Implicit in this question is the
idea that man has a free will, and it is his choice that enables God
to save him. However, man’s will is not free, because he is in
bondage to sin (see Rom. 6: 17), and “there is not one that seeks
after God” (Rom. 3: 11). Indeed, even if his will were free, it is
impossible for human will to submit to the Gospel
because “the mind of the flesh is enmity against God” (Rom. 8: 7)
and would never choose Christ. “That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3: 6)
and hence what we are by nature (flesh) can never become spirit.
Nicodemus was told “Except any one be born of water and of Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v5)—indeed, he cannot even
“see” (v3) it. Thus unless God works beforehand in new birth, I will
never exercise faith in God—and I can no more arrange my new birth
than my natural birth. My will does not come into it, for “According
to his own will begat he us by the word of truth” (James 1: 18) and
we are “born, not of blood, nor of flesh’s will, nor of man’s will,
but of God” (John 1: 13). Yes, God knew beforehand who would put
their faith in Christ, but He knew it because He had purposed to
bring it about. Hence the Thessalonians were told “that God has
chosen you from [the] beginning to salvation in sanctification of
[the] Spirit and belief of [the] truth” (2 Thess. 2: 13)— divine
choice with a view to salvation and not human choice. They were
“elect according to [the] foreknowledge of God [the] Father” (1 Pet.
1: 2).
To understand Rom.
8: 29, the verse should be read in context. In v28, Paul says that
“we do know that all things work together for good to those
who love God”. This must be so, because they are “called according
to purpose”. How then did such become the objects of divine purpose?
Not because they were called by God, for though their calling was
according to divine purpose, it was not the starting link in the
chain. The starting link is given in v29: “Because whom he has
foreknown, he has also predestinated [to be] conformed to the image
of his Son”. Those who love God became the objects of divine purpose
through divine foreknowledge. Now divine foreknowledge is not that
God only saw beforehand what some would be. His foreknowledge is of
persons, not their state or conduct: “whom he has
foreknown” (v28, my emphasis). Of course, God knows everything about
every person that will ever exist, but foreknowledge as used in the
Bible infers relationship. Those He foreknew (see v29) are those who
would love Him (see v28), and “We love because he has
first loved us” (1 John 4: 19). We were chosen “in him before [the]
world’s foundation” (Eph. 1: 4) and as the recipients of divine
purpose, we are “predestinated” (Rom. 8: 29, 30), then “called …
justified … glorified” (v30)—glorification awaiting a coming day,
but presented as good as done. We are vessels “prepared for glory”
(Rom. 9: 23).
Some say that since
that there cannot be “unrighteousness with God” (Rom. 9: 14), then
He cannot choose some, and not choose others. This is flawed
reasoning. God declares that “I will shew mercy to whom I will show
mercy” (v15)—the fact that any are saved at all is
mercy. Of course, God is “not willing that any should perish” (2
Pet. 3: 9) and “desires that all men should be saved” (1 Tim. 2: 4)
and because of this, He has provided a Saviour at tremendous cost to
Himself—but if any are lost, blame lies with them. The Pharisees and
the lawyers “rendered null as to themselves the counsel of God”
(Luke 7: 30)—they rejected the grace offered to them as guilty
sinners. The fact that God chooses some does not absolve the rest of
their responsibility to repent. Many assume that responsibility
requires free will—that is, ability to carry out the
responsibility. Try that with your bank manager when you owe the
bank money. Your inability or unwillingness to pay does not remove
your responsibility. Thus what we decide or do has not got anything
to do with our salvation for “[it is] not of him that wills, nor of
him that runs, but of God that shews mercy” (Rom. 9: 16). It is God
that leads us to repent (see Rom. 2: 4) and faith is His gift (see
Eph. 2: 8).
Why preach if God
has already chosen? We preach because “how shall they hear without
one who preaches?” (Rom. 10: 14). We do not know who God has chosen,
and so we preach. “All that the Father gives me shall
come to me” (John 6: 37, my emphasis) is divine choice and destiny.
“Him that comes to me I will not at all cast out”
(v37, my emphasis) is the Lord’s encouragement in the Gospel to
“every one whosoever” (Rom. 10: 13).
In conclusion, to
say that foreknowledge means nothing more than God had prior
knowledge of those who would put their faith in Christ, is to demean
the Father’s gift to the Son (see John 6: 39; 17: 2 etc.). No one
can come to Christ “except the Father … draw him” (John 6: 44; see
also v65).
