Free agency and predestination
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me;
and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out."
John 6:37
I believe the doctrine of election to be as certainly true as the doctrine of the existence of God. I am not about to attempt to clear up all of the endless philosophic difficulties which could be suggested by a subtle thinker. If I were to venture upon such a labor, I would only be like Sisyphus who rolled a large round rock uphill, which always rolled down again.
The difficulties about the compatibility of free agency and predestination have existed, do exist, and will exist to the world's end. To my mind both facts are certain--but where they meet, none knows but God Himself.
Yet there is a practical, common sense way out of the difficulty. I do not know any better way of practically treating the matter, than of saying, "I will go to Jesus because He bids me, and because He has said, 'Whoever comes to Me, I will never cast out.' If I sincerely go to Him and He casts me out, then He has broken His promise; but He never can do that. So now I venture to trust in His sin-atoning death, and leave my soul's salvation in His hands."
In all other matters you act so:When you are sick, you do not know whether you are ordained to get well, but you send for the doctor.
You cannot tell whether you are predestined to be rich, but you endeavor to make money.
You do not know whether God has decreed that will live through the day, but you work to provide food for yourself.
Thus common sense cuts the knot which mere theory can never untie! Leave the philosophic arguments alone, and act as sensible men. Go to Jesus, and you will be saved!
"All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me;
and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out."
John 6:37