Who gets chosen?
Who gets chosen is a question we usually think of in terms of getting picked for a team at school. But being chosen can be a big thing. Being chosen for an award or a promotion can make a big difference to our self-esteem and sometimes to our paycheques.
Being chosen is also a big thing in the world of theology. The theological term is predestination. There is a group that believes that God chooses who God wills to be saved, and everyone else isn’t. There are some extremists who believe God chooses some to be saved and also chooses some to be damned for eternity. I won’t say there is no biblical warrant for these positions, but I will say they are wrong. On the far opposite side is a group of people who believe it is entirely up to each human being to decide if they want to be saved, and there is nothing God can do about it, one way or the other. Again, I won’t say there is no biblical warrant for this, but this is also wrong.
God is neither an algorithm obeying a set of rules regardless of God’s wishes, nor is God powerless in the face of human will. So where does that leave us? Not with a simple or simplistic answer, no matter how much we want one. The sermon this Sunday tries to think carefully about what “chosen” might mean, looking at David being chosen as king of Israel and a blind man being “chosen” for healing. I hope you gain some value from the message. As always, let me know what you think as you are inclined and able.
Blessings,
