God’s sovereign choice

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:25-30

 

Over the last couple years, my writing energies have gone into sermons, Bible study lessons, and my book. I haven’t had much creative juice left over for this blog, but today’s going to be different. I’d like to share something that has helped clarify my understanding of God’s sovereign choice and who is the “elect.”

Recently, I taught from Matthew 11:25-30, quoted above, and it seems to me to perfectly encapsulate the Bible’s seemingly paradoxical teaching about who God calls and to whom He reveals Himself. This passage teaches three things:

1. Jesus says that divine revelation (“these things”) is hidden from a certain group of people but graciously revealed to another group. He then says that this is God’s sovereign choice.
2. Jesus emphasizes that the only way to know God is through grace. Specifically, the people who know God must be chosen by Him.
3. Jesus gives an open call to everyone who suffers from the burden of sin and desires His rest. The solution is a servant-master relationship with God, and an infilling of the Holy Spirit that will enable people to fulfill the requirements of God joyfully.

Going back to the first point, there are two groups of people. One group cannot receive God’s revelation—it is hidden from them. The other group receives God’s revelation graciously. In both cases, this is God’s sovereign will. The second point emphasizes the first. Who are those from whom God hides divine revelation? It is the “wise and learned,” probably in the same sense that Paul uses those words when describing how people received the scandalous message of the cross: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20) Both Jesus and Paul said that God’s revelation is hidden from people who will not receive it because of their self-sufficiency.

 

Who does God choose to reveal the divine message to? To “little children,” or those who receive from God as a little child trustingly receives from his or her father. This is God’s sovereign choice. God does not choose to hide and reveal the gospel message arbitrarily. No, but He hides it from those who will not receive it, and He reveals it to those who will receive it. Before the creation of the world, God foreknew those who would willingly receive the gospel message by faith. He chose, elected, and predestined these people “for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.” (Ephesians 1:5)

 

If you’re confused at this point about whether God has chosen you, there’s one way to find out. Read the next verses in Matthew 11. After emphasizing God’s sovereign choice, Jesus calls out to everyone who carries the burden of sin and seeks relief: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Your response to this call will tell you whether you are God’s chosen or not.

 

Some Christians get so caught up in God’s sovereignty that they miss the point. They are so concerned with God being in control that they think He arbitrarily predestined some to salvation and others to damnation. That’s wrong because Jesus says that we can know who God hides the message from and who God reveals it to. Basically, God gives to those who will receive. The way that they receive is not through any learning or merit, but simply by childlike faith. This is His good pleasure.