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Reflecting on (sometimes) Perplexing Bible Truths
Part 1: Human volition (man’s personal responsibility)
and Divine Election (God’s sovereign action)
We are going to be doing a two-part series that we have entitled Reflecting on Sometimes Perplexing Bible Truths.
We’re going to look at one aspect of that today and another aspect next Sunday. But if you would, please open up your Bibles, the Word of God, and turn in the Word of God to Romans chapter number 11, Romans 11. This title, Reflecting on Sometimes Perplexing Bible Truth, we will be looking at a subject today that many people might say: Wow, those are subjects where angels might fear to tread.
But we’re going to take a look at them because of our trust in the Word of God. So, what are these perplexing Bible truths we’re going to look at today? Well, it all relates to salvation. We’re going to look at Divine Election, God’s sovereign action in salvation. And we’re also going to be looking at Human Volition, man’s personal responsibility in salvation, that all people are responsible to believe.
Now, when you bring up these subjects, immediately what often happens is that the three C’s show up. That is, confusion, consternation and, yes, even controversy that can happen. When you start talking about Divine Election, God’s sovereign action, plus Human Volition, man’s personal responsibility, sometimes there are emotions that arise emerging from our reactions and experiences. Sometimes it’s an emotion of frustration. Sometimes it’s emotion even of anger.
There even can be divisions—responses of pride—that happen inside of the church over these subject matters of God’s truth. Reminds me a little bit of 1 Corinthians chapter 1 when Paul talks about what was going on in the church at Corinth. There were some running around saying, well, you know, I am of Paul. And another would say, well, no, I am of Apollos.
And the same thing can happen in the church where someone might step up and say, I am of Calvin [many folks identify as Calvinists theologically]. And then someone else responds, I am not of Calvin [many view Calvinists in a disparaging way]
You know, every once in a while, someone comes up to me and they ask me this question, are you, Bruce, a Calvinist?? Now I respond in two ways to that question. The first thing I will say, if someone asks me that, are you a Calvinist? I will reply, what do you mean by a “Calvinist”…because there are different variations of Calvinistic theology that are out there.
When they ask me that question, are you a Calvinist…often there seems to be emotion behind that question. What they are really asking me is, do you believe the Bible teaches election? I’m angry if you think so. I’m angry about the idea that God would predetermine who he’s going to send to heaven and who God is going to send to hell. And…you know, my mom died without Jesus. And are you telling me that God decreed that she should go to hell or my brother to hell?
Here’s what I think. I think I agree with Charles Simeon. He said, “we should be Bible Christians, not system Christians.” See, systematic theology has its place. It helps us to organize the truths about God. But my first response when someone asks me the question, are you a Calvinist, is, well, what do you really mean by that?? My second response that I give to it is, that my goal is to be a biblical theologian. I want to embrace what the Scriptures teach.
What I’m going to do today as we talk about these subject matters is I am going to give you Bruce’s best understanding of them. I’m going to give you my best understanding. But Romans chapter 11 verse 33 is going to be a foundational principle throughout this message.
We’re going to look at it in just a moment. But what I want to do is just give you the context of Romans 11:33. In Romans, the first eight chapters, Paul is writing about the righteousness of God in salvation. Then in chapter 9 through 11, there’s a slight shift where he starts talking about the righteousness of God in dealing with Israel. First, he talks about Israel’s past in chapter 9 (when he talks about God’s choice about which son—Jacob or Esau—would be blessed to be in the line of the Messiah.
So, he talks about Israel’s past in chapter 9, Israel’s present in chapter 10, and Israel’s future in chapter number 11. Then after covering all that, he breaks into praise. He breaks into a doxology, and this is what he says. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments [his decisions, his choices]. How inscrutable are his ways [what he does and how he does it]. How inscrutable his ways [what he does and how he does it].
Now that word that the ESV translates inscrutable, in the New American Standard/in the Net Version Bible, it’s translated unfathomable. It is a word that’s only used two times in the New Testament. The other time it is used is in Ephesians 3.8, where it talks about the unsearchable, unfathomable riches of Christ.
Now, when you look at what is the number one rated Greek lexicon (which is BDAG, B-D-A-G), it says the word inscrutable means incomprehensible. When you look at Kittel—which is nine volumes on the meaning of Greek words—it says that inscrutable means indetectable. That’s literally a word in English, indetectable!
Literally, literally what it’s saying in the Greek is: it cannot be tracked. What God does and how he does it cannot be tracked. It is beyond human comprehension. I really like the Phillips’ version translation of verse 33. Phillips translates it this way: I stand amazed at the unfathomable complexity of God’s wisdom and God’s knowledge. How could man ever understand his reasons for actions, or explain his methods of working? Inscrutable, it cannot be tracked. It is beyond human comprehension.
Reminds me of what God says in Isaiah 55.9. You remember this? He says, my ways are higher than your ways. So, as we move through this message this morning, I want us to keep in mind that idea of “inscrutable.” I want us to remember that. It’s beyond human comprehension. It cannot be tracked.
Now, given that, praise the Lord, he has revealed to us Bible truth, and we’re going to look at Bible truth. We’re going to see that there are two clear streams of truth in Scripture that relate to salvation. One stream of truth is that of Human Volition, man’s responsibility in salvation. Another stream of truth in salvation is that of Divine Election, God’s sovereign action in salvation.
So that’s where we’re going to go. Sound like a good plan? Anybody awake? All right, let’s do it, okay?
First of all, we’re going to look at the stream of truth about Human Volition and man’s responsibility in salvation. And what we’re going to be doing, I could take you to multiple verses on both of these streams of truth, but I’m just going to share with you some examples, some example verses that relate to these streams of truth.
The first one being Human Volition, man’s personal responsibility. John chapter 3, verses 16 to 18 and verse 36. Now, notice what is said here. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life…whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Are you noticing a pattern in wording here? Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on Him. Human Volition, man’s personal responsibility.
Another passage, Romans 4:5, Romans 4, 5. To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
Another passage, maybe one you hadn’t really noticed before, Luke chapter 7, verse 50. Jesus is speaking and Jesus said to the woman, your faith has saved you.
Another passage along this same stream of truth, John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever, who’s included in whoever? Everybody! whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has what? Has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. This stream of truth about man’s responsibility.
Another passage—just giving you some samples—Acts chapter 16, verses 30 and 31. This is the Philippian jailer. He brings them out of prison and says, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.
Now, there are some good folks out there in the overall Christian community, and they say, Hey, men and women are totally incapable of faith. There are some out there who say, we think God has to give us the faith. It’s not really our faith. From my view that is not the best understanding of the whole of Scripture.
I want you to notice John 3:18 again. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. So just look at the verse. Why is somebody condemned? What does it say? If one does not believe, they are condemned already. If—follow me here—if we are held accountable for God for not believing, we must be capable of believing.
It reminds me a little bit of the very first sin. You remember how that happens in Genesis chapter 3 with Adam and Eve? Adam and Eve sinned, and they experienced spiritual death. Death in Scripture is always separation of some kind. Physical death is separation of the real us from our physical body. So, they rebel, they sin, they experience spiritual death immediately. At that point they were separated from life eternal. They were, as it says in Ephesians 4:18, Paul says, they were alienated from the life of God. That’s what happens in Genesis chapter 3.
But think about it. Spiritual death doesn’t mean they were dead, dead, unable to hear or respond. Even after they were alienated from the life of God—they were separated from life eternal—they were still able to hear and heed God as He came walking through the garden looking for them.
I want you to look at Romans chapter 1, verses 19 and 20. This is talking about unbelievers in the world. And it says, For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them, for His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been, what does it say, clearly perceived… They’re spiritually dead, but they can still clearly perceive, so they are without excuse.
What does this mean? It means that all people are accountable for their response to God’s revelation and their response to the gospel, to the gospel. So, I want you to just think about this. How can God legitimately reprimand, chastise, condemn someone for refusing to believe if human response is completely predetermined by God?? It’s just nonsensical that could be the case.
So, we’re looking at two streams of truth. The first stream of truth is Human Volition, man’s personal responsibility. There’s a second stream of truth we’re going to look at. And that second stream is Divine Election, God’s sovereign action in salvation. Now, for some of us, when those words are being used, we sort of want to shy away a little bit. I don’t want you to shy away.
Hang with me. Let’s look at what God’s word has to say and this second stream of truth, Divine Election, God’s sovereign action in salvation.
Again, we’re going to just look at some of the passages. There’s a lot of them we could look at. First of all, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. He, God, 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 to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will. This is a stream of truth that Scripture emphasizes, God’s sovereign action in salvation.
Here’s another one. This is God speaking in Jeremiah 1.5 to Jeremiah. And notice what He says, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nations. That’s God’s sovereign action.
Galatians 1.15, another verse. But when He who had set me apart before I was born, this is Paul talking, and who called me by His grace, He was pleased to reveal His Son to me. He set me apart before I was even born!
And then how about this passage from Acts chapter 13, verse 48. Luke speaking, he’s talking about the events as the gospel is being shared in Acts chapter 13. He says, As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
And then one other passage in this stream of truth I want to point out, John 6.65. This is why I told you, Jesus speaking, no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.
So, we see these two streams of truth and we go, well, which one is it? And the truth is that both streams are fully true. I mean, can they both be fully true at the same time?? They appear to be contradictory.
Here’s the core question we ponder: if God is totally sovereign in salvation—that is He chooses some for salvation from before the foundation of the world—how can men and women then be held accountable for failing to respond to Christ in faith?? John Lennox gives us another question:
“How can God, whose love and justice are impeccable, hold guilty those who are incapable of doing what He commanded them to do?”
And then let’s flip the question around the other way. On the other hand, if men and women determine their eternal destiny based on their choice to believe or not believe in Jesus’ work on the cross, how can it be said that God sovereignly predestines people for salvation before they are born?
So again, I’m giving you this morning my best understanding of this, Bruce’s best understanding of this. And the answer to those questions, in my view, is that this is what is called in theological circles an antinomy. It’s an antinomy.
What does antinomy mean? An antinomy is two truths that appear to contradict, yet Scripture teaches them both. Remember Isaiah 55:9, My ways, God says, are higher, in fact, WAY higher than your ways.
Romans 11:33: What I do and how I do it is inscrutable. It is incomprehensible. It is indetectable.
Now I want to take a little informal vote, and here’s my premise: The gap between an amoeba and humans is immense. Right?? The gap between an amoeba and humans is immense. Does everyone agree with that? Anyone disagree with that this morning? The gap between an amoeba and humans is immense. We all agree.
Well, here’s what I have to say. The gap of understanding between us and God is far, far, FAR, FAR greater than the gap between an amoeba and a human being.
You know, there are antinomies in Scripture. You know, the Bible teaches that Jesus is the God-man. He is 100% man. He’s also 100% God. I mean, he had to be 100% man in order to die. He had to be God 100% to die for the sins of the world. But…how can both of those things be fully true? That he’s 100% God, and he’s 100% man? Our minds cannot completely grasp that, but it does not make it untrue. It does not make it untrue!
The same is true with salvation issues of Divine Election and Personal Responsibility. Scripture teaches both! It appears to our feeble human minds that both cannot be true at the same time, yet Scripture clearly teaches that both are true.
God’s sovereignty in salvation never cancels human responsibility. Let me repeat that. God’s sovereignty in salvation never cancels human responsibility.
Now, there are people out there, you know, who seek to resolve this tension, this antinomy. Sometimes they resolve it by focusing or emphasizing ONE stream of truth. You know, maybe even over-focusing on one stream of truth and somewhat dismissing the other stream of truth.
I really, again, like John Lennox’s summary here:
“Failure to reconcile everything in our minds is not a reason to give up believing one side or the other, nor is it a reason for emphasizing one side to such a degree that the other side ceases to exist in a meaningful way.” These truths make up an antinomy. Both truths are true.
Now next we’re going to look at something that is often overlooked, frequently missed, and rarely ever pointed out. And that is this. God designed both streams for a purpose. Do you know that? He designed both of these streams of truth for a purpose, and we’re going to look at that. Anyone want to do that? Okay, there you go. That’s what I was waiting for. All right!
Human volition, man’s personal responsibility, that stream of truth:
1) is designed to clarify the necessary core human response to the gospel. That’s why that stream of truth exists. Every man and woman is called to believe in, to trust in, to rest in Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross for them, clarifying the necessary core human response to the gospel.
And one’s failure to embrace Christ’s work by faith results in dying in one’s sins and then facing divine judgment, John 8:24, Hebrews 9: 27. God’s sovereignty in salvation never cancels human responsibility.
2) It is designed—I love this part; I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about this—it’s designed to catalyze believers to spread the good news of Jesus everywhere.
Why do we share the gospel so much? Why do we have a team of people who are taking the good news of Christ around the world? Because we understand that we need to do that. Apart from Jesus, people are lost and helpless and hopeless and without God in the world, Ephesians 2:2, Romans 5:6.
And then one of the most startling things I’ve ever learned from God is that WE are the key conduits of hope since we serve as ambassadors of reconciliation wherever we reside, 2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20. As you woke up this morning did you poke yourself and say, do you remember that you’re an ambassador of reconciliation today?
God has design also behind this stream of truth,
Divine Election, God’s sovereign action:
1. It is designed to elicit in us a deep heart of humility. Salvation is truly an undeserved gift from God. Never forget it!! There is no way any of us could ever claim credit for our salvation. When we fully understand that truth, we are quick to shout, “to the praise of His glory”, which for all of my pastoral career for 47 years has been my signature line, to the praise of His glory, to the praise of His glory.
2. It is designed—I don’t know if you ever think about this, but it’s really cool—it is designed to liberate us to share the gospel more confidently. Salvation is truly God’s work, yet amazingly He has ordained that we participate in the process. And so, what does that really mean? We should share the gospel message more fearlessly and frequently. Does it depend on me? No! We always need to remember God is the author of salvation, the one who chooses, calls, draws, and transforms hearts.
Biblical truth men and women must be held in balanced tension. Our response is not to seek to resolve it, but to receive it, and to respond to it, and to learn from it. We need to embrace what the Bible teaches even when it stretches our minds. So true!! We must hold it in balanced tension. Our response is not to seek to resolve it, but to receive it, respond to it, and learn from it.
Now, there’s one more thing I want to be crystal clear on, and then we’re going to look at some Life Response from this message. How do we walk away from this? What should we be doing?
Before that I want to be crystal clear on this one. God is the initiator of salvation. God is the initiator of salvation. He is the initiator of salvation!!
Titus 2.11, the grace of God appeared, Paul says, bringing salvation to all people. God is the one who sent the Savior. God is the one who provided the sacrifice. That is taking the initiative in salvation.
God is the initiator of salvation! John 6.44, Jesus speaking, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. How does that happen? How does that happen?? Well, John 16 verse 8 tells us, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. God is the initiator in salvation. Clearly, it is true.
So, how should we respond based on everything we’ve looked at this morning? I’m going to suggest three things by way of Life Response.
First of all, we should Embrace God’s truth as He designed it. The key term, “inscrutable.” Don’t try to unscrew the inscrutable! You’re going to get in trouble trying to do that. A lot of mistakes are made trying to “unscrew the inscrutable.” So, we need to embrace God’s truth as He designed it.
Secondly, we need to Be Diligent to Preserve the Unity of the Body. It grieves me sometimes how differing positions on these subjects can cause some deep division in the local church. We can have different perspectives, but we should not allow them to bring division into the church.
Ephesians 4.3 in the ESV says, Be eager [it’s talking to believers like you and me] be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in a bond of peace. Now, this verb that is translated “be eager” is a very strong verb. The New American Standard translates it, be diligent, you’re really working at it, to preserve the unity of the Spirit in a bond of peace.
That’s what we should be about. The Net Bible and the NIV translate it, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in a bond of peace. What is he saying? Don’t allow Bible truth—I mean, outside of the content of the Scriptures and the reliability of it, and the person of Christ and His deity and His death—don’t allow Bible truth to divide us in the church. Different perspectives, different views, perhaps…but not causing disunity in the body.
And then the third Life Response I think we are to have—which is a good one for every single one of us—is to Focus on Building your Spiritual Wardrobe. Colossians 3.12-14, these are words that God gives to every one of us in the church. As God’s chosen ones put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…and above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
When I see people in conflict over these subject matters, are you kidding me? Paul says, build your spiritual wardrobe. Put on compassionate hearts and kindness and humility and meekness and patience and above all put on love, which does what? It binds everything together in perfect harmony, in perfect harmony.
Romans chapter 11, verse 33. Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments, how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or has been His counselor? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
Let’s pray together.
Father, we just thank You so much for Your Word, for the truth of it, and yet we realize that Your ways are so much higher than our ways. Our ability to grasp how all this fits together is just not there. You’re far, far, FAR greater than we are, but we thank You for these streams of truth.
We thank You that they teach us principles that You designed us to learn. And ultimately, Father, we pray in all of this, we pray that You would be glorified and honored by our lives as we live them, always pointing to Jesus in His glory. And we pray these things in His name.
Amen.
Questions for Reflection
Perplexing Bible Truths: Human Volition and Divine Election
1. How have you seen believers respond to issues related to what the Bible says
about divine election in light of Scripture’s teaching also on man’s
responsibility to believe?
2. Bruce agreed with and quoted Charles Simeon:
“(We should) Be Bible Christians, not system Christians”
What does that mean to you?
3. Romans 11:33 was a foundational verse for the message, focusing on the word ‘inscrutable.’ What Greek
dictionary synonyms for inscrutable did Bruce mention?
4. What are the ramifications for us of both Romans 11:33 and Isaiah 55:9?
5. Why do people often shy away from Scripture’s teaching about divine election?
6. Have you heard the term “antinomy” before? What definition did Bruce give for it?
7. Bruce emphasized that both streams of Bible Truth have been designed by God for a purpose.
What two purposes did Bruce cite for Human Volition-Man’s Personal Responsibility?
What two purposes did Bruce cite for Divine Election-God’s Sovereign Action?
8. Respond to this thought: The Bible holds to sovereignty and responsibility in salvation alike.
A faithful Bible student should do the same.
9. Pray and thank God for the Scriptures and for His amazing, awesome greatness.