Does God Predestine People to Hell?

[Music] a podcast listener named Steve writes in to ask a very pointed question and it's this pastor John are some people predestined for hell before I give my clear and definite answer it really is crucial that a few preliminary things be said that are always lurking right there below the surface ready to turn the answer into something it's not so here's some preliminaries and then and then a few Bible verses and an answer there are many people for whom a yes answer to this question yes he predestined people to hell would have to mean God is unjust and he's not good so a positive answer to that question is simply not possible for them in fact I would say if that is who you are if God's predestiny who is saved and who perishes can only mean that he's unrighteous or unjust or not good you shouldn't believe it even if it's true I know that sounds strange only believe it if you see it taught in the Bible and if it does not undermine other true and important things taught about God in the Bible and I know that sounds almost outrageous to people to say don't believe it even if it's true but I'm not eager to undermine anyone's confidence in the goodness and the justice of God and I know what it's like to see these things at first and not see how they fit with his justice and goodness and I have wept I mean my early 20s was a season of great torment mentally and emotionally over theological issues like this I have tasted what it means to put my head on my desk face in my hands and cry out to God I don't get this so I want to be patient with people I don't want to undermine anyone's confidence in the in the righteousness and the goodness of God's my first preliminary a second preliminary thing would be that God never never never sins never will send anyone to hell unjustly no one will ever be in hell who does not deserve to be there and this fact that they deserve to be there will be open and plain in all the universe in that day third preliminary this means that if God ordains ahead of time that anyone will perish he does it in a way which is probably inscrutable to us and beyond our understanding he does it in a way that the person is really responsible really accountable for his choices really guilty really deserving of punishment that's the hardest thing to grasp but it is essential if we're going to believe all of Scripture I believe everyone who perishes has chosen sin in such a way as to be truly responsible for his choice and truly guilty and truly deserving of judgment that's preliminary number three and here's the last preliminary we live in a time where it is very difficult for people to let God be God even to conceive of a God with this much authority this much complexity this much power is almost impossible for many modern people beware of being stopped from believing the Bible by being a child of your time now with those preliminaries let me just give you some texts and and draw a conclusion first Ephesians 1:11 in him we have obtained an inheritance in Christ having been predestined according to the purpose of who works all things according to the counsel of his will all things now the question is does all things worked according to the counsel of his will include the final destiny of individuals I think so next proverbs 16:4 the Lord has made everything for its purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble God has made the wicked for the day of trouble first Peter 2:7 the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense they stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do they disobey the word as they were destined to do Jude chapter 1 verse 4 certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God second Peter 2 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words their condemnation from long ago is not idle and their destruction is not asleep Romans chapter 9 verse 11 Jacob and Esau were not yet born had done nothing good or bad in order that God's purpose of election might continue not because it works but because of him who calls she was told this is before they were born or had done anything good or evil they was told the older will serve the younger as it is written Jacob I loved he saw hated that's a quote from Malachi one two and three which thought to be read in context where the text makes clear that God is sovereign Lee before they were born choosing Jacob over Esau but showing that Esau's wickedness was real and blameworthy and he was responsible for it one last verse Romans 9:22 following what if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power has endured with much patience vessels of Wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for merci which he is prepared beforehand for glory so I'm leaving those texts pretty much uncommented on just holding them out there my answer is yes God does determine from eternity who will be saved who will be lost but he does it in ways that are mysterious to us so that on that day no one will find any legitimate fault with God no one the redeemed will know we are saved utterly by grace while deserving hell and the rest will know that they suppress much knowledge of God's grace and they deserve to perish very sobering thank you Pastor John so is election then divine favoritism that was a related question and we addressed that back in episode number 399 you could find that episode in the a special John podcast archived if you'd like to hear that that was episode number 399 and if you want to know more about God's sovereignty see John Piper is a new book titled the five points towards a deeper experience of God's grace you can download the entire book free of charge from our website desiring God dot or click on the tab that says books and then click on the title five points tomorrow we return to talk about one prayer that can hold your entire life together I'm your host Tony ranky thanks for listening to the ask Pastor John podcast you

Channel: Desiring God

Views: 119,646

Rating: 4.7794309 out of 5

Keywords: Desiring God, John Piper, God, Jesus Christ, Christianity, Christian Hedonism

Id: S0Ry0yEhhOw

Length: 8min 11sec (491 seconds)

Published: Sun Nov 19 2017