The Goodness of God when Scripture is Hard

02–25–25

We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:11–12)

I have debated with myself over predestination and free will much of my adult life. If God preordained some people for salvation, doesn’t that imply that He also preordained others to be forever lost? It’s not a doctrine that I dwell on, but in the last few weeks it has appeared in several different places, including an online sermon, my church’s Lay Academy, a study of Ephesians in my women’s group, and a passing reference on Instagram by William Lane Craig. Why isn’t the Bible more straightforward about election? Did God so love the world — as in all the people in it — or did God choose a few and to hell with the rest (literally)? What is the point of evangelism if God has already picked the ones He wanted and laid on them irresistible grace? Did God really allow people to be born for destruction? Is begging for the mercy of God through Christ a work of the will or calling of the Spirit?

Last week a new-to-me question emerged: What if irresistible grace refers to the Church at large, as it did in the Old Testament for the Hebrews, instead of to specific individuals? If so, does that imply that individuals have a responsibility to call on the Name of the Lord (Romans 10:13) for personal salvation and adoption into the Body of Christ…