The Mystery Of God's Sovereignty And Our Free Will, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ mean undiagnosed crime was committed. I mean every why do I know that God saw this is what he says that's all work together for good. Things are good.

A lot of things are horrible and the reason horrible was because of sin. Joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana.

Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word are Laura try to explain the Trinity and I just explain it with the lamest thing possible water is icing. Mrs. water next. This if you're talking to someone who has a brain in your head.

Don't kill that there is no logic and I'm not at all. But the point is, I can explain it. How do you know that's true because the Bible says the father's God. The Bible says the sun is God and the Bible says the Holy Spirit is God so and I Bible says is only one God, the Bible says that they're all God there's only one so we use things like the Trinity is three personages and you know what that word means personages in one Godhead, stuff like that. The reason is we can't really explain it, the Colts, for example, who are always going to try to diminish Jesus Christ.

They make hailing a steak talk to Christians about the Trinity, and Christians have no idea how to handle it.

So Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was an angel. He wasn't a man and he wasn't. God is just an angel. The Mormons believe that Jesus was an artwork of the physical son of God and Jesus is the brother of Lucifer that we call the devil he and Jesus are two brothers under the father of God and the good people believe it because that makes more sense to me. Understand what a triune God is she certain things about the essence of God are not something you and I can really explain very easily. That's the point. It's inscrutable she I can understand it. That's an important factor. So in this subject. The subject has been debated for at least 16 and 1700 years the sovereignty of God and the free will of man Pelagius in St. Augustine debated way, way back then it was debated through the Reformation by Calvin and Joseph Arminius so you have Calvinism and Arminianism and basically been arguing about it for the last 500 years and the method in which they go about their arguments are always the same. If you talk to some of his clinics explain it to go. Use these kind of arguments. The first thing is you quote only the verses to support your support.

Support your position. Okay can I find versus the support the sovereignty of God can I find versus a support a free moment. Yeah, I want to quote those then second step they do, they ignore the other side versus and the third one is they distort obvious versus the make their position even weaker. You see, in that we just distort them and you end up with all kinds of things. If you were ultra Calvinist you into believing and limited atonement. Okay so you come to a passage like that means Christ died only for the elect. He didn't die for everybody only died for them.

The elect okay so you see John 316 for God so loved the world, but he sent his son into the world who memorably right so you think that's great. Know the word world.

There doesn't mean world. Now I don't know and what in any linguist I've ever seen in any great text. I've never seen John knew the word for elect. He also knew the word for world every time he uses the word for world except in two places. According to them it's always the same, but they say he know it that that's so God so loved the elect that he sent his son into the elect doesn't make sense. All members first John chapter 2 when Johnstone is people not to sin. He said my little children, I'm writing this it you do not send. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with the father Christ Jesus the Lord, who is a propitiation not just for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world not even mean that he means just elect see you we can. The other position about Timothy and Peter both say God desires number lost.

I really mean that he doesn't really mean that would says it not that mean that you try to change it in order. Support your position now, as I said I was a card carrier and obviously even today. If you said, are you more Calvinistic than Armenian.

Yes, clearly much more Calvinistic up but when I was young and didn't know anything. I love the argue about this. This was this was who I was and so I can remember as a young believer that saved a couple years and asked Pastor Dave was a Dallas seminary grad undergrad at Princeton brilliant man to come onto my house as I was going to get on with the subject. Okay he was gracious, good months at that and listen when I really knew about theology, then you can put in the thimble. I value nothing and so I'm giving it to them. You know all I got thrown versus Ron and he he said will go. I look a little bit differently.

So how do you look at it.

He said what I picture myself standing at the data have been looking in and assist right above the gate, whosoever believe free. What he said no. When I walked to the gate look back the other. They have inside of the gate says the elect of God, and I will contend with.

Not me. I didn't like that at all. That wasn't the answer I was looking for can't be that.

That's my thought.

So I came down here and was a young pastor and became very close friends with a missionary man got your and arts.

One of the again when the God is minute government art was a missionary to the upper Amazon in the 1950s he actually discovered two tribes of Amazonian Indians that had never been discovered by a white man before he led entire villages that Jesus Christ is his amazing story that he has an sword I would talk about everything. So this time I pick them up at the airport and I was eager to get into this again so I said that art I like to talk to you just a little bit about the whole idea the sovereignty of God, and free will and predestination like to talk to you about that and he said well Bill I could talk to about it but you could talk to me about the one do you any good. He said to talk to me about all he said.

You have to understand I am an absolute convinced Calvin meaning okay and I got he did the same thing to the most godly men in one of the bow saying it's both end UC and I was in a busy know I want I want to explain this.

I want to analyzes and it's it's I was like an epidemic with young men. Men are much went women by and large, strangers sons don't care much about this. There much more practical, but I can tell you the number Bible studies I've had with a Bible study here. The church for men and a II don't think I'm exaggerating, but I would say two thirds of the Bible study.

There was an older man became and he wanted to ask a question about predestination and free will. Every Bible study. No matter what I said he had asked that question and he lived with this this past it has to be what it has to be. And no matter what you told him it didn't satisfy him so it seems to me that God is clearly completely sovereign.

It's one of the reasons, by the way, we have prophecy.

The reason God gives us prophecies not give us insight or information what's going on all the prophecies of the older to all those prophecies are designed so you when I know how sovereign God is God says things about the second coming of Christ. Even in the Old Testament so thousands of years you some telling what could happen thousands of years now. I'm telling you this is going to happen and it happens God's as you know, why I'm sovereign immunity agreement.

Think about God being sovereign we think that I got insider information I got some I can use at work and argue with a guy you know this is, but that's not why God gives us prophecy. He reveals himself to us. Prophecy and if you will be a prophet of God.

What was your batting average. If you were a prophet of God, 1000 if you prophesied one thing that didn't come true.

You were stoned to death. You know, prophet of God and again I can remember just not very long ago someone overheard someone in our church and they were assuring me another person our church, but the man lost the election. America was going to win because one of God's great profits prophesied is not a great profit. I can take her that if he was in the Old Testament under his really be stoned to death. I know it has to happen because he said so.

If he is a prophet of God.

But that's this whole idea of God is so sovereign, absolutely sovereign and yet in in John 12. For example, Jesus says nothing about God is absolutely holy. So what does God do with sin.

He judges it always yes he is holy to judge sin. That's why came but he's absolutely sovereign. How can you judge us for something that he set up and James. James writes, God said, I cannot even tempt somebody to sin. I'm like I don't tempt people to sin. You see, I don't why do that on their own.

That's their choice. That's their free will and operates God doesn't tempt us of sin he judges and there's no question about that so if you think of having moral responsibility. How many Commandments are there in the word of God. How many things this got ask you and I that we should be doing if you and I don't have free will. Why would he ask us if you give someone more responsibility they have to have free will.

Otherwise there's no moral responsibility responsible your sovereign. You see, you have to be so careful with that kind of thinking. See, God takes all the people that suggest two men do his will and all the people that said no to them and don't do as well when he puts into one beautiful plan that's about operates at twice and I'm sovereign over all. But one thing I noticed in the word of God. God never usurps human free will. He never takes away your free will are mine that I see in the word of God given real easy example that Joseph was hated by his brothers in Genesis and so what they want to kill them, but they decided to do a better thing on some was a slave in Egypt. So Joseph goes 90, Egypt, and the ends up in prison and you know the whole episode terribly ends up becoming because of the ability to interpret dreams, he becomes Prime Minister of Egypt, then there's a famine in his land and his brothers come down to get food that he recognizes them. They don't recognize him, but eventually eventually he introduces himself to them and they are terrified they want him dead and now he has complete authority and power over them, and he makes a great statement. He said to them, look you intended it for evil God intended it for good. That's the sovereignty of God and the free will only God can do that to them.

They did themselves.

God simply was sovereign over for the good of everybody. It was a perfect application of Romans 828 so when I find when I see these two things working together is that the sovereignty of God and the free will of man should give you when I comfort especially in difficult situations. God is sovereign, I was just talking to someone in between services and what he was saying. We talked about the way everything is going in the world right now it's just a little bit scary in its own sense, but he said what if this is a what if this is a beginning of the end days see we mean well do you know many things that have ever been any commandment. And if you ever seen the whole world face the same thing at the same time not likely even recalled world wars one world wars. This is world war are all the people in the world being asked that act together as to what this is a preliminary to set the stage. You see, of the end times it even if it isn't, is God sovereign in this so if God is sovereign in this you know any other factor would be if you know anything about end times. How much do you read about the end times about America.

In the end times. Nothing.

Nothing. Now some guys who write about the intoxicant were included in the European Union doesn't say that, but that's extrapolation David Jeremiah says I don't think we can do that scripturally. David Jeremiah said, I think it means were irrelevant whenever that time comes, well, so if the election go the way you wanted to in the cultures getting much worse, and you thought it would. Is this part of you and I and living in this culture and our culture becoming irrelevant could be missing.

It is, but God sovereign, you see nothing on earth going to stop and he knows the end of the beginning of the choices. Everybody makes and so the sovereignty of God should give you and I a great deal of comfort and not really so sure does. I would ask when I'm showing you two verses of this even with the gardener salvation. I go with me to Romans chapter 8 Romans chapter 8 verse 28. Knowing Romans 828 we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose stripe.

He's trying to comfort us and he says how many things work together for good.

All of them in the net diagnosis.

Yes, you mean a crime was committed. Yes, I mean everything, why, how do I know that God sovereign. This is what he says that's all working altogether for good. He didn't say all things are good. A lot of things are horrible and the reason are horrible was because of sin, so he says that then he says this them explaining even further for those whom he foreknew he predestined to become conformed to the image of his son so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren and those whom he predestined he called in those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified. Noticed a tight package. This is us.

He's talking about now there's some debate, depending on the side when I don't want to debate it too much, but what is the first time mean foreknew I'm in a simple level to know beforehand. But one thing I want to say about the word for know there is passive you know things ahead of time you receive it. That's called passive everything else that happens in these verses is active God is acting. He said when the base is what he foreknew. So the question always comes out of the debate this God for know everything is going to happen, yes, could God have a foreknowledge relationship with you. Yes they're both possible under same is passive, but on the basis of a notice what he says he predestines he calls him.

He justifies him he glorifies him. So when did God foreknow that I would be a believer in Jesus Christ before there was a creation we learn from the rest of Scripture. He always knew that pre-existing nano know that he didn't notice that predestined me. He called me. He justified me and are all past perfect tenses he glorified me. So when was I glorified when God foreknew me for the was a creation now why would you tell someone that it should make you feel secure stranded. I mean it's not like oh I hope I go to heaven someday.

I know I'm going to heaven I will write you. I'm already glorified in God's mind. Notice what Paul called. That's what his point is noticing, then says this, verse 31 what shall we say the end of these things of God's force who can be against us. This is what God's going to do. He sovereign your rent and urine forever and nothing can change that is not done verse 35 who will separate us from the love of Christ, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, Megan's peril sort no verse 37 we in all these things we overwhelmingly conquered to him with her through him who is loved us.

I am convinced that neither death nor life in a range of principalities things present, things that come the powers height depth any created thing will ever separate me from the love of God, you know why he sovereign.

I'm his and so are you. That's the sovereignty of God, no less. Verse just go back a page mean ahead a page to chapter 10 verse 11 call writing same context. He says this for the Scripture says whoever believes in him will not be disappointed night once explaining who was whoever to ever write whoever he was on there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on him. So apparently the whoever's part of the all the managers Jewish or Greek, who we talking about talk about everybody. Everybody he then goes on and says this, whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved out of the all in the whoever whoever calls in the name of the little be safe from this is how then will they call on him whom they have not believed how will they believe in him if they never heard and how will they hear without a preacher. He said how will they preach unless someone sends him just that is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news and good things Paul says look, I know how this works. You have to believe in the gospel you if you can call the Lord, you know you not gonna call the Lord my someone tells of the gospel and some is not to tell you the gospel must someone send someone to tell you the gospel you see the whole he's given the whole idea of evangelism and missions here, but his point is the human responsibility here is a whoever process. You see, it's a whoever process. That's why it's such an important thing and so I haven't changed dramatically and still Calvinistic, not hyper Calvinistic at all. I don't think I'd ever want to be Midsummer the ramifications of that are going too far.

I believe we remember this when you say for God so loved the world if you ever talk to a nonbeliever and you believe the world to the elect.

You can tell them God loves him.

You cannot run my 9/11 model. He only loves the elect he doesn't love them. Does that sound right to you. To me, that doesn't sound like God. All you see that's that's an important part of this so there's attention in this refusal will bill how does the sovereignty and free will work and no idea. I don't think I however have one either, but I believe the both true and it's a mystery for me. That gives me comfort signature and pretend why should I try to explain things that God hasn't and the other question is, who am I to explain God to people at his essence CMI qualified to do that.

So this is headache. Thinking I get it psalmody a free will you know and I know what I mean like I can even tell you how many times I've run into it and I know most satisfied you. I can tell you how many times someone has said to me in the lobby or somewhere who's visiting I passed any talk to. Do you believe in predestination or free will. I always give them an answer. They'd never satisfied. I always say both no no no no you can't believe in both accounting you see I can believe in both and so can you. I can explain it. It's a mystery of God.

It's like the essence of God is like the hyper status of Christ. But I'm okay with that. God is not ask me to have all the answers God has asked me to trust in him.

The spring father.

The subject is difficult, but I think we often make it more difficult than it is. But I pray father that we understand and take great comfort in how sovereign you are knowing everything from the beginning every single detail. Nothing escapes you and you even see you even say in the word of God that you get any moment can count the hairs on every head in the world. It's amazing, but it lets me know just who you are and who I am I to gray comforting her sovereignty. Father, I believe with all my heart your single greatest creation was free will. You now have beings who can freely choose you or not you who can freely love you or reject you beings who will pay you totally disobey. You have now. The capacity to love them, forgive them patient within show them grace and mercy all because freely they decided to have a relationship. I pray father.

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