Knowing the Truth of God’s Sovereignty
I was having a conversation this week with a friend about God’s Sovereignty. The idea in question was “Do I choose Jesus, or does Jesus choose me?” These are exactly the kind of questions which tickle my mind with excitement. Here’s my short, one-word answer. “Yes”. The Scripture to support this answer is Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”
The wording of this verse is extremely rich with nuance which some eyes never see. People just read the words. But look closely at verse 3. There we find:
- the Blessed ONE which is God the Father
- who is also the ONE which sends the blessings
- then the blessed ones, all Christ-followers
- the blessings, all things spiritual
- the location of the blessing, heaven
- and the Agent of the blessing, Jesus the LORD
Wow! All that in one verse. Talk about word-smithing, the apostle Paul knew how to communicate! But a true Christ-follower needs to nail down all this information solidly in their hearts and minds for verse 4 to have full impact.
God created mankind with freewill, beginning with Adam and Eve. God the Father, the Creator, gave the first couple only one command. HE told them not to eat the fruit of a certain tree in the Garden (was it really an apple? how do you know?) God the Father expected them to choose to obey Him. He also told them what would happen if they didn’t. “…for on the day that you eat it you will certainly die.” There was a blessing in obedience, and a curse associated with choosing to disobey. But both of the first humans had the free will to choose.
Did that change when they left the Garden?
No. Here are just a few verses to demonstrate God the Father continues giving people a choice to serve Him, or serve themselves.
Deuteronomy 30:19 (Moses speaking for God to the Israelites)
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have placed before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants…
Joshua 24:15 (at the end of his life)
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Matthew 23:37 (implies the people in Jerusalem had a choice)
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings… and you were unwilling.
Acts 4:11-12 (Peter talking to the people in Jerusalem at Pentecost 50 days later)
He is the STONE which was rejected by you, the Builders, but which became the Chief Cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.
YES! You really are free… to CHOOSE for Yourself
However, you should also know, the choice you make comes with ramifications. Making the wrong choice doesn’t free you from the unexpected consequences or the unintended results of your own choice. While making the right choice brings ultimate freedom which Jesus defined this way.
John 8:31-32
So, Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
So… does God choose us, or do we choose God?
Yes! From eternity past God has intended all along to give you the choice to believe in Him and become part of God’s family right here, and right now. The added benefit being eternal life and never being separated from God again. He chooses you! Now it’s up to you.
If you choose to believe in the claims of Jesus… that He gave His life for yours so that you could say yes to God’s grace, then you can become a part of God’s family today! He’s made His choice, now it’s up to you!
Want to know more?
If you want to know more about how to choose God, send me an email and we can chat privately about it. I’d love to hear from you!
As I was saying... 