Momentum Church
Promise
Promise, Week 2 | Are we Chosen or do we get to Choose? | Pastor Ross Wiseman
Locations & Times
Momentum Church
659 Arnold Mill Rd, Woodstock, GA 30188, USA
Sunday 9:35 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
Is it about being chosen or is it about choice?...... Yes
Romans 8:29-30 (ESV)
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 9:25-26 (ESV)
25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people, there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
Romans 8:29-30 (ESV)
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 9:25-26 (ESV)
25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people, there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
I. Calvinism – God’s Sovereign Choice
Romans 9:10-13 (ESV)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:14-18 (ESV)
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
Romans 9:10-13 (ESV)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:14-18 (ESV)
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
1. God Chooses According to His Will
Romans 9:21 (ESV)
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
2. God’s Mercy and Justice Are His Alone to Give
Romans 9:15-16 (ESV)
15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy
--
Calvinist Perspective:
-God elects people unconditionally.
-Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, apart from human decision. Nature of man is
evil.
-Humans are spiritually dead and cannot choose God unless He first regenerates them.
---
Hyper Calvinist (Election)
-God is in complete control of all that happens both good and bad. The future is not
opened to be helped by our actions.
-God elects people unconditionally by His will. Some to salvation and others to damnation.
-Free choice is guided by the sovereignty of God so even man’s choice is predestined.
Romans 9:21 (ESV)
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
2. God’s Mercy and Justice Are His Alone to Give
Romans 9:15-16 (ESV)
15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy
--
Calvinist Perspective:
-God elects people unconditionally.
-Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, apart from human decision. Nature of man is
evil.
-Humans are spiritually dead and cannot choose God unless He first regenerates them.
---
Hyper Calvinist (Election)
-God is in complete control of all that happens both good and bad. The future is not
opened to be helped by our actions.
-God elects people unconditionally by His will. Some to salvation and others to damnation.
-Free choice is guided by the sovereignty of God so even man’s choice is predestined.
II. Arminianism – Human Responsibility (Romans 9:19-24)
Romans 9:22-24 (ESV)
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
--
1. God’s Patience Implies Human Choice
Paul speaks of God’s patience, suggesting that people are responsible for their rejection of Him.
2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God, but also by Pharaoh’s own stubbornness
Exodus 8:15 (ESV)
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exodus 8:32 (ESV)
32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
Scripture is full of opportunities to choose.
--
2. God’s Invitation to All
Romans 10:13 (ESV)
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
-This affirms that faith involves a response from human beings.
Arminian Perspective:
-God desires all to be saved
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (ESV)
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
-While God initiates salvation, humans must respond in faith.
-People have the capacity to reject God’s grace.
Hyper Armianianist (Freewill)
-The future is not fixed and God reacts to man’s decisions.
-God chooses to operate out of limited omniscience and only predicts what man will do.
-God is not truly in control.
Romans 9:22-24 (ESV)
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
--
1. God’s Patience Implies Human Choice
Paul speaks of God’s patience, suggesting that people are responsible for their rejection of Him.
2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God, but also by Pharaoh’s own stubbornness
Exodus 8:15 (ESV)
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exodus 8:32 (ESV)
32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
Scripture is full of opportunities to choose.
--
2. God’s Invitation to All
Romans 10:13 (ESV)
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
-This affirms that faith involves a response from human beings.
Arminian Perspective:
-God desires all to be saved
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (ESV)
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
-While God initiates salvation, humans must respond in faith.
-People have the capacity to reject God’s grace.
Hyper Armianianist (Freewill)
-The future is not fixed and God reacts to man’s decisions.
-God chooses to operate out of limited omniscience and only predicts what man will do.
-God is not truly in control.
III. A Balanced Biblical Perspective – Holding Both Truths in Tension
1. Two Sides of the Same Coin
-The Bible teaches both divine election and human responsibility.
He wouldn’t be God if He didn’t know, but He wouldn’t be good if He made the choice for you.
Election & freewill are a both/and, not an either/or.
2. A Call to Humility and Worship
Romans 9:20 (ESV)
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder...
-Rather than arguing over mystery, we should worship the God who both chooses and calls us to respond.
3. Evangelism
-We evangelize because God calls all to repent
Acts 17:30 (ESV)
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
1. Two Sides of the Same Coin
-The Bible teaches both divine election and human responsibility.
He wouldn’t be God if He didn’t know, but He wouldn’t be good if He made the choice for you.
Election & freewill are a both/and, not an either/or.
2. A Call to Humility and Worship
Romans 9:20 (ESV)
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder...
-Rather than arguing over mystery, we should worship the God who both chooses and calls us to respond.
3. Evangelism
-We evangelize because God calls all to repent
Acts 17:30 (ESV)
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Conclusion: Embracing the Tension with Faith
The whole council of God’s Word encourages believers to live in the tension of election & freewill.
-Instead of choosing between Calvinism or Arminianism, we must humbly accept that God’s ways are higher than ours.
-Trust in God’s sovereignty and respond in faith
The whole council of God’s Word encourages believers to live in the tension of election & freewill.
-Instead of choosing between Calvinism or Arminianism, we must humbly accept that God’s ways are higher than ours.
-Trust in God’s sovereignty and respond in faith