After reading a passage from Ephesians 1:3–6, a preacher made an argument that, if our future is already predestined, there is no real reason to live a godly and holy life. According to this reasoning, we can live however we want, because if we are predestined for heaven, we will eventually reach heaven regardless of how we live. Our actions and deeds in this world, therefore, would have no effect on God's predestined plan. Whether we live a holy life or fall into sin, predestination would remain unchanged.
However, I believe we need to examine this argument carefully.
First of all, Paul's letter was written to the church at Ephesus, to people who were already believers in Christ. Paul speaks about believers being blessed in Christ and being chosen and predestined according to God's purpose. The passage is describing God's gracious plan for His people; it does not say that our conduct, obedience, holiness, or choices are therefore irrelevant.
The problem arises when a preacher takes the doctrine of predestination and then adds a logical conclusion that Scripture itself does not make: "If God has predestined us, then our actions do not matter." That conclusion can be dangerous, particularly for young Christians who are still growing in their faith and may already be struggling between a desire to live a worldly life and a desire to follow Christ.
It is sad to see believers become confused by teachings that can make holy living appear unnecessary. If a person begins to think, "I am predestined, so my sins will not matter in the end," that teaching can easily become an excuse for careless Christian living.
An Old Saint's Wisdom
I remember the words of an old saint when a discussion arose concerning the question of salvation.
One group argued, "Once saved, always saved. We cannot lose our salvation, even if we commit sin."
Another group argued that if a believer deliberately continues in sin, salvation can be lost.
When the matter was brought before the old saint, he gave a very practical answer. He said, in effect:
"If salvation is truly eternal and I cannot lose it, that is certainly good. But what if the other possibility is true? Suppose I continue in sin after receiving salvation, die in that condition, and finally discover that I have lost my salvation. That would be dangerous. I cannot return from death and change the way I lived. I cannot come back and live a holy life or earn my salvation again. Therefore, if there is even that possibility, I would rather fear God, stay away from sin, and live a godly life."
There is wisdom in this way of thinking.
We have only one life on this earth. There is no opportunity to return after death and correct the way we lived. Therefore, why should anyone deliberately take the risk of living in sin?
Predestination Should Never Become an Excuse for Sin
Even if we believe strongly in predestination, that belief should never be used as an excuse for sinful or worldly living.
Paul's teaching about God's purpose and predestination was not given to encourage believers to continue in sin. The same apostle who speaks about God's eternal purpose also repeatedly calls believers to holiness, obedience, and a transformed life.
Therefore, we should not take one doctrine and use it to cancel another clear teaching of Scripture.
If someone says, "My future is predestined, therefore it does not matter how I live," the question we should ask is: Does Scripture actually give us permission to live in sin because of predestination?
It does not.
What If We Are Wrong?
There is another important point to consider.
Suppose a person chooses to live a holy life, avoids sin, serves God, helps others, and remains faithful to Christ throughout his life. If the person ultimately discovers that God's grace has secured his salvation eternally, he has nothing to regret about having lived a holy life.
But suppose someone chooses the opposite path. He says, "My salvation is guaranteed, so I can live however I want." He spends his life pursuing worldly pleasures, deliberately continues in sin, neglects God, and refuses to live according to His Word. If he discovers at the end of his life that his understanding was wrong, there is no opportunity to go back and change his life.
Death does not give us another opportunity to correct our choices.
This is why the safer and more faithful response is to fear God, avoid sin, pursue holiness, and live according to His Word.
What Will We Regret at the End of Life?
Think about the testimony of people approaching the end of their lives. Many people regret the things they did wrong. They regret hurting others, wasting opportunities, neglecting their families, and living selfishly. Many also regret the good things they could have done but failed to do.
But imagine a person who reaches the end of life having sincerely tried to live a holy and faithful life. Can such a person genuinely regret having avoided sin, helped others, served God, loved people, and lived according to God's Word?
If holy living was truly a mistake, then Jesus Christ Himself would have been the greatest example of a wasted life, because He lived a completely holy and obedient life in this world.
Therefore, whatever our understanding of predestination may be, it should never lead us to conclude that holiness is unnecessary.
In conclusion: The doctrine of predestination is a profound biblical subject, and Christians have understood its relationship to human responsibility in different ways. But whatever position we take, we should be careful not to use predestination as a justification for sin.
We should remember that we will not have the opportunity to return after death and correct the way we lived.
Therefore, rather than taking chances with our spiritual life, we should follow the wisdom of that old saint: fear God, stay away from sin, pursue holiness, and live faithfully before Him.
If our salvation is eternally secure, a life of holiness will not have been wasted.
And if our choices do have eternal consequences, then living a holy life may be the most important decision we ever make.
There is no danger in choosing holiness. But there is certainly danger in using predestination as an excuse to continue in sin.
No comments:
Post a Comment