not be rejected!  This giving of the Father–God exercising His will–is set forth again in v. 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.”  Our actions aren’t even included in this verse.  The Father’s will concerning all those He gives to Christ is that none should be lost, and the Son responds in obedience by raising them up in the last day.  Again, it’s not apart from our response.  We will respond in saving faith in the next verse: “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.” (v. 40) I want to keep highlighting that we do respond, i.e. act out our faith, because some falsely claim that election means a man can live in ungodly rebellion his entire life–never repenting, never believing–and still die and go to heaven because he was elected.  The word of God, however, teaches that those chosen of God evidence salvation by believing and obeying.

Verses 44 & 45 present these truths in a slightly different manner.  The first verse shows our inability apart from a work of God.  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”  Unless God is active in drawing a man, not only will he not come, he can’t, i.e. he lacks the ability to do so!  But v. 45 again reminds us that those who are saved will act.  They will come! “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” Though these facts may be hard for us to grasp, they are the word of God and must be embraced as such.  They were difficult for many who heard it in Christ’s day, and these truths caused many to walk away from Him.  We see this response in Joh 6:64-66 when Jesus says, ” ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” To accept the doctrine of election requires our faith–as does everything that pleases God! (Heb 11:6) Faith demands that we simply believe what God’s says even when we can’t fully explain it.

Perhaps a good question to ask now, dear reader, is the same question Jesus asked His disciples next: “Do you also want to go away?” (v. 67) Will you say what the Jews did who left Him at that time, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” (v. 60) I pray not.  I pray that rather your response will be the same as Peter’s in v. 68: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” To walk with God means to press on, trusting He is good and always does right, whether we understand what He’s doing or not.  One thing I know…if you are among those who stick around, who believe the word of God above any other word, and who receive Christ as the Son of the living God when others walk away…this one thing I know, “Blessed are you…for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 16:17) To God be the glory!

Jamie

 

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:48

We continue this week looking at the doctrine of election as set forth in our text above. As we saw last time, there was an appointment made by God prior to these souls believing. Much confusion is present today concerning this teaching, and so some would ask, “Isn’t this topic divisive?  Should we even teach it?” The answer to such a question is simple. Yes! That which is in God’s word is intended to be taught…all of it! Just because we struggle with understanding something doesn’t mean we should ignore it exists. Who can fully grasp the concept of the Trinity, and yet, should we not preach that God is three in one? 2Ti 3:16 tells us that, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” With that fact in mind, let us press on.

I am trying to stick close to the word of God as we examine this topic because, at the end of the day, it’s not my opinion that matters. It’s His word that will still stand even when heaven and earth have passed away. (Mat 24:35) If we will honestly consider the language of scripture, we cannot deny election and predestination. As 1Pe 1:2 declares, there is a people who are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”. God acts on behalf of these people even before they are born. Just consider the distinction made in Christ’s intercessory prayer in Joh 17:9: “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” Here, Christ specifically and only prays for believers, choosing not to intercede for the world as a whole! And this distinction is not made only for those alive at that time. Listen to what He prays further in Joh 17:20: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word”. He prays specifically for believers before they are ever born but not for the all the world.

In sharing the above verses, am I then stating God does not love all men? Some who embrace the doctrine of election would say that is so; however, the scripture teaches us God is love. We believe that what Jesus taught, He also lived. Did He not teach us to love our enemies in Mat 5:44? If so, then isn’t it true that Jesus kept that teaching Himself? And why does the next verse say we should love our enemies? “…that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Because to love this way is to love like your heavenly Father!  There is a general love of God manifested towards all men. We see that love revealed as He sends the Son of God into the world as a sacrifice for sin. We all know what Joh 3:16 says, but, I encourage to think on the distinction made in Jesus’ prayer in Joh 17 in light of our present study and understand there is a special love reserved for His bride, the church. And is that so strange? Is not the love of a man for his wife or of a mother for her children unique compared to his or her love for others? So God has a unique love for those He births into His kingdom, a love described in Jer 31:3: “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’ ”

So, what about man’s responsibility? Some say that to believe the doctrine of election is to believe we are robots, programmed by God with no responsibility for our actions. But that’s not what we find in scripture. Man is accountable for his actions because he chooses to do them. If you have a hard time reconciling the doctrine of election with the truth that man is accountable for his own actions, welcome to the club! We must simply believe both and leave it in the hands of a God much bigger than we are. My favorite passage that presents these truths together is 2Th 2:10-14. It deals first with man’s responsibility and accountability. “…and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Why were these unbelievers not saved? Because they willingly rejected the gospel! In response to their refusal of God’s word, the passage continues, “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” So if a man goes to hell, there is no one to blame but himself, but what about the ones who do believe? Who gets credit for their salvation? Just listen to v. 13-14: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So if a man goes to heaven, our text says God is responsible!

Election doesn’t change our message to the sinner. When the multitudes were convicted of their sin after hearing Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, they cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter did not respond by saying, “There’s nothing you can do!  You’d better hope that you’re elected!!” No, Peter told them there was forgiveness for all who desired it.  He responded in Act 2:38-39, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Praise God, there is salvation for all who will repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!! Rom 10:13 is still true, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”! What election makes clear is that the Lord alone deserves the glory for saving us. In light of this truth, it makes perfect sense that every crowned head is made bare in heaven, and those crowns are cast before His throne. (Rev 4:10) As Jonah came to understand, “Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jon 2:9)

Jamie

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:48

Our text today makes a very interesting claim concerning salvation. It teaches that there was an act before these people responded in saving faith to the gospel preached to them. Our verse says that before they believed, an appointment was made. Just like we might appoint someone to a position or office, these souls were “appointed” to eternal life. To borrow language from other passages of scripture, they were predestined, chosen, and elected. The biblical doctrine of election is unknown to some, despised by many, and misunderstood by most. We’ll consider this topic more in our next post, but here are a few thoughts and verses to chew on.

In 2Ti 1:9, we read of a God, “…Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…” This verse tells us very clearly that God took action in eternity past on behalf of those He would save. Further, He is credited with saving and calling us out of darkness. Our works didn’t play any part in the matter. It was God in His purpose and according to His grace (or unmerited favor) that we have been redeemed! Oh, and by the way, He gave us that “before time began”! 🙂

Eph 1:4-5 says, “…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…” So who choose who according to our text? Before we could choose God, He had to first choose us! Again, this action was taken by God on behalf of the redeemed before they were born. It wasn’t our will that mattered but rather “the good pleasure of His will”. In fact, when you read the rest of Eph 1, it’s not until v. 12 that it mentions us trusting in Him, i.e.exercising our will. Before that could happen, v. 11 reveals He acted first! “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will…”

Just consider for a moment the imagery used in scripture when speaking of salvation. Jesus compared it to a birth in Joh 3 as He told Nicodemus he needed to be “born again”. Tell me, does the child conceive himself? Of course not! The parents act first to give a child life. What about Luk 15:4-7? Here salvation is compared to a shepherd finding a lost sheep. Who found who? It was our great Shepherd Who found us! He sought us before we sought Him. No wonder Paul turns his statement around in Gal 4:9: “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God…” If we know God, it’s because He first knew us. And what about Eph 2:1-7? Here, salvation is like a man being raised from the dead! Can a dead man do anything at all? Absolutely not! He needs life in order to act. Like Lazarus coming forth from the grave, Jesus must give Him life first so he can obey His command to “come forth”. That’s why we read in Eph 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Perhaps, no passage lays out the chronology of our salvation any better than Rom 8:29-30: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” I rejoice greatly that my salvation is a work of the Lord! That truth assures me that we as believers will cross the finish line one day. I’m not trusting in myself but rather in the God Who loved me and saved me! Phi 1:6: “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.

Jamie

And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.
Acts 14:5-7

The text above reveals a pattern that we find over and over again in Paul’s missionary journeys. He and his companions would preach in a city, some people would receive their word, but eventually great resistance would cause them to flee from that area to the next city where they’d start the process all over again! We were asked in our study guide last time why the apostles persevered and continued to preach the word boldly in the face of great persecution. Just after leaving a region of intense animosity, we read in Act 13:52 that “the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit”? How could this be? There are at least three reasons why they pressed on in spite of the opposition.

1) They knew they were doing the will of God

From the very outset of this endeavor, the apostles knew they had been called of God to this work. They didn’t decide to set out on this missionary effort.  Rather, in Act 13:2, we see that the Holy Ghost said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Preaching the gospel in the region of the Gentiles was not an option!  To refuse would have been to disobey.  Listen to the language of Act 13:47: “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'” They were assured they were doing the right thing for as they spoke “boldly in the Lord”, He “was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Act 14:3) We don’t always understand the will of God for our lives.  Sometimes, we’re like the psalmist crying out, “Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You”! (Psa 143:8) But, when God gives clear direction, just obey! The opposition doesn’t matter. It’s pretty simple really.

2) They expected opposition according to Christ’s teaching

Jesus was brutally honest when it came to teaching us what the costs were in following him. When a scribe confessed his allegiance in Mat 8:19-20 saying, “I will follow You wherever You go,” the Lord didn’t glamorize what the man could expect. Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” In other words, “Are you willing to follow me if it costs you your home?” It’s interesting that we don’t read the man saying, “Sign me up!” The Apostle Paul new from the beginning of his conversion that his call to the ministry was a call to suffer. The Lord said of him, “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Act 9:15-16) To follow Christ will cost you. Period. Opposition to Christianity is the norm, not the exception.

3) They were assured of God’s great love for them and were driven by love in return

Above all, the motivation for the disciples pressing on in the face of opposition was a deep, deep love for their Lord. It didn’t matter what men might do to them. They were so in love with Jesus, they couldn’t help but tell Men of their Savior! To truly know Him, is to love Him. If you love Him, you will confess Him no matter what. If Christ suffered the cruel death of the cross, enduring separation from His Father and the torment of hell for my sake, surely I can suffer the reproach of men for His sake. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn 4:10) If you know this great love, you will love in return, and love and confession go together: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1Jo 4:15-16)

Of course, all of this boldness and perseverance works only because of what we’ve already quoted in Act 13:52. These men were “filled…with the Holy Spirit”! How did these men press on? By the power of the Spirit of God dwelling in them, the same Spirit that dwells in every soul born from above. That means you, Christian! It’s true. We can do nothing without Him (Joh 15:5), but with Him…now that’s a different story! “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Php 4:13) Faith says believe that, embrace that, live that…no matter what. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31)

Jamie

And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God…”
Acts 14:12-15

On the surface, the scene presented to us in Act 14 may seem foreign.  The truth though is that this same worship of men goes on today in houses of religion, and these men love to have it so!  In 1Jo 4:1, we are instructed to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  When men testify they speak on behalf of God, we need to test their words to see if they are indeed faithful ministers of the gospel.  Not all who name Christ are of Christ!  There is another Christ set forth in many assemblies today who has little semblance to our Savior.  There are those who would preach “another Jesus” and a “different gospel” like the men who sought to take advantage of the Corinthian church and turn them away from the truth. (2Co 11:4) Jesus warned of such a day in Mat 24:5 stating that “many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Don’t be deceived, dear one. Just because they use our Lord’s name doesn’t mean they know Him as their Lord!

So, how do we recognize these charlatans?  Our text today reveals the key difference between the true ministers of God and those who are “deceitful workers,” servants of Satan who likewise “transforms himself into an angel of light”. (2Co 11:13-14) The apostles in Act 14 had great opportunity for advantage over the people of Lystra.  God had used Paul and Barnabas to heal a man who had been cripple from birth.  These people served many gods, and when they saw this miracle, they began to exclaim, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”  They were getting ready to sacrifice to these supposed gods in human form when the apostles ran in to stop them.  The point is that Paul and Barnabas were in a position to profit greatly from the people of Lystra.  They could have enjoyed great honor and great wealth as a result of this attention that had been drawn to them.  But, Paul and Barnabas were not interested in exalting themselves.  They had one singular desire–that God be glorified!

Aren’t you tired of men taking God’s glory for themselves?!!  How many name Christ today but place themselves in the spotlight?  How often have preachers taken advantage of the people, manipulating them by twisting the scriptures in order to fill their wallets?  Do you want to be able to recognize these imposters?  Then look for the pattern of the apostles in our text!  Paul and Barnabas had no desire to take advantage of these people for their own personal gain when they could have easily done so.  Rather, they wanted them to turn from “these useless things to the living God”!  True ministers of the gospel want to draw men to Christ, not to themselves.  When Paul spoke of his work of planting and Apollos’ work of watering in 1Co 3:7,  he didn’t speak of this work for his own recognition but rather to confess that “neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”  His message concerning Christ was “that in all things He may have the preeminence”. (Col 1:18)

Since Old Testament times, we have read of men that used religion to maintain control of people and prosper personally.  There are many that do the same today.  The instruction to us from Jud 1:3-4 is “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Many in our day are caught up in this false gospel!  As God provides opportunity, let us be faithful to warn these souls, exposing this great deception, that our Lord rather than men might be exalted.  May John the Baptist’s desire be that of our own hearts: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Joh 3:30)

Jamie