The “Right” Perspective

Recently, I was asked two questions that helped me to better discern what The Spirit of God was leading me to teach and preach in March. This past Sunday we finished another of Paul’s books – the very short letter to Philemon. The overall challenge for us was – the grace to forgive. Each of us who have been redeemed are called by God to be a forgiven forgiver. We learned how being willing to forgive is just as much for the one who has been sinned against as it is for the one who’s been forgiven. We all have been and will be offended in this life. And many of our offenders will never personally try to contact us in order to confess and seek our forgiveness. Yet, God still calls each of His own to forgive; and it’s more than just being willing to. It’s a deep conviction that can overwhelm us to the point to where it’s hard not to forgive. How do we get to this place? By knowing, accepting and receiving that God has and continues to forgive us of sin so much greater than any sin anyone could ever do against us. Another helpful nudge is the understanding that there are those whom we have offended and have yet to seek them out.

This week, we will also be finishing up our midweek study on the book of Haggai. Our main objective has been to adopt the deeply-rooted conviction that if we are God’s redeemed (His own), then we must make certain that God is our #1 priority. This Old Testament book ends with an eschatological focus on the coming of The King of kings. Eschatological is a fancy way of saying – the study of the end of time (the time when Jesus will return). So, let me get to those two questions that I was recently asked. Here’s the first one--

What are your views on eschatology? Would you consider yourself to be pre-trib and pre-millennial?

That second question sounds like a question with the answer imbedded in it. It does amaze me, though, how some people have chosen to interpret or have interpreted to them the book of Revelation. The name of this book (the main Biblical book on eschatology) means – revealing or being revealed. I’ve read through this book and books and commentaries on it many times. But in 2021 (the last time I taught through it) was the most impactful to me personally. This was because of a more seasoned approach that I learned to adopt when it came to teaching and preaching, not only Revelation but any book of the Bible. It was around that time that I learned to let go of certain labels. While I would say that I am a Pre-Tribber and a Pre-Miller, I am learning to teach, live and just let – God be who HE is! As a result, I have come to accept that I cannot fully figure God out nor will I ever have all the answers to how He does and will operate. As Paul said – I preach Christ and Him crucified. One of my newfound goals in teaching and preaching is to communicate in a way to challenge people to not allow their personal perspectives to cause them to divide from other redeemed believers and their perspectives. This does not mean that we should not stand for Biblical truth. Jesus died for this truth; therefore, we should defend it. But there are certain beliefs we have adopted that we should treat more like perspective and less like dogma.   

The other question I was asked is – What are your thoughts about (Biblical) election and predestination and how they interact with free will? What about double predestination?

Sadly, election is a doctrinal issue that has led many to draw lines in the sand. It was in seminary, that I came across the book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer. God used this book to help shape my view on election. I'll start off by saying that I do not promote or support double predestination (the belief that God chooses some to be saved and rejects others to be damned). I believe this teaching disregards 2Pet 3:9 – God desires no one to perish but all to come to repentance. God is sovereign over all; and yet, each of us are still responsible. The word responsible involves an able response. We must choose to respond to The Spirit of God drawing us by repenting of our sin and surrendering our lives to Christ. But we need help – God must first do a work in our spiritually dead hearts [Eph 2:1-9]. His Spirit longs to open our eyes to who HE is and who we are in light of who HE is. Jesus stated, “No one can come to Me unless The Father who sent Me draws Him” [Jn 6:44]. Yes, God is sovereign over salvation; but we still must do our part by responding appropriately [Eph 2:8-9]. This is the “right” perspective.