For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8

Have you ever wondered what Paul meant when he said “and this is not from yourselves”? And, have you ever wondered what the “it” is when he says “it is the gift of God…”? I have, and these are the most humbling thoughts that have ever crossed my mind. What is it that is not from our ourselves? The “it” is referring to both grace and faith. Neither comes from within us. Do you understand that? Do you understand that even the faith you have in Jesus Christ is a gift from Him? Is that not the most humbling thought that could ever penetrate your mind and heart?

How many times have you heard a preacher plead with a congregation, “Choose to believe in Jesus tonight!” Or, “if you would just choose to believe this morning you’ll be saved!” I’ve heard them give their own testimonies and they always sound something like, “I remember the night I decided to believe the gospel…” I think, in the interest of full disclosure…I’ve probably made such pleas once or twice, way back when I first started preaching. Those passionate calls are filled with a sincere desire to see sinners converted…yet those statements, taken literally, are manifest absurdities. How can you actually choose or decide to believe something? It’s been my experience and I believe that my experience is fairly common, that one either believes something or one does not. How can one choose to believe something that he doesn’t really believe? Is there a food that disgusts you? My wife gets sick at the thought of eating raw fish (I love it! I’m going to be eating some raw fish in a few hours from now as a matter of fact!) Can you imagine me proclaiming to my wife, “choose to start loving sushi, just make your up mind that you truly do love the taste and texture!” That’s ridiculous isn’t it? Is not pleading with someone to believe something they don’t really believe just as absurd? I like sushi, I didn’t choose to like it, I just do. In fact, I can not choose to hate the taste of sushi anymore than Naomi can choose to love it! I can say I hate the taste, but the truth is that I really do love the taste of sushi! I can’t choose to not love it, I just love it! I believe that experience, common sense and a clear understanding of what the Bible says about belief and faith leads to the same conclusion. You can’t choose to believe in Christ, you can’t choose to have genuine faith in Him…you either do or you don’t. In order to change ones belief outside evidence and/or circumstances must overwhelm the previous held belief…is that not so? Would you not say that outside evidence and a circumstance in Saul’s life changed his opinion of and belief in Jesus? If you now believe and have faith and there was a time when you didn’t, what changed your mind? Did you see Him? Did He knock on your door? It's highly doubtful (to say the least) that Jesus has ever showed up at our doors. The truth is that we’ve never seen Him or spoke with him as we do each other (if you think you have, well, you're fruity). So if we had no empirical, concrete or physical evidence that He is the true God, then again I ask, how was our mind changed? Are you tempted to say that your faith came about through pure reason and logic? How can pure reason lead anyone to salvation when the Bible says plainly that “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…” Romans 1:21-22 Or, how about this passage: “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” Ephesians 4:18 (emphasis mine in both passages)

So if people are not seeing, hearing and touching Jesus in a physical way and if they are unable to see or understand the logic and reasoning that under-girds our faith in Christ, how can it be that anyone has saving faith?

The answer is found, I truly believe, codified in the theological doctrine often called Unconditional Election. According to renowned author and theologian JI Packer, “the Biblical doctrine of election is that before creation God selected out of the human race those whom he would redeem, bring to faith, justify and glorify in and through Jesus Christ.” (Concise Theology, pg 149)

That is a wonderful quote, is it not? Very well written, almost poetic, huh? That is what Packer teaches, that is what I teach…but is that what God really teaches? Let’s see.

I’m simply going to quote Saint Paul and then ask for your comments. I’d really like to hear your questions and views on this passage before I give you mine.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 niv