A Matter of Choice

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight” (Matthew 11:25-26).

Martine Blanc was a co-worker at Title Insurance Co. in Riverside where I worked while attending Cal Baptist college. She was a French woman married to an Assoc. Professor of English at U.C. Riverside. She asked me why I was spending 4 years studying the Bible. I asked her if she was familiar with the Bible. She sais she had read it several times and found its history of the ancient Jews fascinating, the poetry of the Psalms beautiful, the life of Jesus like a Shakespearean tragedy, and the letters of Paul intriguing. But she did not believe any of it to be spiritual truth. She was an atheist, as was her husband.

In our text we see the reason for Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum’s indifference to Jesus - the sovereignty of God. This is a difficult doctrine to understand and accept, but it is no less true. I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants, Jesus said. Why do some people hear and believe the Gospel and others do not? The sovereignty of God. Why do some people have faith to believe and trust in Jesus while others do not? The sovereignty of God. Why did all but one of the apostles die a martyr’s death but John lived to be in his 90s and die of old age? The sovereignty of God. Why do some read the Scriptures and grasp its spiritual truth, but others see it only as ancient literature? The sovereignty of God.

Why does God hide His truth, His will, His purposes from some and reveal it to others; from the wise and intelligent (in their own minds) and to infants (the humble and pure in heart)? Because He is God the Father, Lord of creation. His elective purpose is beyond our understanding. It is what it is, and we cannot fully grasp it. God chooses whom He chooses and rejects whom He rejects. “That’s not fair!” some contend. Fair has nothing to do with it. If God did not choose, all of us would be condemned in our sin and consigned to punishment in eternal hell. “Why doesn’t God choose everyone?” Because He doesn’t.

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will announce My words to you." Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make (Jeremiah 18:1-4). Be thankful, if you are a believer, that He chose You to be His. If you are not a believer, be on your knees in prayer that He will choose you before it’s too late.

“Father, the mysteries of Your grace and mercy are beyond our comprehension. Your elective purposes are too deep for us to fathom. May we not be caught up in the “whys” or “wherefores” and ignore the truth that You have loved and called and saved those whom You have chosen. To Your glory I pray, Amen.”

Pastor