What Does the Bible Say About Predestination?

Brethren, do you have very close friends or family that are not in the church? And you sometimes wonder what is the hope for them? I mean, the belief in the world today, the belief that general Christianity has is that you are predestined to either be saved or you are predestined to be lost. Now, this is a very, very serious question that people have. And is that really what the Bible says? If so, if that is so, then you might ask, why does God choose some to be saved and not others? And the answer is that if you ask those people that believe in that, they will believe you as they say, look, look, no one deserves to be saved. It's all God's mercy. And therefore, if you're not given the mercy, you can't complain. Well, what a consolation that is. I mean, that's really terrible consolation. Now, another way those people could look at it, he says, well, if God knows what I'm going to decide, in other words, if it's all predetermined, and therefore, it is predetermined that I'm going to be lost, why try? And on the other side, if it's predetermined, I'm going to be saved. I don't have to worry about it. I'm going to be saved. So why try any further? It's kind of a point that people ask, and what about pre-moral agency? Are we free to make a choice? If it's predetermined, then we don't have free moral agency. And basically, you could really narrow it down to the point that the doctrine of predestination, that the world sees it, is unfair. And put it another way, the way I see it, is a perverted, twisted doctrine that clearly displays the mind of Satan. A mind which is perverted, which is not of love, which is not really of the best for all. So today, brethren, I want to go through the Bible and look at it, at the truth and what the Bible says about predestination and what it does not say. Because the truth about this important subject will give you great peace of mind. It will dispel any grief that people may have, which is not necessary. It will give you comfort, because you will be so grateful that we do have a loving, caring God. So, it is important for us to understand this, so that we are not deceived and swayed by pressures around in the world.

So, what is the argument based on? Well, the argument is based that God knows everything, and therefore, the ultimate fight is predetermined. Now, the ultimate fight is predetermined as far as your salvation is incorrect, because you are a free moral agent. I mean, the ultimate fight of, in the end, is predetermined. That God knows that there will be, you know, a happy world tomorrow, there will be a new heaven and earth. That is predetermined. But whether you and I individually are going to be there, that is our two paths. It's our choice, and I'm going to show you from the Bible that way. So, the argument that you are predetermined to either be saved or lost is a false premise. It's non-biblical. It's one of Satan's confusion, because Satan, after all, takes everything and twists it a bit so that people are confused, and they cannot understand the truth, the true gospel across the light of God's truth, therefore, cannot shine in people's hearts. Where does this come from? Well, it comes from another supposition that the world has, and they have the supposition that says that this is the only age or the only time for salvation. And if this is, therefore, the only time for salvation, the mission of the church, Christianity, sees or believes, the mission of the church now is to save the world, because the only time now to save the world. And therefore, we'll have to do it now. You've got to give your heart to the Lord now. Come to the altar and give your heart to the Lord and be saved, or soon it will be to light. And the question, obviously, you and I may have is, now what about the millions, in fact, not millions, billions of people that have never learned about God? In ages past, they were even, and even today, a lot of people don't know about God. They're just even. They don't know about God. Or you could say, what about that one-year-old or two-year-old or five-year-old child that died and never knew about God? Are they lost? Are they saved? And you may say, well, what about these people that you and I know that have, in the way of speaking the word, good lives? I mean, they have really, they're really nice people, but they never learned about Christ, the truth. I mean, they may even be of a different religion that doesn't believe in Christ, believes in a prophet or whatever. But since you're really speaking, are good people? Are they lost? Because you and I know, you can look in Acts chapter 4, that no one will be saved but by the name of Jesus Christ. There's no other name. Acts chapter 4 verse 10 to 12 says, Let it be known to you all and all the people that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands here before you all. You know, he was healed because of Christ. And then he says in verse 12, Nor there is salvation in any other. There's no salvation in any other name. Acts 4, 12, Nor there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Where he is, whatever prophet it may be, whatever religion you have, and you say that that prophet is one that you've got to follow, he says there's no other name but Christ. And so those people don't believe and therefore follow Christ's teachings. There's no salvation for them. Are they lost? Because some of them have died or will die without knowing Christ.

So the question is, are they lost? Because after all, they never had the knowledge of the truth. And after all, they never really had a chance. And so the question is, is this the only day of salvation?

Brethren, this is not the age or the period of time that God is trying to save the world. This is a major difference than Christianity out there today. Do not understand. This is not the age or the time that God is trying to save the world. If it was, then Satan is winning. Hands down, Satan is definitely more powerful than God. Because you just have to look around, this world is in a mess. This world is really in a mess. So Satan would be winning, but it's not so. So turn with me, please, to 2 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians 4, verse 4. It says, in whose minds the God of this age? So people say, how can God… Well, who is the God of the Spirit of time? Who is the God of this Spirit of time that you and I are living in of this age? The God of this world has blinded the God of this world, the God of this society that is around today, in which we live. He has blinded the eyes of mankind so that people do not believe. List the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, which is Christ living in us and therefore has become children of God through the Holy Spirit in Christ living in us, for example, who is an image of God, should shine on them so that they could see. So they would be enlightened, so their mind would blink. It says, aha, I understand. But their minds are blinded. That's what it says. They blind it by Satan.

The God of this world is Satan. So he's doing it, and what's God, the true God, God the Father, doing about it? How can he allow it? Because he does allow it, you see, because he's only doing it, and the gods express permission.

You see, he's the deceiver. He's deceiving the whole world. You can see, read that in Revelation 12, 9. I don't have to turn it in. But he's deceiving. He's deceiving the whole world, and the whole world is deceived. He's blinded. He's blinded. We see, brethren, let me ask a question. Do we live in the time of the end? Do you believe we live in the time of the end? No man knows a day or the hour. But we know the season. And really, when it says, when you see these things on the trees, you know, some is coming. And we do know the season. This is the time of the end. We've got a very good study guide about the time of the end. Goes through a number of scriptures. And in fact, this is the time of the end. So, okay, so we don't know the year. But we know it's not going to be another 3,000 years. Okay, maybe it's not going to be another maybe 100 years. We know it's kind of, it's going to be soon, we think, we hope. So, if that is the case, how long has mankind lived on earth? About since Adam and Eve? We know it's going to be pretty near, not quite, but pretty near 6,000 years. Okay, so we come into the end. So, then we know that this time of Satan's age is being an equal end at the time of the end, at the end of 6,000 years. Now, look with me to 2nd Peter, 2nd Peter, chapter 3, 2nd Peter, chapter 3, verse 8.

2nd Peter, chapter 3, verse 8. But beloved, do not forget this one thing. Wherewith the Lord, one day is a thousand years. So, to God, time a day can be a period of time, can be a thousand years. God can have a period of time for us to live, maybe 70 years. That's the day we live, 70 years.

Can be whatever period of time. But to God a day, a period of time, could be a thousand years. Now, if Satan has had, therefore, 6,000 years, basically, he has had six days of millennial days, and we are now on the edge of the 7th day, the millennial day, of a thousand years when cross will come.

And so, Satan has done his work for six days. In six days, you shall do your work, Satan. But on the 7th day is the Lord's day that he will do his work. It's the millennial side, that cross will come and will do his work and will save the world. So, we live in an edge now of coming to an end. We know it's coming to an end, but we live in an edge where Satan has dominion to blind people's mind. He has some power, albeit restricted. And that power that he has is with God's permission. And therefore, it is not the edge when God is trying to save the world, because that will be the Lord's day in the millennium, that 7th day of a thousand years when he will come and will do his work.

The Lord's day. And so, mankind, in general, because it's been blinded by Satan, cannot understand the truth. That goes hand in hand with the reason that Christ gave us of why he spoke in parables. Do you remember? Remember the reason why he spoke in parables? Look. Let's look at that reason in Mark chapter 4 verse 10 through 12.

Mark chapter 4 verse 10 through 12. It's also described in the other gospels, but we're going to look at Mark chapter 4 verse 10 through 12. Mark chapter 4 verse 10 through 12. And it says, But when he was alone, those around him, with the twelve, asked him about the parable. And he said to them, To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God.

To you, to you few, has been known the mystery of the kingdom of God. So I'm explaining to you the parables, because you can know. But to those who are outside, not of this group, all things come in parables. Why? Verse 12. Here's the reason. So that, here's the reason why I cross both the parables.

See, they may see and not perceive. Because they see it and they don't grasp it. They don't get it. They see it, but they don't get it. And hearing, they may hear and do not understand. They just doesn't click. Doesn't click in their brains. It's just, it's like sometimes somebody may tell you something and you don't connect the dots, you know? And then later on, you say, But I think I knew. And then you say, Oh yes, bang!

That's it. You connect the dots and he says, Ah ha! Now I see it. A light goes on inside. It's exactly the same thing. It needs a light a switch to be turned on. And then he says, lest, if that light was turned on to these people, what would happen to them? Lest they should turn. And it was less they should repent.

And they seem, since be forgiven. Wow! If they understood, then they could repent and their sense be forgiven. So at this time, God is not flicking the switch on, connecting the dots for those people so that they don't repent and so that their sense are not forgiven. That's what Christ says. Wow! Even those that saw Christ, he's actually talking about people that physically, literally, saw Him in person.

So they knew He existed and they, he says, so that they don't turn, repent, and so they're not forgiven yet. Because you've got to repent. It's one of the conditions to be forgiveness, is you've got to repent. Now the question is, is that just? Brethren, there's no injustice with God. But He has the clue. He has the answer. He has the clue. But I mean, jump ahead of the story and give you the answer and then look out through its apostate.

They were not predetermined to understand yet. The answer is, when will they understand? Will be later, not now. Just a question of timing. It's not a question of they being lost. It's a question of timing when they will, the switch will be turned on and the light will turn on and says, aha, I see.

It's just a question of timing. In other words, they are not called now at this age, at this time of Satan's rule. This is not the time for God to save the world. It was to save everyone. And Satan does not want you to understand that. And so he blinds the eyes of people, as we read in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 4. So they don't understand the gospel. They don't see it and they get confused. The point is, Satan is not with it. There's no contest between God and Satan. Satan is magisteral compared to God. It's just a little little ant, you know, a piece of dust compared to God. There's no contest.

It can only do what God allows him to do, what God permits him to do. And God has allowed him, permitted him to do this, this section, for the time being, for a bigger purpose in God's greater wisdom, according to his plan. One day, you and I will fully understand it and will then give God glory for his great wisdom. We can see it darkly through a glass now, but we'll see it even far greater in the future. But the point here is Satan is ruling for the first six days of this millennial week. And they will have the seventh day of this millennial week, which will be the thousand years. Christ and the saints will then rule for a thousand years. Turn with me to Revelation 20, verse 1 to 6. Revelation 20, verse 1 to 6.

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottom of his foot, and a great shine in his hand. So we see an angel that God has appointed to come down and he laid all of the dragon, that serpent of old, who's the devil, and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. You know, it was during the millennium, during that seventh day of that millennial week, he's bound. Because the day that the Lord will be doing his work on earth and saving the world. Does it up living. And then let's jump a little, and he says, and then he cost him, verse 3, he cost him until the bottom was split, and shut him up, and set the seal on him so he could deceive the nations no more. For that thousand years, for that millennium. You won't be deceiving the world. But after that, until the thousand years will finish, after that, you'll be released for a little while. And then he says, yeah, in verse 4, and I saw friends, and they that sat on them, and judgment was committed to them, and they saw the souls of those who had been beheaded, for the witness of Jesus, and goes on, and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. How can, what it's talking about is, at the end of the six thousand years, at the time of the end, there'll be a resurrection, as we know. That's the first resurrection.

Those people, the saints, will have sat on thrones with Christ, and rule with Christ for during the millennium. Over those people that are still living on earth, and it will be about deception, during the millennium. And if people be taught the truth, and all that, people come to repentance, and all that.

Those that are resurrected is only a portion of people. Those that have known Christ, those that are Christ. They will rule, as it says here, at the end of verse four, they reigned, and lived, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. They reigned during the millennium. But the rest, now take note of this, the rest of the dead, did not live again. In other words, they were not resurrected. The bulk of humanity was not resurrected until the thousand years were finished, until the end of the millennium. So all those other people, they were little children, and died. They were heaven, heathen, and heaven knew God. And they were very good people, but never knew the true name of Christ and the true truth. They will then be resurrected at the end of the millennium.

Who will be resurrected? The rest. Who is the rest? Jews and Gentiles. Everybody! The rest! The rest of mankind! Millions! In fact, billions! In the dozens of billions of people will be resurrected at the same time to planet Earth. Now imagine what that would do if it was going to be today. To the natural resources having billions of people on planet Earth today. We could cope. That's why we need a thousand years first to get the Earth and the planet ready for those people. To have food, to have prosperity, to have hours, to have clothes, to have factories, to have all these things. That's one of the jobs that we will have to do with human beings during the millennia to get the world ready. We have to end these billions. I mean, some people say it could be as many as 50 to 70 billion people resurrected at the same time. I mean, the Earth today has got about seven billion. Well, it's 10 times more than the today's population thinks about that. Wow! So, it has at the time, people from the time of Adam, and they died in the flood, and all the other things think about it. All those people! Now, to read about that, how Christ talked about that time. Because it's talked about as the type of judgment. Let's read about that in Matthew 10. Matthew 11. Matthew 11. 11 chapter verse 20 through 24.

And it says, there we began to rebuke the sitties in which most of these mighty works have been done. This is Christ, which rebuked in those six because they did not repent. Woe to you, chorazin, woe to you, bef seidah. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago. Those were neighboring nations to Judah, which had existed years before. They would have repented long ago in Sakhrok and Ashes verse 22. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in their judgment than for you. So it's saying that it will be condemning or whatever. It says it will be more tolerable during the judgment. When there is a judgment, the judge can be more tolerable or less tolerable to some people, depending how this is okay. I'll give you this probation period that you can do this and maybe you've got a probation period for five years and maybe I'll be more tolerable to you without having a probation period for one year. You go to jail for five years, you go home for one year. You've been drinking and driving under the influence, but this was the first instance. I'll be more tolerable. You just pay a fine and that's it. The other one, okay, you did it. It's a second or third infraction. You've done it. You'll be less tolerable for you. You've got to have a certain probation, a longer probation period, and to see if you overcome and get over it. So there it is. It will be less or be more tolerable to them in the day of judgment than to you. So another point here is that those will be together, Jews and Gentiles, those people and the Jews. They'll be there together. And then it says here in verse 23, And you, Capernaum, who are exalted in heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, in Sodom, that is at the time of Abraham. So we have people that lived at the time of Abraham that will be brought together. It would have remained until the state. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. They'll be together. Look at another one also in chapter 12. That's probably the next page. Chapter 12 verse 41 and 42. The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment. The Ninevehites. That's due to the time of Jonah, the time of the prophets, who rise up in judgment with this generation, with you people that are living now at the time of Christ.

And condemn it. They will say, hey, come on, you guys, why didn't you do why we we repented for Jonah and you didn't repent when Christ came around.

Because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and indeed are greater than Jonah. He's young. The queen of the south, sheba, queen of sheba, she was during the time of Solomon, will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and indeed are greater than Solomon. He's young. The point he has, we have, indeed, different generations of people that have lived that will be together resurrected at the time of judgment. You can clearly see it's Jews and Gentiles. It's clearly seen. And these people will have their first chance. They never had a chance. They will now be called to know the truth. They'll now be taught the truth. They will be given a chance to repent. They will then be able to repent because of for baptism. Then they will be able to be baptized. They'll be able to have their hands laid on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Then they'll be able to receive the Holy Spirit and grow and overcome their weaknesses over a period of time until they prove over that period of time, which in other scriptures it says may be 100 years, as some people say, maybe Isaiah 6520 applies to that, for whatever it is that day, that period of time. And then they are being called and then they have a choice, a free moral agency of them to repent or not, and to overcome or not. As it says in John 6, 44, it's the Father that draws them. God has not drawn these people. Yet nobody can come to me unless the Father throws him. John 6, 44. God is the Father has not drawn them yet. And that's a miracle. It's God that freaks that switch in your mind and in my mind to start understanding the truth. It's his decision and it's his determination when to do it. And that is really the doctrine of predestination, when God decides to turn that switch, to flick that switch in your mind. That's his choice. But it's not condemning you to be lost forever. It's just deciding when he's going to flick the switch in your mind and in my mind. When you read Ezekiel 37, you're not going to go into it, but it's the value of dry bones. You can see the dry bones, Ezekiel 37, from 1 to 14. He sees Ezekiel goes and he sees this value full of bones. And then he's asked who these thumbs live. Ezekiel says, I don't know. What do you want? I don't know. God, you tell me. So God says, look, they will live. They will live. They will have flesh and tendons and I will breathe into them the spirit of man and man and they will have life and it will become a living being again and they will live. And then they will learn God. You read that. You read Ezekiel 37. He says, they will learn, get to know the Lord. Then it says, then after that, then they will receive the Holy Spirit. You read that in Ezekiel 37. 14. He says, then they will receive the Holy Spirit. And then they'll have time to overcome, you know, over the period of life. So that they may receive eternal life. So that their names may be written in the book of life. That's why when you read about the white throne judgment later on in Revelation 20, it says they will be resurrected and the books will be opened, which are these 66 books, yeah, which is about the book, the books and the book of life. So they will learn the truth. They have the books open. Their mind is open to see what's in the books. They'll be able to live, repent, change, and as they overcome, their names are written in the book of life so that it can have eternal life. You see, so this is not the only day of salvation.

There is a day of salvation to come during the day of judgment, a judgment which will be a process. A lot of people think, well, the judgment is just, there's a judgment, there it is, and you have life, you have death, and it's not, no, it's a process. You know, it's a process like, okay, yeah, is the truth. Well, you don't understand, yeah, is the truth. Make sure you understand. You open the mind so you can see it. You can understand. Now you've got a probation period, a period of overcoming, and then after it's given all the time, in God's mercy and judgment, the people will then be able to make their own free choice. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 2. We're going to read in verse 24. It's a very well-known section of Scripture, from 24 through verse 29.

But to those who are called, of Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, in other words, I shouldn't have stopped reading from verse 23. By the way, we preach Christ to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, in other words, we preach Christ. And those that are called understand, they grasp it, they see it. To them, Christ is the power of God and wisdom. But because of the foolish of God, his wise and the man, and the witness of God is stronger than man. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise, according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many knowable, are called. Now. They'll be called later. But not many wise, not many knowable, are called now. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, not to condemn them, not that they are lost, but later on they will understand their great knowledge. They will realize there was nothing because God used people that do not have all these capabilities, and look how God used them. So their great knowledge, they will put to shame. All the great leaders of this world and the great technicians, etc., they're full of full of thinking that they're so important and so whatever, they'll be put to shame. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty, the people that are mighty, the people that are powerful, the people that think that they've got great power, and the vast things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen, and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are. So, brethren, you and I have not been called because we're any better. Because clearly, he says we're not any better. We're not any better. It's just by God's mercy to show his wisdom and power. He's decided to call us. He believes that calling us, that we will have enough tenacity and enough capability to make it. And therefore, for our good, he's calling us now. Ah, that's for their good, you'll call them later.

But it's all in God's great wisdom, and he knows the hearts of individual people, and therefore, he decides who to call first and who to call later. That's his choice, and that's his decision. But it's not a choice that people are going to be lost. It's a choice of when to call them. And then continuing that, and verse 29 is that, no flesh should glory in his presence in the end, all mankind will give glory to God for his great wisdom and his mercy. And now he did it with such great capability for the good of everybody.

The point is, brethren, everybody has a period of being judged. You and I that are called now, the Judgment Day is for us now.

Read in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 17. 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 17.

1 Peter chapter 4 verse 17.

Everybody's going to have a day of judgment. For those that are not called yet will have their day of judgment later. It was their period of time, of probation, of judgment, of period to overcome later. But as that has been called now, that are in the church now, it says in verse 17, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. In other words, those that are in God's church now. And if it begins with us first, what shall be the end of those with the not-obated gospel? In other words, it begins with us and everybody's going to be judged. So if you don't obey the gospel, you're in trouble. If you don't believe and obey, there's going to be trouble. But everybody will have their chance. But we have our chance now. That means our day of judgment is today, not tomorrow. Today means while we live, the period of life that you and I have. So, some are predestined to be called first. Some are predestined, therefore, to be judged first. And therefore, some are predestined to qualify to rule first.

And therefore, this is not the age to save the world, because that will be later. And therefore, we don't, as a church, we don't preach the gospel to save the world. We preach the gospel as a witness to the world. Matthew 24, 14 says, and then the gospel will be preached as a witness to the world, and then the end will come.

Which means the gospel had not been preached before, which means we are indeed near the time of the end.

But God has a plan, and that plan is described, as you and I understand very clearly, through God's Holy Days. And it is important for us to understand God's Holy Days, because it describes clearly that plan. And that day of judgment is represented by the lost, great day of the age, day of the feast. That's where it is. God has a plan for all of us, and that's described clearly in the Holy Days. But mankind does not understand it, because they don't keep them. They don't keep them. They've got other Holy Days, which are paying them. So they don't understand. You see, brethren, all people, the intent of God is to save all people. Turn with me to 1st, just have a look, 1st Timothy, chapter 2, verse 4. 1st Timothy, chapter 2, verse 4. 1st Timothy, chapter 2, verse 4.

He says, starting in verse 3, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, and who is our Saviour? It's Christ, isn't it? So in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all man to be saved, God's will is that all man would be saved. It's not pre-disternable for some to be saved and some to be lost. God's will, he desires that all man to be saved. 1st Timothy, chapter 2, verse 4. And to come to the knowledge of the truth. He desires all mankind to be saved. Ultimately, generically speaking, all mankind will be saved. Well, of course there will be some, there will not be saved because of their own choice, because they refuse to obey God. But in proportion, it will be so few that all will be saved between inverted cars, because that's God's desire. And for him to maximize that, he has put this plan to maximize the success rate for the good of everybody. Because of his wisdom, he sees this will be the way that you have the highest success rate. That's his wisdom and that's his mercy for everybody. Look for this at Romans 11. Romans 11 is an amazing chapter. And it talks about how Paul describes Israel's rejection, as he is part of the iron section in my Bible, Romans 11. And he says, I say then, has God cost away his people? In other words, has God cost away the Israelites? Because the majority of them, as you know, they went to Assyria, they became the lost ten tribes. And you and I know that Eutraym and Manasseh, as part of England and America and other nations like Australia and other English-speaking people around the world, and even not English-speaking other people that speak other languages in Europe, that are part of the great Israel, quote-unquote, has God cost away those people? Certainly not, says Paul. For I am an Israelite of the Sea of the diagram of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not cost away these people whom he foreknew. And then he goes on to explain. It was, God has not cost the people, cost away the Israelites. But what has he done? Look at in verse 7. In verse 7 he says, What then? Israel has not obtained it. There was this not obtaining this understanding and some of the greater blessings of being elected, etc. He says, Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained. There was the one that had been called, the one that had been chosen, have obtained. And the rest were blinded. The rest of Israel were blinded. And so the plastic roll worked. But has God rejected them? Are they lost? No. Jump to verse 25. He goes on. It's an amazing chapter for you to read, but to look to study. But look in verse 25. He says, in verse 25 to 26, But I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. You know, really, it's a mystery. The world does not understand what I'm talking about today. But really they don't. It is a most mystery. Lest you should be wise in your own opinion. Lest you think that you're great and you know it all. Don't misunderstand us. That blindness in part has happened to Israel. The Israelites today are blind. They don't see it until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

In other words, God has called some Israelites. And God is calling now some Gentiles into the church, to come in into the church. Until God has this group of people who become the bride of enough people that will have Jews and Gentiles and he's got enough of the Jews and of the Gentiles in that group of the bride until they come in. And then after that, which means after Christ comes back after the marriage supper and then Christ comes back to rule on the earth during the millennium, verse 26, and so all Israel will be saved. Then God will open the mind to all of Israel and then from Israel to the whole of the world. The whole of the world will then be saved during the millennium, those that have lived, and those that have died will be resurrected after the millennium during the day of judgment, during that time of probation, those 70 billion all over many brilliant years. And they will then be given a chance, chance to repent, overcome, and then overcome to the end, to persevere to the end.

So, brethren, why does God call us now? It's got two parts to that question. One is why us and two for what purpose? Well, in other words, why did he predestinate to call some now and some later?

Because he knows that you can make it now. He knows that you can make it now. The boy is in your court, but you can make it.

And therefore he's called you because he knows, even we have these stresses ahead, he knows you can make it. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able. But if the temptation also made the way of escape, then you may be able to bear it. He knows you can make it. Now God knows the hearts and knows that the others may be it's better for them to call them later. For their own good, it's better for them to call them later. It's God's decision who to call with. And he knows better. And like we heard in the sermon, we don't have to argue with God about it. It's his decision that he decides when to draw people to the Father and to Christ. It's his decision. Why? For their ultimate good. For the maximum, for the highest success rate in this endeavor of creating sons and daughters of God. And therefore, for what purpose? Which was the second question. He is calling people to make them sons and daughters of God. And some of them is calling them first to rule first. We are predestined to rule. We are predestined to rule.

We know that. And he just turned very briefly to Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2. Verse 26 and 27.

And he says, You are the comes and keeps my words till the end. Like any power of the nations, it shall rule them for all of mine, and they shall dash to pieces. And they will rule. I'm sorry. I don't think that was all his Revelation chapter 4 that I want to do to turn. Sorry. No, 5. Chapter 5. Verse 10. Chapter 5. Verse 10. That's what I wanted to turn. I'm going to talk to you later. You made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. That's our job. That's what we've been called. To be kings and priests, and we shall reign. And you can go to other scriptures, like for instance, in Daniel 7. I'm not going to turn there, but you know the scripture of Daniel. And when it says, you know that there's this image, and then it explains that the rock will hit at the foot of the image. It's in Daniel 2 and in Daniel 7, it's of these scriptures. And then it says, when Christ comes, the saint will come, and then they'll rule, and king will be established, and they will rule forever. Which basically means we'll rule first for a thousand years. That's kind of basic training of ruling. And then afterwards, in the new earth, the new heaven, we'll rule for eternity. That's what it is. That's what it is. And we'll rule over the whole of mankind, as we've seen. We'll rule over all mankind.

So brethren, there's no second chance. There's no second chance to these people. They just have not had a chance today.

Hebrews 10 is very clear. There will never be a second chance. Look at what we mean in Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 26 and 27. For if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, in the Portuguese Bible, actually says, after we received the full complete knowledge of the truth, the people in the world do not know the truth.

If we sin willfully after we receive the knowledge of the truth, their remains no longer are sacrificed for sin. There's no second chance. But those people that don't know, don't grasp the light switches not being turned on. They have not had that chance yet to know the truth. But they don't grasp it. They may see it, but they don't perceive it. They don't understand it, because we saw the parables everyone was understanding. They were blinded. Rather, we have to choose now to overcome and to obey. So let's look at two sections of the scripture where the word predestination is used in a Bible for us to see exactly what it says. Because remember, it's not a decision to be saved or lost. As we saw, God desires no one to be lost. We saw that in 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 4. So predestination is about when we are called. Let's look at the scriptures that talk about predestination. One is in Romans 8. So let's go to Romans 8. Romans 8 verse 28 through 30. Romans 8 verse 28 through 30. And we know that all things work together for good. Romans 8 to 28. And quite often, people in the world say, ah, all things work together for good.

And they put a full stop there. But there's no full stop there. You've got to read the rest.

Because for some people, things nowadays are not working together for good. In the area, it works together for good. But it says, to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His covenants. We've got to love God. We've got to reply, respond to that calling. We are called, and we've got to respond to that calling. If we are called and we're not responding to that calling, things may not go work out for good. We've got to respond to that calling in the right way. By loving God, by putting to practice. And then those are, for whom, if we're new, we also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that he might be the firstborn amongst any brethren. So, he asks the principle about predestination. You predestined what? To be children of God. That's what we predestined to be. We all have. And one, that's what our destiny is. It's not predestined to be lost. We are predestined to be children of God.

And then he goes on. Whom over whom he predestined, he also called. Does any predestined he also called? Some he predestined to be called first, and others like it. Whom he called, he also just justified. Yes, because we called when they come to repentance, and they got their free moral agency to do so, and then they repent, and they are baptized, they justified upon baptism. And then they have to overcome to the end. And then he says, in whom he justified, the easy also glorified. To God, as it is, as if it's already happened. It hasn't happened yet. It's a process that's still happening, but it's sure, as if it's already real. It will happen.

So there's another section that talks about predestined action. It's in Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4 and 5. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4 and 5.

Just as he chose, as in him, before the foundation of the wall, so he made a choice before the foundation of the wall, that he would predestined some people, that he would call some first, that we should be holy and without lying before him in that, having predestined as to adoption as sons. It was his predestined as to sanction, to true sanction. That's the previous measure, not predestined to be lost. We're predestined to be children of God, as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. What is his will? His will is that all mankind will be saved, and all will come to the knowledge of the truth, as we saw in 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 4. So according to his will, that all will be saved. It's not that someone will be lost. Now, to the price of the glory of his Christ. It's all to God's price in the end. And look at in verse 11. In him also we have obtained an inheritance. We are obtained an inheritance. Being predestined according to the purpose of him, who works all things to the counsel of his will. What's God's will? That all will be saved. So we predestined, yes, we predestined to be his children, that we who first trusted in Christ. You see, there's a time, some are first, and some will be later. Should be the price of his glory. He neem you also trusted that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom you also believed you were also sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You see, so we trust the God in first. And it's predestination before is we are predestined to be the children of God. He is decided in the planning way he's doing it. And he's decided to call sound first. That's what predestination is all about. Brethren, it has to do with God's ultimate purpose for us and when he calls us. He decided that he would call some people first to be kings and priests in the kingdom of God, to have a part in saving others in the wonderful world tomorrow. Let us therefore make our election sure. Let us not grieve over our departed ones. That may mean people think they lost. Yes, we grieve because they're not with us. We don't have the companionship. We do grieve for them, but it's not because they lost. They will come up in the great white throne judgment. They will be given opportunity to have their names written in the book of life, and then they will have eternal life at their time. But Christ is not desperately trying to save the world today. There's no battle against Satan. Satan is not more powerful than God. Brethren, we are close to the end of the six millennial days, and the Sabbath is coming. And the Sabbath is coming where he will save the world. This is a biblical truth about Pre This truth gives us great peace of mind. This truth avoids us being grieved unnecessarily. It gives us comfort. It makes us grateful for God's great life and care for all of us. However, it makes us accountable because we do have free moral agency. We do have a choice, and we do have to make our part. But in the end, the wisdom, the mercy, the justice, the praise, the glory is God's.