God Without Religion_ Can It Really Be This Simple_ - Andrew Farley [34]
This is precisely what the Jews were saying—that Gentiles couldn’t go to heaven. Paul is saying, “Don’t try to predict such a thing, especially given that righteousness is now a gift and has nothing to do with the law.”
So where is individual selection of some for heaven and others for hell in this passage? It is entirely absent. It’s not Paul’s point at all. Paul’s only message concerning God’s selection has to do with people groups, not individuals. It’s all about Jews and Gentiles. It’s not about you versus the guy next door. Paul says the following, which throws open the door of salvation to anyone:
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. . . . As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (Rom. 10:9, 11)
Paul says belief in Jesus is essential and will not disappoint. And even now, a full chapter later, he is still harping on the two people groups:
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom. 10:12–13)
From here, Paul goes on for a full chapter about the importance of personal belief in Jesus Christ. He says “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14). He says that anyone can be grafted into God’s kingdom “if they do not persist in unbelief” (Rom. 11:23). Finally, he says that God has carried out this plan “so that he may have mercy on them all” (Rom. 11:32). Clearly, the message delivered is that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).
The Big Picture
So in both Ephesians and Romans, the big picture presented is this:
God is God.
He can do whatever he wants.
He elected the Gentiles for salvation as well.
Now anyone can come to Christ by faith.
Deal with this reality! It’s God’s sovereign choice.
Predestination is real. It’s a biblical term and a biblical concept. But what does it really mean? In context, we’ve seen that it’s about God’s plan to unleash the gospel on “those dirty Gentiles.” It’s not about individual selection. With God’s true intentions in mind, it’s our job to revere God’s sovereign choice to unleash the gospel on Gentiles (that’s most of us!) and to respect his relentless love extended to all. That’s celebrating God’s new way, without any Grade A Choice Religion.
15
We’re lost. I think we took a wrong turn off I-95. We’re now in Norfolk instead of Richmond. But we should be there soon!” the hearse driver assured my mother on the phone. My mom hung up the phone, looked at her watch, and sighed, “I think we’re in for a long wait.”
We were standing at what was supposed to be my grandmother’s graveside service. For the last forty minutes, the minister, my relatives, and I had been standing around the grave, just sort of staring at each other, wondering what to do. None of us had ever been to a funeral without the casket!
After another hour of waiting, the minister was growing restless. He said he had to be somewhere else soon. “If the hearse doesn’t show up shortly, I’m not sure what we’re going to do.”
Rather than have a funeral without a casket or a minister, we decided to begin the service. The reverend made it all the way to the part where he was to commit my grandmother’s body to the grave. “Ashes to ashes . . . ,” he said, then stopped. “I can’t really go any further without her body actually being here!” he said. “I’m sorry.”
Just as he turned to leave, the hearse arrived. It screeched to a halt near the graveside, and out popped a bearded lady in a pin-striped, three-piece suit. It wasn’t a full beard, but it was the beginnings of a respectable one by any standard, complete with mustache.
“So sorry I’m late! I took a wrong turn and went north instead of south. But I’m ready to do the