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The God Who Is
This is what Jesus meant when He said, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). Many hear what is termed "a gospel call" when the Gospel is preached, but only those people who are chosen by God will hear a specific, a personal call as the Holy Spirit convicts them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Blessed be the name of the Lord "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).
In the book of Jude, note verse 4: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Note that certain ungodly men have crept unawares into the church who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness; yet they were of old ordained to this condemnation. So was Judas, "the son of perdition."
In Numbers chapter 23, note verse 19: "God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" All things operate according to God's time clock and will fulfill the desired end that He intends.
The Crucifixion of the Son of God
In Acts chapter 2, we read beginning in verse 22, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; `Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by many miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Note in passing that the reason Jesus performed miracles and wonders and signs was to evidence the fact that He was approved of God. But note principally that Peter testifies that the Lord Jesus was delivered into the hands of these men "by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God." This was not a bare prescience, or knowledge of the future, but the word "foreknowledge" means that God set His heart to do this. He purposed it.
This is the doctrine of predestination; but this is only part of the truth, for the doctrine of predestination does not leave men innocent of wrong doing. Therefore, the Bible here declares that these men sinned wickedly when they crucified the Lord of Glory. Men are responsible for their actions. "Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." It is true that Jesus was delivered into their hands, but they are guilty of the wicked deed.
In Acts chapter 4, we read beginning in verse 23, "And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, `Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ'" (verses 23-26).
In verse 27, we read, "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." They did exactly as they were supposed to do, yet they are accountable to God for their actions.
Someone will ask, "How can a man be responsible for his actions if we accept the doctrine of predestination?" I do not know: but this I do know, that the Bible teaches that men are responsible for what they do, and yet, God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. The doctrine of predestination does not negate the responsibility or the accountability of any man. People who believe otherwise will either attempt to deny the doctrine of predestination, or they will fall into fatalism.