Does Acts 13:48 prove election of some and not others?
Acts 13:48
ESV - 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
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Asked September 05 2013
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DONALD FRISBIE
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Marcus Morin
I can see why you think that way, and I'm not going to give you a clear answer. However, I'll give you context. When Paul and Barnabas was preaching in Antioch, there were both Jews and Gentiles living in the city. God had promised that the Jews were promised the kingdom of God. However, it was the Jews that ending up missing Christ because of their way of thinking. Their whole perspective was shifted when Jesus walked on this planet, which was different then what they thought God was going to be like. So the Gentiles were added into God's promise. But what are the Gentiles? The Believers of Christ. That's why you get "many are called, but few are chosen." because God, with his perfect foreknowledge, knew the outcome of your choice of whether to respond to His word. So do we really have a choice? Man thinks that God made the choice for us but God thinks that Man makes the choice. But who ultimately makes the choice is not clear.
Danny Hickman
Yes, it's clear Mr Marcus Morin.
Foreknowledge is foreknowledge; election is election. To know the outcome of a thing before it happens is one thing; (that's foreknowledge of events); selecting persons to experience an outcome, persons you foreknow, is something different altogether.
No one disputes that God knows what will happen in the future. He knows beforehand (foreknowledge). That has NOTHING to do with what is meant by election.
The way you and others explain it, 'he foreknew, and based his "election" on that foreknowledge. That isn't election; that describes God's authentication of a choice we make. If election meant that, you and they would be right; but that ain't what election means IN ANY CONTEXT, theological or secular.
To be elected means to be picked, chosen, appointed, preferred; it doesn't mean 'to be known as the winner or the one who succeeds at making the right choice before the choices are presented.' That's not what it means.
We learn to trust God's word because he prophesies and it comes to pass. (foreknowledge)
Why does he tell us he foreknew us? Because we are prone to believe as you do: that we are up against a stacked deck; God wants us to know we are 'playing with house money.' When we realize "It's already done," we can be of better use, knowing that victory is certain regardless of our circumstances.
That's what Paul was trying to tell the ancient church! He wasn't saying, 'You were elected so you can just sin all you want.'
Danny Hickman
Continuing,
The ancient church never responded to Paul by saying what is said by some in the modern-day church: 'well if the people who are to be saved have already been chosen, if the teams are already picked, why should we preach? why should we witness to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ?' I don't see where they responded like that from him writing that believers were selected by God's foreknowledge.
There are many of us who think we understand it the way they must have; that God foreknew EVERYBODY; the future believers and unbelievers BECAUSE he put some of us in the world to become believers (the chosen), and some he would not redeem. The chosen will live with God in the eternal realm; the lost will die and will be forever destroyed.
It is the misunderstanding of what happens to the unredeemed that causes some of us to question God's goodness if some are saved and some are lost, yet all are guilty! The lost must have refused the lifeline and the saved had better judgment and "accepted" it.
WELL, YEAH!
The Holy Spirit doesn't simply offer himself to both and proceed depending upon their response. He offers himself to both; then he proceeds according to his will. BOTH would react the same way if he didn't INSIST on the one who is chosen.
Many are called, but few are chosen (Mt 22:14)
The king invited his friends to his son's wedding; twice; they refused both times! He then invited whosoever. Mt 22:1-14
They came because he insisted!
READ THE BIBLE!!
Danny Hickman
Continuing,
It was after the king sent out his army to get revenge on the people who had twice refused his invitation, and had killed his servants who invited them to the wedding, that the subsequent attendees decided to come. I think they were afraid to refuse! I don't think it was a secret what happened to the people who had previously refused the king's invitation.
The scriptures stress a certain point; the one I retain here is that the king was very persistent; he doesn't seem to want to take 'NO' for an answer!
The feast sounds like a good one; everything is ready; "oxen and fatted cattle." All they have to do is show up! What's the problem?
The people don't particularly care for him nor his son who is to be married! They are rejecting THEM, not the food and beverages! Not the music, dancing and the happy occasion; they weren't interested in being with a king and prince that they don't like!
The king had to send his servants out three times to get the wedding hall filled, the last time being after killing his enemies.
This speaks of the king's persistence. Then he noticed an attendee not properly dressed and threw him out. Why wasn't he properly dressed? Because he refused to wear the garment the king had obviously supplied! This also speaks of the king's insistence on everything being done HIS WAY!
Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king..." then told this parable. It has a persistent King who does it all for his Son, and does it his way!
Johann Pretorius
Interesting question-
Act 13:48 And δὲ the τὰ Gentiles ἔθνη hearing [it] Ἀκούοντα were rejoicing ἔχαιρον and καὶ glorifying ἐδόξαζον the τὸν word λόγον of the τοῦ Lord, Κυρίου, and καὶ as many as ὅσοι were ἦσαν appointed τεταγμένοι to εἰς eternal αἰώνιον· life ζωὴν believed. ἐπίστευσαν --
ordained. Gr. tassō [(S# G5021), to arrange in an orderly manner, that is, assign or dispose (to a certain position or lot) [Strong]: Rendered (1) appoint: Mat_28:16, Act_22:10; Act_28:23, (2) ordain: Act_13:48, Rom_13:1, (3) set: Luk_7:8, (4) determine: Act_15:2, (5) addict: 1Co_16:15]. or, as had inclined themselves (LNT). Had inclined themselves, ēsan tetagmenoi, may be either in the middle voice, as translated, or passive, had been inclined. In the middle voice the subject participates in the results of the action, as here (cf. Dana and Mantey, § 155). Note that it is said of the Jews, in Act_13:46, you yourselves are rejecting, apōtheisthe, in the middle voice; and of the believers in Act_13:48 : they inclined themselves, in the middle voice. And so we have here an antithesis between the Jews and believers. Predestinarians use this passage as a stronghold. Predestination is a Roman Catholic view brought to Protestantism: "This view began with Jerome who revised the old Latin rendering destinati or ordinati to praeordinati in order to make coming to faith and salvation the product of a predestinatory eternal decree. Calvin is the great exponent of the decretum absolutum…
Danny Hickman
There is a life to be lived RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE in Christ! There is an overemphasis on life after this earthly life is ended. We think we're living the Christian life if we join a congregation and attend worship services. That ain't the Christian life!
God wants to inhabit the redeemed soul and build a temple in which his eternal Spirit is to live. Yes, he chooses the souls he will redeem. He BUILDS the temples in which he will dwell.
Jesus chose his disciples. There were many who followed him for a while but gave it up for different reasons. He told one group they were following for the food he had provided. (Jn 6:26,27)
Listen to Jesus: What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit. YET SOME of you do not believe. (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.) And he added, "This is the reason I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so." Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him anymore. Jn 6:63-66
Why did SOME not believe? He plainly said why:
"Unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so." It couldn't be said any plainer!
Jesus ~ "Will you leave me too?"
After Peter proclaimed he was the Messiah sent from God, Jesus said, "I chose the 12 of you..." vs 70
Jesus is the foundation on which the Christian life is built; by Him!