In Acts 2 we read Peter's very first public sermon after Christ's Ascension. The Peter that, merely 50 days or so before, had denied even knowing Christ is the Peter that gave this amazing call to fellow Jews to trust Christ with things like the assertion that Christ was "delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23) and a previously unrealized connection to the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32. What changed? What changed Peter in such a short time? Well, obviously, Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13). Clearly, the coming of the promised Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ made a radical difference.
That Joel reference causes problems for some. In it God declares, "I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17). "Hang on a minute," some say, "that says 'all'. Is that not universalism? Should we not expect all to be filled with the Spirit and prophesy and all that?" Seems like a reasonable question. Without trying to reinterpret the text to fit a presupposition, what can we find in the text to help? (Because that's how Scripture is best interpreted -- by Scripture.) First, in the quote itself, We read, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21). There's that "everyone" concept, but notice that it does not mean "all people" because it defines that "everyone" -- "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord." So that text limits "will be saved" to those who call on Christ for salvation. But look a little farther down the line. At the end of the sermon it says the people were "pierced to the heart" and asked "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Peter said the famous, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Classic: repent. Peter goes on to give them the breadth of the statement. "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself" (Acts 2:39). "It's for you, and it's for you offspring, and it's for those who are far away." Who, then, is under this promise? "As many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."
We know, biblically, that universalism is false. Scripture is absolutely clear that "few" find the gate and "many" do not. We know, even from the lips of Christ, that there will be many who end up in eternal torment. So that "all" in Joel cannot mean "all people that have or do or will exist." God's Word defines that "all" from Joel's text -- "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord" -- and by the phrase, "as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." If you were thinking, "Hey, good news! This is a promise for salvation for everyone!", you were mistaken. If you see that it is an absolute certainty that everyone whom the Lord calls -- that all who, then, call on the name of the Lord to be saved -- will be saved, then you got it right and it is a glorious promise, a great place to rest if you have called on the name of the Lord to be saved. And that call that is necessarily accompanied by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will radically change you, as well.
3 comments:
Maybe that's what we can call ourselves. Christian is too watered down as to be meaningless now. Calvinist is too misunderstood. How about Ecclesians, the Called Out Ones?
You write often on the themes of “all those God calls will come” and “not all will be saved”; this related notion of “all who call upon God will be saved” is one of my favorite biblical truths (and it does not at all contradict the beforementioned doctrines). To me it proves God’s gracious and welcoming heart--to grant forgiveness and salvation to each and every one who calls upon His name. No special birthright required; no prerequisite standards to meet; no manmade conditions to fulfill. Once we are convinced that we are helpless and desperate sinners in need of rescuing, we find the perfect remedy freely provided by God Himself. That salvation is “a glorious promise,” indeed!
"The Called" or "Ecclesians" or whatever other version we choose will be misunderstood and villified. I know of self-professed Christians who despise the notion of "the elect" (even though it is a biblical reality throughout Scripture). In fact, this name-change thing has been going on for a long time. First it was "followers of the Way" and then it was "Christians." In more recent times it became "Evangelicals" and then "born again." my point is that no matter what we call us, we'll end up being misunderstood and disliked for it. And I'm not saying that's all bad.
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