Christ Death Foreknowledge or Predestination?

Was Christ death on the cross foreknown to God, or did he choose the method and the means. Some people would call foreknowledge or (middle knowledge), that God would choose according to how he foresaw men act. So his actions are dependant upon men’s actions so as not to interfere with mans free will. I have even heard some say that he works things out as they unfold, but I meddle not with these people, because that is so perpsoterous. While predestination or (sovereignty) says that God chose the people the place and the time, without first consulting men. Each view looks at God differently. One says that he checks with men first and then guides the hands of time, and the other says that he decrees from his Heavenly Kingdom without consulting men first and that he is in complete control.

This makes a huge difference in how that we view Christ death on the cross. Was it man who took Christ life or was it the Father who gave him over to be crucified by the hands of man? I will make some observation on the death of Christ and challenge you to think about Christ death and who is really in charge. I was looking on the Howling Coyote this morning and I noticed that Mr. Spurgeon wrote on the subject somewhat already, so I might steal some verses from him and maybe a quote or two if it will fit the picture.

Act 2:23 (ESV) "This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men."

Act 4:24-28 (ESV) "And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'-- for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place"

Now we all are aware that by the hands of man was Christ crucified, he didn't nail the nails into his hands himself, but by the hands of wicked men was he crucified. I will lay out two scenarios for you and maybe they will make Christ death a little clearer or maybe just leave you confused.

Predestination or Foreknowledge?

When the prophets of ole were inspired to write about Christ death for the sins, and the apostle who wrote of it after Christ death, where did they get the inspiration? Well we know that they were inspired by God:

2Pe 1:21 "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. "

So then we must ask where did God get the inspiration for Christ death. or did he determine it according to his infinite wisdom? See to many times we want to say well God is in complete control here, but he is not in complete control here. Well this proves to cause many conflicting problems. If God must use middle knowledge or how someone will act to know how things will go then, he will have to do that for all events. Or he is not the same yesterday today and forever. That is a plain and simple fact.

Mal 3:6 (ESV) "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed."

Rom 9:19 "Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?"

This is the scenario for Christ death if God was inspired by men about Christ death.

When God was inspiring the Prophets in the Old Testament, did he have to look into the future to know how to inspire the Prophets? That would say well God looked into the future and realized that all the inns would be full so now he can for surety inspire his prophet that Christ will be born in a manger. Did he look into the future and see how men would kill Christ and inspire David in Psalms 22 to write about his death from what he learned in seeing the future? Also think about this, did God have to learn about all of the miracles that Christ would perform? If we are going to hold to some form of middle knowledge, that God has to learn from me in order to know how to run what he created then we must follow it to the fullest. What we end up left with is a God, who must first consult with men. So truly the passage in Romans 9:19 should read "who hath resisted men's will."

Now here is the scenario if God is sovereign.

John 1:1-2 (ESV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God."

Before the world even began God already had every thing planned out, and it was all in perfect order. When God inspired the Old Testament Prophets, he simply inspired them through the Holy Spirit of the things which he should suffer, and what would be accomplished through his death. Everything was so perfectly planned out and done with such infinite wisdom that it is above and beyond the comprehension of men. God instituted a will that is perfectly decreed by him, that he does not interfere with men’s free actions. That men do just as he decrees, but they do it of there own free will. God decreed the means and methods that Christ would come into this world and leave this world. I like how Alber Barnes puts it in his commentary on Acts 2:23:

determinate counsel - The word implies that the death of Jesus was resolved by God before it took place. And this truth is established by all the predictions made in the Old Testament, and by the Saviour himself. God was not compelled to give up his Son. There was no claim on him for it. He had a right, therefore, to determine when and how it should be done. The fact, moreover, that this was predicted, shows that it was fixed or resolved on. No event can be foretold, evidently, unless it be certain that it will take place. The event, therefore, must in some way be fixed or resolved on beforehand.
A.B.

Forknowledge -In this place the word is used to denote that the delivering up of Jesus was something more than a bare or naked decree. It implies that God did it according to his foresight of what would be the best time, place, and manner of its being done. It was not the result merely of will; it was will directed by a wise foreknowledge of what would be best. And this is the case with all the decrees of God. It follows from this that the conduct of the Jews was foreknown. God was not disappointed in anything respecting their treatment of his Son, nor will he be disappointed in any of the actions of people. Notwithstanding the wickedness of the world, his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure.
A.B.

He neither consulted men for his permission, and neither did he infringe on his will.

Isa 45:21-22 (ESV) "Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

Isa 43:13 (ESV) "Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"

Isa 55:8-9 (ESV) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Act 15:18 (KJV) "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."

The Law in Light of God's Will?

One of the first objections that I found to God's will being accomplished, was the fact that people do not obey the Ten Commandments. I thought about it for a while and began to wonder for what purpose did God write the Ten Commandments. As I go along in this I hope that I can make clearer the point of God's purpose in writing the Ten Commandment.

In the Old Testament God handed the law down to Moses, writing them on stone tablets with his very own finger. Establishing them forever and so permanent that not even one jot or one tittle could be changed.

Mat 5:18 (KJV) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

God gave the Ten Commandments and to the children of Israel and intended on them to follow them. He even made promises to the children of Israel that if they would follow them, that he would bless them.

Deut. 11:26-28 (ESV) "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.”

Now God said that there would be a blessing attached to obeying the Ten Commandments, and a curse if they were not obeyed. Now following the children of Israel through: Joshua, Judges, 1st and 2nd Kings, we can see how they were blessed when following God’s commands, and were under God’s judgment when not following his commands. So God gave the children of Israel guidelines which they were to follow to please God. Yet we know that the children of Israel did not follow the commandments always, and even when they had some good kings they did not always follow God’s commands.

So it would look as if God instituted a plan for his children to follow, which he didn’t realize they could not follow. Or did he institute a set of rules of obedience for another reason? If we take a look at what the Apostle Paul says we get another look at the purpose of the law. That God knew that we could not follow it perfectly and that is why they were instituted, not for us to find self-righteousness in them. Rather that we should be led to another fountain, a fountain not of man for righteousness before God. We should be led to a fountain filled with blood.

Gal 3:24 (KJV) “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Rom 7:7 (ESV) “What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

Rom 7:12 (ESV) “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.”


If we look here at the law, we don’t find a God who is mean who wishes us not to have any fun. We find a God who instituted a set of rules and guidelines to reveal sin to us, and to help us not find within ourselves the ability to overcome and become righteous, but rather to look to the Father and his beloved Son for our righteousness, freedom, life.... This is the greatest love of all, to not leave men to his demise, but rather to institute a law to lead men and reveal to men a salvation above and beyond themselves.

From looking at the law alone, we see a God who revealed his will to men in the form of the Ten Commandment. While in his unrevealed will which only he decrees and is perfectly obeyed, all men by the law become guilty and unrighteous, filthy, wicked, and reprobate sinners before a holy and righteous God.

Rom 3:19-20 (ESV) “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

When men recognize their sinful condition and their own inability through the law, then will men find Christ.

Rom 3:21-25 (ESV) “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

Does God Have Two Wills?

I have been confronted with the question "Is God's will perfectly done?" by some of my friends who tend along the line of free will or as some call free willies. I didn't think very much about the question, but blurted out an answer, "Of course God's will is always done!" Then my friend told me, "Well people don't obey the Ten Commandments, so God's will is not always done." That really caused me to think, and think hard and long. I never questioned whether God's will was always done, I stuck to my guns, because I knew that God was always in control. There was no question about that, but how to answer my friend, I found not so easy. So I began to meditate on the scripture, and dig in the bible for answers. I also read a sermon suggested by James Spurgeon by John Piper "Does God have two wills." I didn't really find any kind of new revelation in there, but some useful information to help guide me.

The more I studied the scripture, the more reverence I found for God and his authority, that he has to be in control. I mean just think about if God was not in control, who would run things and keeps all things going? I can't think of anyone can you? and I sure wouldn't want God to ask me because I would truly mess things up. Thankfully God doesn't ask me, nor would consider asking me.

Have you ever thought about if something changed that God did not know about or want to happen. Something that happened outside his control, that would surprise him, and he would have to turn his attention off of what ever he was previously doing, and assess and make a decision about something else. The results would be catastrophic, and devastating none the less.

I often think about this TV show I watched when I was a kid, where this guy would travel through these worm holes to other worlds, which were all similar to his. On this one episode, he traveled back in time, and was able to change the past. You know fix things that would naturally go wrong in the future. Well at the very end of the show, I believe they stopped this guy from commiting murder, and when they did it, they disrupted time itself, because it could not cope with the change. When that happened a big huge black hole formed and began to suck everything into it. Well the people escaped through their worm hole, but that hole world was sucked into the abyss or black hole.

When I think about God's will, that is what I think about. God's will is so perfect, and is accomplished so perfectly and with order. That if it were disrupted, the whole world would be sucked into some kind of black hole. Kind of strange, I know. Luckily, I will never have to worry about such a thing ever happening, because I serve a God who is in control and executes everything from his heavenly kingdom, with such percise perfection, that not one thing occurs that he did not perfectly decree.

Praise God, that he is not just a God, who just checks in on us every once in a while to see what is going on, and fix a thing here and there, answer a prayer here, perform a miracle there. No, he is a God who knows all and is all powerful, and executes his council without first consulting man.

I hope to post my thoughts on God's will, over the next few postings. I am finding, that having an understanding in your head of God's word is one thing. Conveying them in speech or writing is another. I am glad that James Spurgeon has introduced me to the bloggosphere, where I can post my thoughts. I encourage feed back, because it challenges my thinking, and helps me look at other things that I over look out of ignorance. So please, I invite your feed back.

How Many of Us Can Say This?

1 Corinthians vi 16 (NIV) "Therefore I urge you to imitate me."

Have you ever thought about how bold a statement the Apostle Paul makes here? I mean come on, that sounds awful prideful, that he should desire others to be like him. Aren't we suppose to imitate Christ, not other men? The apostle makes many references to looking to him, some of them kinda make me chuckle when I read them. The one I really like is:

2 Corinthians v 12 (NIV) "We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an oppurtunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart."

Now right off the bat some people might take offence to that, they have always said that Christ is our ultimate example, and we are to look to no man to pattern our lives but Christ. The apostle by no means detracts from Christ in any sense, nor would he desire to do so. These verses are in the bible though, and have been written by the apostle. I guess that we should take a long hard look at our lives, and the ways in which we live. Thinking all the while to ourselves, do I live in a manner, that is pleasing to God, and such that I could desire that other men could imitate me.

If you are a parent you should really look hard at your own lives, and see if you are living lives that you would desire your children to live like. Children always look up to someone, and the people they most like to look up to is their parents. Yet too often their parents let them down, and they look elsewhere for a role model. They often turn to other people to look up to as role models other than Christian people. Christian parents should rise and be counted worthy an example for their kids, to pattern their lives after.

Let us take some time to look at our lives, and compare them to the scriptures, looking to see what areas we can clean up to live upright lives before all men. So that when others look at us they see Christ, and that in imitating us their lives too will imitate Christ.

1Corinthians xv 10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."

What is the Point?

Just recently my best friend's mother passed away, from a weakening in her immune system they believe due to diabetes. It all happened so quickly. Within one week he had gone from having his mother there to hold him in her arms, to preparing for the funeral. I met his mom once and she was a very lovely and godly lady, and he dearly loved her. While he was calling me to tell me his mom had passed away, my parents were visiting me here in England and I was enjoying their company. So it really hit me hard, because I think to myself that could be my parents at anytime.

I began to think to myself, what is the point of this life? If we just die. I thought, what would be the point in my buddy's mom to raise him with certain values; that he be a gentlemen and have a good reputation? If that was all there was to life, there would be no point to life, he would have nothing to live for, and definitely nothing to die for. But that is not the case with my friend, he has hope, a living hope, that he will one day see his mother again in a new and resurrected body.

Rev 21:1-7 (ESV) "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. "

Let me tell you there is hope. My friend has that eternal hope of a glorified body with Christ, just like his mom has received, and that God will wipe away all of his tears. He will have no more reason to cry for sickness, will never grip his mother ever again. There is a point to this life, we have a hope that this earth is not it, and that there is a life after this one that we shall never understand or comprehend until we reach that land. This life is only temporary, praise God.

Heb 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. "

We must live our lives as strangers here on this earth, though only seeing it from afar, we can rest assured that though strangers here, we will be residents of that holy city. As Christians to die is gain, to die is to be present with the Lord, and to see him in all of his glory, not through a glass darkly tinted. Though my friend's mom died, she did not die in vain, but is in a better place, in the arms of Christ, seeing his marvelous glory fully. My friend can rest assured that he will see his blessed mother again. Christ loves the death of his saints, because they come home to be with him, and to see all the great and wonderful things that he has prepared for them that love him.

Psa 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

My friend can assure his mom of one thing, and that is one day he will meet her over in the glory land. There is no other thing that can be more assuring to a mother than to know that her son will one day rest from his labors here on earth in the arms of Christ. One of my favorite songs, that I love meditate on, because it reminds me of my own mothers love, and is one thing that I can assure my mother of, and I know that my friend assured his mother of this before she died:

"Tell Mother I'll Be There" by: Charles M. Finimore

When I was but a little child how well I recollect How I would grieve my mother with my folly and neglect;
And now that she has gone to Heaven I miss her tender care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!

Though I was often wayward, she was always kind and good;
So patient, gentle, loving when I acted rough and rude;
My childhood griefs and trials she would gladly with me share:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!

When I became a prodigal, and left the old rooftree, She almost broke her loving heart in mourning after me;
And day and night she prayed to God to keep me in His care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!

One day a message came to me, it bade me quickly come If I would see my mother ere the Savior took her home;
I promised her, before she died, for Heaven to prepare:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!

Tell mother I'll be there, in answer to her prayer;
This message, blessed Savior, to her bear!
Tell mother I'll be there, Heaven's joys with her to share;
Yes, tell my darling mother I'll be there.

Why we must mortify sin. Part 2

There will be most likely one more post on why we must be about the mortification of sin. I believe that the reasons that John Owen gives as reason for mortification, are paramount for the Christian. We cannot neglect this great duty, but we also from the reasons given in these postings on the reasons for mortification, see our own infirmity in the flesh, and weakness in bringing forth sinless perfection from our own works and strivings. Praise God we have the Spirit living within us, that strengthens us and gives us a renewed vigour to battle sin. We must give strength to the Spirit through treasuring up in our hearts God's word, ever binding sin.

Psa 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

Now we will look at a few more reasons to be constantly battleing for the mortification of sin.

3. It will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins.

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Sin aims at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, should it follow its own course, it would go to the worst sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, should it grow to its head.
John Owen

Men may come to that, that sin should not be heard speaking a scandalous word in their hearts, - that is, provoking to any great sin with scandal in its mouth; but yet every rise of lust, might it have its course, would come to the height of villany: It is like a grave, that is never satisfied.
John Owen

In this lies no small share of the deceitfulness of sin, by which it prevails to the hardening of men, and so to their ruin, Heb. III 13, - it is modest, as it were, in its first motions and proposals, but having once got a footing in the heart by them, it constantly makes good its ground, and presseth on to some farther degrees in the same kind. The new acting and pressing forward makes the soul take little notice of what an entrance to a falling off from God is already made; it thinks all is indifferent well if there be no farther progress; and so far as the soul is made insensible of any sin, - that is, as to such a sense as the gospel requireth, - so far it is hardened: but sin is still pressing forward, because it hath no bounds but utter relinquishment of God and opposition to him; ground it hath got by hardness, is not from its nature, but its deceitfulness.
John Owen

There is not the best saint in the world, if he should relinquish this duty, would fall into as many cursed sins as ever any did of his kind.
John Owen

4. This is one of the main reasons why the Spirit and the new nature is given unto us, that we may have a principle within whereby to oppose sin and lust.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

It is our participation of the divine nature that gives us an escape from the pollutions that are in the world through lust.
John Owen

Now this is, first, the most unjust and unreasonable thing in the world, when two combatants are engaged, to bind one and keep him from doing his utmost, and to leave the other at liberty to wound him at his pleasure; and, secondly, the most foolish thing in the world to bind him who fights for our eternal condition, [salvation] and to let him alone who seeks and violently attempts our everlasting ruin. The contest is for our lives and souls. Not to be daily employing the Spirit and new nature for the mortifying of sin, is to neglect to make use of what we have received, God may justly hold his hand from giving us more. His graces, as well as his gifts, are bestowed on us to use, exercise, and trade with. Not to be daily mortifying sin, is to sin against the goodness, kindess, wisdom, grace, and love of God, who hath furnished us with a principle of doing it.
John Owen