 This is obviously a controversial topic for some reason. I'm not totally sure why. I don't think that it necessarily needs to be controversial. I don't think that it should be controversial. I think that it is, if we're going to be biblical, we should be able to find what we believe in the Bible. And I think this whole issue is, I think, clear, but I think it comes from a desire or maybe a tendency to want to stay with what you believe, what you hold to that determines how you accept it, how you see it. If you believe that predestination is not biblical, then you're not reading the Bible because it's in the Bible. However, there is some discrepancy as to what does it actually mean that God predestines. Now, let me say this up front. I am not Calvinist. I am not a Calvinist. And so some are going to say, whatever my belief is, is based on the fact that I'm a Calvinist. I am not a Calvinist. However, because I believe in this form of predestination, that doesn't make me a Calvinist. As a matter of fact, there are many people who believe this, who are not Calvinist. I believe it's biblical. And to go and jump into the, excuse me, with the poll that was issued that I put up, the question is, let me make this a bit brighter so I can see myself. Christians are predestined. The question is, there are four, really three answers. Really, there's four answers. One, I didn't put up there because I don't think that there's any basis for it. Although a lot of people actually hold to this, but we're going to go ahead and make sure that there is no misunderstanding about this other possible answer. We'll talk about it in just a second. But Christians are predestined. And do you believe that Christians are predestined before we eventually choose him? 40% said yes. Christians are predestined because we would not choose him. 29% said no. I mean, I said that. Christians are predestined knowing that God knows who will eventually choose him. 17% said agree with that. 13% said I don't know. There is another possible answer that I didn't put on there, one, because we only have four spots for that the YouTube offers in the poll. But there's another one that predestination is what God does corporately. Predestination and election go hand in hand. There is no, there is no blurry of the lines. They mean, they literally refer to the same thing. They don't mean the same thing, grammatically the Greek words that are used there don't mean the same thing, but they refer to the same thing. Water and wet refer to the same thing. Not necessarily because something can be wet, but not be wet because of water. Okay. But you get my drift. Hot and heat refer to the same thing. They don't mean the same thing, different definitions, but they do refer to the same thing. And so the same thing here lies. And so there are those that hold to this belief that people that are elected or are chosen are done so corporately. Well, I don't see how they, well, actually I do. I see why they come to that conclusion, but we're going to find out that that cannot be. There are passages that literally nullify that. So what I want to do first is when I want to have you guys on the screen, because I want you guys to kind of be interactive as well. But I want you guys to be involved in this. And I want to go to a couple of things. First of all, does God predestined? Now the word that the Greek word that she used is the Greek word proriso. It is formed with two words. And this is one of those cases where the two words that are formed literally tell us what the word means. And it kind of nullifies people's arguments. If we just let the, if words have meaning, then let them mean what they say. If I were to insult someone and say that you are a mean, nasty person and the person took offense and I said, why? Because those are compliments. Well, the person knows full well because words have meaning that that is a put down. And so since words have meaning, let's go with what the word means, unless we have a reason not to believe that, unless there's a reason in the Bible to believe that pro oriso means something totally different. And it does not. There are no examples of pro oriso meaning something other than the definition that I'm going to give you the definition of pro oriso. There are the based on the two words pro, which is before and oriso oriso, I'm sorry, means to determine or to appoint. So before and then determine or to appoint, put them together. You are, that means to determine or to appoint beforehand or before something. Well, what's the before something and we'll come back to the definition because when we look at the word in one of the more controversial passages that don't need to be controversial, then we'll see how it can't mean anything but that that is if this word, if the plain understanding of this reading of this definition of this word is what it is, then it kind of puts it in the right category. But now I want to go back really briefly to the to the poll and I'll depart from the poll and then prove my point. The answers that got the most was people were predestined before we eventually choose him. That is not the correct answer. It seems like it's the correct answer. It's one of those questions that has answers that to seem like they're possible, but that's not the case. The actual correct answer is going to be he predestined us because we would not choose. He sees and knows that we will not choose him. Now, can a person choose God? The answer to that question is yes. But wait a second, Corey. You just said we are predestined because God sees that we could not choose him. Well, I want to give a better clarification of that. That is we cannot consistently choose God. We can choose God. We can make a momentary declaration and even understand all the things that are involved in choosing God. We understand everything that he's done for us. We can give a mental assent to that. We can say, you know what? I believe everything the Bible says and I trust that. I trust that he died on the cross for me. But then what happens? Well, history tells us, even our own history and the Bible tells us that people can make a statement, can have a belief and believe it's true. With all their heart, they can believe it's true. And so no federal, I wouldn't say it's a false profession. It's a lacking confession. It's a confession that has no strength. There's nothing that, because there are those that literally believe what, as a matter of fact, Jesus tells us, people actually believe, but it was momentary. And we can't really, if we're going to hold others to the same standard, we got to hold ourselves to the same standard as well. And that is the Bible doesn't tell us that it was a false profession, meaning that they didn't believe that they meant it. But the problem with human beings is this. We can legitimately and in a heartfelt way mean something and then go back on what we mean. We do it all the time in our lives. We believe something and then violate what we believe because of what? Our emotions, our feelings, or better put, our flesh. The problem with our heart is our heart is connected to our flesh, our desires, the things that we want to do. I know for a fact that Jesus died on the cross for me. Have you seen someone struggle with that? Know for a fact that I'm fallen and that the only way that I can be saved is that the debt be paid on my behalf by Jesus. I believe that. No question. Everything that a real believer holds to, a false convert also holds those very same things. What's the problem? The condition of his heart. And we'll get back to that in a second. And so it is clear that a person can believe, but there's just no mechanism in of themselves to keep them doing so. Without apart from God's interference, you will not keep believing. In the Old Testament, we see people having God constantly intervene and cause them to repent. We see that over and over again. God is not doing that. God is not interacting in that way. We don't see the prophets. We don't see those miracles. We don't see him thundering out of heaven. We don't see him leading people from one place of the country to another part in up with a pillar of fire and pillar of cloud. We don't see that. We don't see the glory of the Lord descending and abiding amongst us. We don't see that because God, even at that point in time, knows he intends what he's going to do. He tells us that one of the problems is our heart and that he is going to fix our heart. And so without further ado, let's go ahead and get into the scriptures to say that God doesn't choose would be a mistake. God can choose corporately, but he can also choose individually. We'll go to the individual part later, but the corporate part he obviously chooses corporately. And when he does so, oftentimes, now he does, God will choose certain things based on merit. He will do things based on merit, I should say. In other words, he will reward us based on our merit or he will punish us based on merit. Let their own devices though, he'd be punishing a whole lot of people if he didn't get involved. He chose Israel, as he says, not because they were wonderful because they deserved it, as he says in Deuteronomy 7.7, he says, the Lord did not set his love on you, nor choose you and the same Greek word that would be used here in the Hebrew, the same word is used, the Greek word for choosing that's used in the Hebrew, if we go to the Septuagint. And so he chose Israel not based on anything that they've done or because they deserved it. He says he didn't choose you because you were more in number than any of the people for you were the fewest of all, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which he swore to your forefathers. Now the oath that he had did not come about because Abram was so wonderful, so awesome. No, he just chose Abram. Now could he have chose someone else? Could he have chose someone who is, well we didn't have the different tribes and so forth, but he could have chose anyone, but he chose Abram. Now that certainly shows us that he has the ability and even exercise that option to choose individuals. He does so as a matter of fact, when we think about the choosing of the two boys between Jacob and Esau, he could have just as easily chosen Esau, but he chose Jacob. He reverses the order and chooses not the older, but chooses the younger. And he can also choose to exercise his will on people. Now it's the belief of mine, and I probably, and I believe probably a great many of you, that he looks throughout time and sees that nobody will choose him. Now there's a difference in in my belief versus let's say the belief of many Calvinists. That is that he'll see that no one is capable of choosing, but I think that he looks and sees that people are capable, but they won't consistently do so, and we'll look and see some examples of people actually choosing. And so because of that, what is God going to do? God can do two things. God can do two things knowing that ultimately no one is going to consistently choose him. He's left with two options. One, destroy everyone, send everyone to hell, destroy them, or sovereignly choose some. And we'll get to the issue of if he's choosing some to save. Does that necessarily mean that he's choosing some to go to hell? He is not choosing. He is not predestining anyone to go to hell. Anyone that goes to hell, they are there on their own. Anyone that goes to heaven, they are not there on their own. We'll come to that even more so. But the Bible says to the famous passage in Romans 829, he says, for those whom he foreknew, and for some reason this word right here becomes the problem, the word foreknew. Does this word foreknow means that he knows that they're going to choose him ahead of time, or he just knows about them, or does he know what they are not going to do? The word foreknow can be open. Now I think that he is foreknowing, that could also be that he is foreordaining. There are some that dispute that. However, we don't have to focus on this word foreknow. Whether the word means to foreordain, whether the word means he knows what you're going to do, if we know that if the word means, if foreknow means that he knows what you are going to do, the question is who determines what God knows that you're going to do? Because now you'd have to put your presupposition in there to say that he knows that you're going to choose him, or he knows that you're going to not choose him. We don't have the ability to put in place or to describe what God foreknows. Are you guys with me? We don't know that for us to say that he knows that you are going to choose him, that's unfounded. There is no passage in the Bible, not one that states that God knows that you are going to choose him. There are none. Although there are passages, one clearly that we can think of when we go through the Romans wrote in and given the gospel, that there are none that seek after him. And of course we know that that's a part of it, but there's none that's that's seeking after him. And so it would be a contradiction to say that he sees who's going to seek after him and then chooses him based on that, where he says there are none that seek after him. So therefore it could not be that, but even if you thought that that was the case, that God the foreknow here is him seeing what you're going to do. I don't think that's the case. I think that it's him foreordaining, but even that aside, this word is not what this whole issue of predestination hinges on. What it hinges on is the actual word itself. This word here, predestined, which is the Greek word for pro or riso. I'm sorry, I already have it highlighted. I thought I did. Maybe I don't. Let me highlight that. Let me fix my screen. Let me highlight this for you guys. I want you guys to see it. This Greek word here pro or riso we talked about before. This word literally means to appoint or to choose or to determine beforehand. So if this word were to mean that like some who would say that this word means that God predestines you based on him seeing what you are going to do, that nullifies the use of the word. Why would that nullify the use of the word? Well, the reason why it would nullify the use of the word is because to ordain someone or appoint someone beforehand, you would take the pro off. You would take the before off. It could not be said that God predetermined or pre-selected or pre-chose or pre-destined before if you did something before him. If you do it and he sees that you're doing it, then it's no longer. It cannot be. It's an possibility grammatically, guys, for it to be predestination. Now, because I do want you guys to kind of interact, we'll go ahead and interact. Now, what I want you guys to do if you have questions, keep the questions here where I am versus kind of leading me because I want to stay on point, even though this isn't as formal as I would like it to be. Christina says, isn't question in context, isn't that referring to Jews and Gentiles when he says there are none that seek after him? Well, no, he's speaking to the Gentiles. As a matter of fact, let's go to the passage since I brought it up. Let's move to it, Romans chapter three. What then? Are we better than they? Not at all, meaning the Jews. Are the Jews better than the Gentiles? Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jew and Gentiles. So what he's doing, he's equating what he's going to say, he's going to equate to both Jew and Gentile. Well, if we equate it to Jew and Gentile, who does that include? That literally includes everybody. So he says, are we better than them? No, no, Jews are not better than Gentiles. Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Gentiles or Jews and Greeks are all understand as it is written. So we see how he's going forward. There is none righteous, not even one. There's nobody that is in right standing, nobody. Secondly, he says there is none who understands. Nobody who is under, and by the way, these are in the participle form. So these are continuing. There is none who seeks for God. So there is nobody, nobody, nobody, not one, not Jew, not Greek. And so therefore, when he talks about, let's go back to Romans 8, let's go back to Romans 829, and he says, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son. So how could you predestine or predetermine or pre-appoint beforehand for them to become something that you see they're already going to become? You already see them placing their faith in you, and so you are going to predestine them to do so? That cannot be. It eliminates the need for predestining. So God just, Lord, do you know that you don't have to add that? And that's not what God is doing. God is telling you what he has done. He has predetermined that to have never come back to this passage. And no, you know what? Let's finish this verse and then we'll go back to something else. He says, to be conformed to the image of his son so that he would be the first. Now, where am I at? Yeah, so that he would be the first born among many brothers. And these whom he predestined, those whom he predestined, what did he also do? He also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. He's the one that justifies him. And those who he justified, he also glorified. Now, we'll come back again to this in just a little bit, but I think it needs to be understood that this is God doing the work. What did God say? In order for a person to be saved, that person's heart has to be fixed. That person's heart has to be changed. The problem is, and listen, God does ask you. God does tell us, or at least he tells Israel, to fix your heart. Get your heart right, because again, the problem is the heart. No one, according to John 3, and we'll go there in a little bit, but according to John 3, nobody can see salvation. No one can see the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, without first being born again. And there are three terms that's used for being born again. One born again, obviously, born again, born of the spirit and born of water and spirits. All three of these are synonymous. Well, what does that refer to? We'll go to just a little bit, but what does that refer to? That refers to the heart being born from above. Now, if we go to Deuteronomy, let's go to the Old Testament. Let's see if I have it here. Let's go to Deuteronomy 30. I don't know why I don't have it in here, but you know what? I'm sorry. Let's go here. Deuteronomy 30. I have Deuteronomy already selected. Let's go to Deuteronomy 30, verse 6. Now, he's already told them to fix their heart. He is faith of work. I'll come back to that question as well. He's already determined that you need to, they need to, we all need to fix our heart. Problem is, we just don't. We don't. We won't. And so what does he say? He says what he is going to do. He says in verse 6 and 7 to 30, and we've covered this enough time, he said that more over the Lord, your God will circumcise your heart. So according to this passage, just basic understanding, plain reading, what does God say he's going to do? He says that he is going to circumcise the heart. God will do so. When? Well, he tells us that he's going to do so, but he even tells us when it's going to happen. And we have an understanding that this happens, this begins to happen at the cross or after the cross, I should say. And so verse, verse 6, it's clear. Now, I don't know if anyone would disagree with that, with that assessment that God has said that he will circumcise our heart. Is there anyone that disagrees with my definition or my interpretation of that passage, that when God says more over the Lord, your God will circumcise your heart? Is there anyone that would take that to mean anything other than the Lord will circumcise your heart? In other words, if you disagree with what I'm saying, what do you think that verse 6 means? He says the Lord, your God will circumcise your heart. What does that mean? Well, whatever the heart is going to go through, God is the one who's going to do it. And what is he going to do? He's going to circumcise it. What does that actually mean? Well, what that means is, and let's go to Deuteronomy, not Deuteronomy, Ezekiel 36, and it's also in 1119 as well. But verse 26, verse 26, we'll start there. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit. Now, he's given a new heart. What does that entail? By putting a new spirit within you, I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you, this word aside means what I just said, cause to make, cause you, fix you to walk in my statues and be careful to observe my ordinances. As a matter of fact, let's go to Deuteronomy. Let's go to chapter 11, verse 30, if I can click on this, because I also like the way that it's put there, Deuteronomy 1119, and you shall teach them, do I have this right way? No, I'm sorry, Deuteronomy. And I will give them one heart and put a new spirit within them, and I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my statues and keep my ordinances to do them, and they will be my people, and I shall be their gods, their gods, I said, says. So, I think that's pretty clear. I think it's pretty clear what God has determined He's going to do, and since God says He's going to do it, guess what? He's going to do it. I don't think there can be any doubt about that. So God has determined, I say that He is going to circumcise our hearts, and so when we get to John chapter 3, let's go here. You know what? No, let's go here. Let's put it here. I was trying to find the right slot to put it in. So John 3, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, and he says, truly, truly, I say to you that unless, now he gives a chronology to it, in May, so unless someone, a person is born again, he cannot sit in God. So you cannot be saved unless being born again happens, unless being born of the Spirit. The reason why this is important is because someone's going to say, well, the passages that you quoted in Ezekiel, 11 and 36, as well as due to rhyming all those passages, they're just referring to Israel. Well, they do refer to Israel. The issue is though, we find out that they're not referring to Israel only. He's not referring to Israel only, although if all you had was that, you would think, yeah, he's referring to Israel only. However, we find out that he's not just referring to Israel only. He's also referring to everyone else. How do I know? Because we go to John 1, verse 12, but as many, so this word, hasway means all of us, it's all inclusive, every single person, all the persons who received him, he gave the right to become children of God, even those to those who believe. So those that are believing, so all the ones that are believing, this is who's including. Y'all know the term that we all were constantly using. You guys make fun of it, kind of use it in jest, but there's high pistol wine. This is the word that's being used here. This is the participle. There's the plural form of it. So all those that are believing, all of the believing ones in his name, look what he says, who were born, not of blood. Now, this being born, the word born is the same word that's used in John 3. So all those that have been born of God, you weren't born of blood. You were not born of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but you were born by the will of God. So to be born again, if you are in Christ, every single person that is in Christ has been born of the Spirit. This includes Jew and Gentile. Gentiles have to be considered in this part, have to be contemplated in John 1-12, because it says as many, whoever, all of those people, hasway, that is all inclusive. So therefore, Jew and Gentile, whoever it happens to be, that is a child of God, is so because they were born of God. Now, to make this even more clear, we'll come back to John 3 and matter of fact, let's go back to John 3. I want to finish up in John 3. I want to go somewhere after that. But he says, so the first thing that's happened is you have to be born of the Spirit. Well, great. Great. Sign me up. What do I have to do to be born of the Spirit? What do I have to do to be born again? Please help me figure out where is there an application? Is there an app? Do I hit the little bar thing or whatever, the little squiggly little deal or whatever? Click that or whatever on my phone and now I download the ability to become born again? No. Now, Nicodemus is confused. How in the world could that happen? You mean enter my mother's womb and come back out again? Can that be done? No, Nicodemus, you are confused. This is literally, there's only two possibilities, born a second time or born from above. Well, since it's not a second time, Nicodemus is thinking kind of plainly and physically, but it's not that he says no, born of the Spirit. And that they know them also means born from above, which we also see that in Titus 3 and we see it in other places. So in this case, he says you have to be born of water and Spirit, which is why someone asks, why does sometimes the Bible will use different ways of saying the same thing? Well, the reason why you'll see the Bible use or say the same thing different ways is because sometimes it takes different ways for different people to get it. Matter of fact, case in point. Here we've got Nicodemus getting it from Jesus three ways. He's explained to it as being born again. Well, Nicodemus is confused by that terminology. So he says being born of the Spirit or being born of water and the Spirit, which is literally the same two elements that God brings up in Ezekiel 36. And so he says, no, truly true, I said to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. So he's using a different way of saying it, that which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. So born of Spirit. Do not marvel or be amazed that I said you must be born again. And then here is where the whole issue of election and predestination comes in, because you can't do this on your own. You can't cause yourself to be born again. This is not an act that you do. This is an act that he does. He says, the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it. You understand that it's happening, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. So if you're born of the Spirit, this is something that you that he does. If you're born again, you are born not because you know where it's going from or who it's going to. You know, it's you are born of the Spirit. It's his will. It's his choosing. It's his doing. As Jesus says in John 1, I mean, as John says in John 1 12 and 13, you're not born of your will, your desires, your flesh or anything like that. Nothing that you can say, see, I did it. You can do it too. No, being born again, it's all on him. And then those that are born of him, those that are born of him are those whom he does. He's the one that actually initiates this. Now, before I, before I move forward, I want you all to understand that salvation has to first take place because of something that takes place in your heart. As a matter of fact, Paul mentions this in 2 Corinthians chapter 122, starting 21, he says, now he who establishes establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, the one that did that was God, who also sealed us and gave us a spirit where in our hearts as a place. So all that we've been talking about thus far is what God has done in our hearts. You didn't do it. Nothing that you can think of could do it. God is the one that did it through his spirit. And so Paul reiterates this in 2 Corinthians 122. He gave us the spirit. He gave us the spirit. You didn't. He gave us the spirit in our hearts. Are you with me? Now, this whole issue of being born again or having the spirit put in us to make it even clearer. Notice what Paul says. Not Paul, but Peter says in 1 Peter 1, verse 3, he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again. So who causes us to be born again? And the reason why I'm giving these before I go back to this issue of predestination is because God is the starter of this. He's the lighter. He's the igniter. He's the one that makes it happen. Not us. Try as we might. The history that we can look back and see and see that it fails utterly every time is Israel. We have them as an example to see that we can't do it. We can never on our own get it right. We just can't do right as the movie life says. He's just, what's wrong with him? What's wrong with this boy? I don't know, boss. He just, he just can't get right. Well, that's us that all of us need to have a shirt or tattoo somewhere in our house can't get right. But it's him. Thankfully, it's him that is determined that to happen for us. Is that a bit? I don't know selfish. Well, no, because we didn't think we're not the one that did it. Me being born again is not an act that I've done. And so I can't take credit for it. So because of that, I don't have to apologize for it. I don't have to apologize to anyone for what God clearly did. Now again, they're going to be those are going to say that no, what God did, he did on the basis of what you did. He did on the basis of seeing what you are going to do. He provides the word. He provides the opportunity. And then he leads it up to your free will to go and choose. I agree with that. But there's more to it. He does provide the opportunity for you to be saved. He does provide the opportunity for you to fix your heart. He does provide the opportunity for you to walk right, but you just never do nor never will. And so what, what will he do? If you say that he does so, and then we in turn, we make a decision. And so then he chooses us. But that goes counter to what first Peter third one three says. He cost us to be born again. Not the other way around. We didn't fix our hearts first. Then he predestined us. No, this is a work of the Lord, not a work of Cory, a work of Bob, a work of Mary, a work of Sheila, a work of Rick Caldwell. Hey, what's going on, brother Rick? It's not, no, it's not a work of you. It's a work of him. Amen. So that being the case. And before I go, I've got to ask, are you with me? So he is the one that caused that. He is the one that did that in us, not you yourself, but he did it. Now going back to John three, I'm sorry, not John three, not John three. I'm sorry. I apologize. Going back to Romans eight, 29, he says, for those whom he foreknew he also predestined. So now we can get rid of this whole concept of for no, meaning him knowing what you're going to do. By the way, here's, here's the irony. There are those that will tell you that he foreknows that you are going to choose him and then he predestines you, but then we'll turn around in the same breath and say that you can then lose your salvation, even though he foreknew you were going to choose you. So think about this. This is the, this is the lunacy of it. And I don't, I don't mean to be, be harsh. I hope I'm not being harsh. Forgive me if I am, but to think that God looks throughout time. Sees that you're going to choose you, that you are going to choose him. I'm sorry. Then he predestines you to be conformed to his image. And in doing so, he also writes your name in the Lamb's book of life. Then you turn around and you walk away. You forfeit your salvation. You lose your salvation. Then he blots your name off. What kind of God is that? God is that he sees, but so far he sees far enough to see that you're going to choose him so much so that he writes your name down and then predestines you. What does he predestine you to, if you're going to turn around and walk away? That can't be the case. There are so many just logical violations in that thought that, that he predestines you, but then you can turn around and walk away. Predestination only works the way that we're explaining it tonight. That's the only way we have a God. And this what happens. Moses is told to tell the people by God, do not have a God that a carved God of any graven image. But you know what kind of God we make now? Not necessarily God of gold or wood or iron. Now we make gods of our own imaginations or, or we make a God of sand. What do you mean, Corey? How can we make a God of sand? Here's how we make a God of sand, because what our mirror is made of. Because what our mirrors made of aren't, it mirror basically some sort of processed sand, glass to make a mirror. Well, we make a God that looks just like us. What do I mean? A God that is fickle, a God that is fragile, a God that is double-minded, a God that changes his mind, or a God that forgets what he thought. No, God determined this. Now there are some that are staunch determinants that he determines every single thing. I don't, that's not me. I believe that God does give us the ability to make decisions. That we have what's called volition. That we do have will. You can call it free will if you want to. I'm not opposed to you calling it free will. Fine. As long as you're, as long as you're not opposed to God having free will. Again, if you've got free will, certainly he does. And oh, by the way, whose will is bigger? Let's be honest, your will, by the way, ain't so free. You know how I know your will ain't so free? Well, here's how we know. Because don't you will to do good? Is it your free will, your desire to not sin? That is if you're a Christian. Now, if your free will is, if you desire to sin, you know what I want to sin. I plan on sin. Matter of fact, I'm going to sin real good tonight, but that's okay though. I'm saved. If your will is to not sin, is your free will, and you are governed by your free will, free will mean there's nothing outside of you causing you or affecting you to do anything. So that's what free will is. Unencumbered, uninhibited, not influenced by anything. Well, fine. If that's what your free will is, the question is, if you do have free will, then why do you still sin? You desire not to, you will not to, but you still do sin. Because your will is affected by something. Your will is affected by something. Matter of fact, not just affected by something, it's infected by something, which is why God wants to fix your heart. You know that old rotten heart of yours, the one that makes its mind to do one thing, and then the next day, apologize. You know what? I'm going to get it right. You know that same heart that promised, I'm going to lose weight, January the 1st. Here it is, November. You know what? I can't wait until January comes around again. I'll make another New Year's resolution. That same heart that decided, I'm going to start saving money. I'm going to put myself on a budget. I'm going to eat right. I'm going to stop lusting. I'm going to stop this. That same heart, yeah. That's the heart that God says I'll fix that you could not. Give you an opportunity. Let's see you on your own. Let's see you do it apart from God. How's that work for you? Let me give you another example. If you all desire, how many of you all desire to have a relationship? This is for the single folks. For the single folks, matter of fact, not just single folks, but the folks that even are married, because prior to being married, you desired to have somebody and you kept messing up. Because on your own, the decision that you make, we're not very good at making decisions. Even if we really, really, really, really, really, truly want something, we tend to make the bad decisions. The wrong decisions, do we not? That's just who we are. We are messed up people. So again, go buy your t-shirt. Get you a tattoo. I know I'm not for tattoos. Tattoo that. I just can't get right. That's you. Can't get right. Different between you and can't get right in the movie. He can play baseball. You can't. You can't do it on your own, which is why he says, why he says he caused you to be safe, not you. You just can't. I know you're smart. I know you're great. I know you have a head full of lovely hair, which is probably holding you back. I know you've got a wonderful smile. I know that your mother goes to church, your father goes to church, your grandparents probably started the church. I know that. You're a deacon. You've been a junior deacon. I know your family drives a church bus. I know you give all the time. I understand that. But you're still no good. There's still nothing good about you, as Paul says, except for, as he refers to the spirit that's in him. And so because of that, God has to cause you. So what does he do? He predestines you to be conformed to the image of his son. That's what he's doing. You couldn't do that. There would be no need for him to do so if he saw that you were going to do it on your own. Now I want to go to a passage also. Some of these passages should seem familiar. He says, but he gives the, he gives the story of a wedding feast in Matthew 22. You all are pretty much familiar with it. And then at the end, he says, I chose these people to come, but they would, I, the, and he, now he's speaking of Israel. Matter of fact, let's read the whole thing. Chapter 11, I mean, 22. Oh, I'm starting the wrong spot. Let's start in verse one. The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son and sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited. They've been invited to the wedding feast and they were unwilling. They did not want to come. Okay, well, fine. They had not a desire. So there's the, there's their free will right there. Their free will is inaction. Don't want to, don't want to. And again, he sent out other slaves saying, tell the others who I've, who've been invited. Behold, I prepared my dinner, my ox and my fat calf, my last livestock are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast. But they paid no attention. There's their free will again and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business. They seized his slave. They beat him. They killed him. But the king was enraged. Now here comes his will. And he sent his armies and destroyed those murders and set their city on fire, which is what he's done to Israel. Then he said to the slaves, the wedding is ready. But those who were invited were not worthy. Which is really all of us. Go therefore into the main highways and as many as you find. There, invite to the wedding feast. Those slaves went out into the streets and they gathered together all they found. Now, not everybody, but just who they found brought them to the wedding feast and the place was filled with dinner guests. Now notice what he says. I want to go to the part verse 14, drop down. He says, for many are called but fewer chosen. Well, this word is chosen here. Is this word election? Where we see now, this is him calling people. This is God doing so. But he does call people. But it's those that are chosen. Now, how does this work here? I've given this analogy before. The analogy is this. Let's say I desire to have a birthday party. I want to have a birthday party and I invite all of you. I invite all of you people. The 300 some people in the chat right now. I invite all of you. Problem is nobody seems to have no ones people have said that they have here's what these people have done. You guys have done this to me. You have RSVP, but no one has shown up. No one is you all RSVP me and no one showed up. Now I'm hurt. So what am I going to do? Well, I can cry. I can sulk or I can do something about it. Sing as though no one's going so I get in my car. Get in my car and I drive up and let's say I go pick up Jenae. I go pick up LaShonda. Who else am I going to pick up? I'm going to pick up Drew. I'm going to pick up Jesus Lover 122. I'm going to pick up Rick. I'm going to pick up spider monkey and Jeff. I'm going to pick up Sheila. And that's it. That's it. Bring them back to the party. And when they get I'm sorry. I picked up. I saw Catherine on the way back. I picked her up too. And so I picked her up brought her back and everybody that I brought in not just came to the party, but I gave them all a million dollars. Now, Neland didn't show up. Neland didn't show up. Why? Because it was a cult theme party. Yep. Neland didn't show up. The cowboy fans didn't show up. Didn't show up. Why? I got better things to do. Okay, fine. Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine. Okay, everybody showed up. I'm sorry. None of you guys showed up, but I went and picked up all of you. I went and picked up all 300 or something of you. I just made a bunch of trips. It was daunting. It was it was harsh. Even even my even even though Neland was angry outside. You know what? I'll go ahead and pick him up again. Eve because Neland is not deserving. Neland is not deserving to come because Neland doesn't like the cults, but I picked him up anyway. I even bit my tongue and picked up the cowboy fans. Yes, I did. Brought them and gave everybody million dollars. Now, those people that I also invited that didn't show up, they're upset. They're angry. Why? I'll say to them, did I not invite you? Now, think about this here. This is the funny argument. Do you know who will reject this argument? Those people who believe in ultimate free will. Ultimate free will. Well, then if you believe in ultimate free will, then what's your problem? You know, you had a choice and you chose not to show up. You chose not to come. Fine. You can't get mad. Hey, wait a second, Corey. You gave everybody million dollars. Yeah, I did. Well, why didn't you come get me? Because I didn't want to come get you. It's my prerogative. I can do what I want to do. And I really did not mean to say it like that, like Bobby Brown, but it is my prerogative. It is God's prerogative. He can do what he wants to do. It came to my mind as soon as it left my mouth. But God can do that. Because again, you got free will. Fine. Fine. You got a will. So too does God. And he chose who to bring in and then to reward them. The people that I went and picked up, do they deserve that? No. No. But I wanted to show my love. And the reason I want to do so is because let's change what I said. It wasn't my birthday. It was my son's birthday. And I wanted everyone to see my son. I wanted to give him the greatest birthday party that anyone, the greatest party that you could think of. And certainly it was. Everyone is the greatest party they've ever been invited to or have attended. That's what God did. That's what God did. Now, let's make this even more clear. He also states that there are some people who don't do so because they don't want to. I'm sorry, who don't do so because they're not chosen. There are a couple passages that people get bothered by. They get bothered by John 847 is one of them. Also, Romans 1026 is not a pass that people, they might interpret it a little bit differently. John 1026, he says, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. Now, you can take that different ways. If it weren't for the fact, this one little word that's there that tells us the reason why they did not believe. He literally, because again, words have meaning. Can anyone tell me what settles this argument as to why they don't hear? Why they don't believe? Why don't people who are not believers, why don't they do so? No, I say they don't do so because they're not his sheep and they're not his sheep because he hasn't chosen them. But there is a little word in here that makes it clear and Samo 3 King nails it. That's it because it's this Greek word here and it's in the Greek. This word, Hati. This word right here. I who may use pistuete, then it's word Hati because the reason why you don't believe me, the reason why you don't have faith, Hati uk esti, because not our ectome proper time, because you're not of the sheep of mine. You're not of my sheep. That's the reason. Why aren't you my sheep? I didn't choose you. Now I asked you to come. I asked you to come. Now, and let me address that. Abiding you says love is not forced. Is it? Is that true? Is that true? Now, by the way, God can do it different ways he want. He can make you do what he wants you to do. Now, by the way, Ezekiel 36 says so that he's going to cause you to walk in his teachings, in his commandments, in his statutes. There's no other way to take that word cause. He's going to cause you, not enable you, but cause you to. Now, there's different ways a person can go about making someone do something, right? I can, God can want me to go right, and he can do it one of two ways while I'm driving. He can make me, he can make me, he can change my heart, put in my mind, you're going that way and I just do that. He can do that. Or he can wash the bridge out. The bridge is out and they got a big detour sign that make me turn right. And I turn right. What am I going to do? The elements are there to cause me to do so. He can do that as well. And I think that he does both at different times. He literally has a spirit work because as Paul says, he gave us a spirit and he put it in our heart. He did that. We didn't do that. And there are times where circumstances cause us to do so. Circumstances that cause. Now, the problem is going to be, and I see some people in Cheska are having this problem, is you're thinking that it's not the way I would do it. And because something in the way that you would do it, then it's not logical. Well, logical can be fungible. Logic can change depending on how you see things. We don't have to worry about how we see things or the logic. We just go by the scriptures. Is there a passage that says that that that counters what I say that God would not do it this way? Now, he gives you the word. Who is, and I want to ask you guys in the chat this question. When I ask you guys in the chat this question, who is responsible for you believing? Think about this for a second, guys. Who is responsible for you believing? You, is it you or is it God? Who's responsible? And I'll wait a little bit because I want you guys to put it in the chat. I see God he is. Someone says I am. Okay, there's a scripture that covers this stuff, by the way. Who is responsible? God, and when we say God, God the Holy Spirit Jesus, who's responsible or is it you? Okay, someone says we are, someone says me. Okay, so let's work this out. Let's work this out and then let's see. I think it's pretty conclusive that it can't be you. Let's say I give you the word. The only way that you can believe in God, the only way that you can have faith is you've got to have the word, right? So I give you the word. I want to make sure, and I want to say this slow enough, because I want to make sure that everyone is tracking with me. So for all the folks that believe it's up to me, I've got to do it fine. Fine, you might be right. How does that work? So if I give you the word, then you place your faith in him? Is that how that work? I, you hear the word first and then you believe, right? Is that right? Even the people that believe God is doing the work, it's still that we also believe that we hear the word and then we believe. So am I, am I good so far? We hear the word and then we believe. There's a problem though with that. There's a problem with that. When you hear the word, Jesus is the one that gave us in three of the Gospels in Luke, Mark and Matthew, he gives us an analogy of us hearing the word. The analogy that he gives us of hearing the word, he calls that word, he calls it the seed. You hear the seed and then, or you hear the word, which is the seed, you hear it, it has to take root. Where do you plant seed at? Ladies and gentlemen, you plant seed in the ground, in the soil. Am I right? I think I am. You plant seed in the soil. When you plant it in the soil, now if you're like me, we had those little science experience where they gave us a seed and we get the little milk cartons, get some dirt, put the seed in there and water it and mine never grew worth anything. Mine always died. My brother's was a little bit better than mine. There were some kids, they had full blown trees growing and mine was just a little dead little thing. So he calls the seed, his word, and he calls the soil where as planted our heart. Right? If the soil is bad, then what will happen to the word? Can there be growth, successive, continual growth, good growth in a bad soil? The answer is no. How do I know? Because Jesus said so in Luke 8, 11. We cover this a billion times so far. How about a billion and one? Now the parable is, he's given the explanation of the parable. And oh, by the way, notice what Jesus has done. They asked the question. Matter of fact, let's go back. Let's go a little further. He says in verse 8, he says other seed, I'm sorry, the middle verse 8, he says, and he said these things, he would call out, he who has an ear to hear, let him hear. The disciples began questioning as to what this parable meant. He said to them, to you, notice what he says. Here, before he gives the definition of the understanding of this parable, he explains election. He gives an example of election. He says to you, it has been granted or given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to the rest, it has not. So even in this, he has even determined who's going to understand it and who will not. And then look what he says. He explains it. He says the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. You know, the very same thing that we all agree that you must hear. You must have in order to have faith. So fine. That's the first element, but the second element is your heart. You believing. So let's see who does that. He says those beside the road are those who have heard. Okay. So we heard, then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart so that they will not believe. So now they hear it. They, they, they, they take it in and the devil comes. Those on the rocky soil, we won't get into how he does. So we've, I think we've covered it before. Those verse 13 on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear it, receive the word with joy and these have no firm root. They believe, there it is for a while. So you can believe, but it's only for a while temporarily. We're going to find out the reason why they believe temporarily is because their soil or their heart isn't any good. They believe for a while and in time of temptation, fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard. And as they go on their way, they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this world or this life and bring no fruit to maturity. Now here it is, but the seed in the good soil. Well, where do we get the good soil? Look what he says. These are the ones who have heard the word in a what honest and good heart and hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance. Question, you might determine whether you can hear the word or not. And you certainly aren't the ones that give the word. God is the one that gives the word, but the heart, the good heart that is required for the seed to take root and grow, which is salvation. Who, ladies and gentlemen, if I ask you now, who is responsible for your heart? So rather than me asking a question, who is responsible for you believing, I'll ask it this way. Who is responsible for your heart? Who is responsible for the condition of your heart? Now I'll ask it all over again. And I really want to hear from those who said that I am responsible for believing. Now I'll ask it a different way. Who is responsible for the condition of your heart? And I'll be disappointed if someone says me. Who is responsible for the condition of your heart? It's not you. This is why all throughout the Old Testament, coming up, God has said that He is going to fix the heart. He is the one that's going to fix the heart. Jesus says in John 3 that your heart is now born from above. Titus 3 tells us this. It's God that does the preparing of. He fixes the soil. You can't. You don't have the, you wouldn't know where to start. You wouldn't know where to start. If I said here, here, let me give you some tools to fix your heart. You would know what tools to take and you would know how to use them. It's God that does so. If you disagree, is there one passage in the Bible that tells us that you fix your heart? Is there one passage that says that you are responsible for the condition of your heart? None. In order for this heart to become good, it has to be God's doing. As Jesus says, just as the spirit of the wind blows where it goes, you don't know where it's going, where it's coming to. So too is everyone that's born of the spirit. And Peter goes further, makes it even clearer, saying that God, the spirit, He caused you to be born again. Paul says that heart that you have is the spirit that God put in your heart. Now, let me go to a passage. There are those that are going to say, well, wait a second, wait a second, wait a second, hold up, wait a second. I said before that there are those that think that this whole issue of being predestined is kind of a corporate issue where He has determined that one, God is going to be the one that we have to be in to be saved, which doesn't make any sense. And that He has chosen that some people are going to be saved. No, He not only chooses that some are going to be saved, because this whole issue of Romans 9 to 11, it's not about election, but He brings up election in that. And He's using it to refer to Israel. Now, I do understand where some people that oppose Calvinists get upset with Calvinists for using Romans 9 to 11 to think that that's what it's about. It's not about that, but at the same point in time, He does bring that up. Because where He does talk about Israel being elect and He is speaking corporately of Israel, Paul makes it clear that there are some individuals also elect now, and that there are individuals that will be elected in the future. He knows exactly who He's going to elect. How foolish would it be to say that God is going to choose this nation, but doesn't know which one is in the nation? He literally is the one that picks out who He's choosing. Is that wrong on His part? No, He's God. You had your shot. You had your choice. Well, wait a second. How can we say that God would arbitrarily choose people? Well, to you it's arbitrary, but He says according to His own good counsel. You know what God never did? He never called up Cory. He never called up Catherine. He never called up Rishan and said, please, could you, could... I'll answer your question. He never says, asked you for your opinion. He never counseled with you and I. Me. Yeah, you and me. He never counseled with you and me. He never said, Cory, this is what I'm planning on doing. Here's why. Nope. Nope. He didn't ask. He didn't counsel. How do I know? Well, let's go to Ephesians 1. And again, since words have meaning, let's look at the meaning of these words. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Now, some people think that because it says in Christ, that you must be in Christ. Well, no, look what He's going to do with the in Christ. This in Christ, He is going to, as a matter of fact, let me make sure it's there again. Yeah, this in Christ is there also. He's going to tell us how we get to be in Christ. Verse 4, just as He chose us in Him. Now, the word Christ isn't there, but now the English has capitalized the hymn. Why? Because it's referring to the Christ. Who's the hymn? I don't think anyone would disagree with the fact that the hymn is Christ. And what I've been asking, and folks have asked me, but I've never gotten rebuttal to this, just grammatically, the words mean something, and grammar certainly means something, syntax means something, which is why you see so many Greek scholars that go to this passage and say this is what it's referring to, and you see the other folks who call themselves Greek scholars who disagree, don't go to this passage and say, it means something different. Look what it says. Just as He, who chose us? This kathos exalacti, which is even as or just as He chose, this guy is in the heiress middle. He did it to us, not ourselves. Notice when you look through the scriptures, salvation for us is passive. The active participant in salvation is God. We are the passive participants. And so He chose us. Remember, even in the rules of English, you have the subject, you've got the verb, you've got the direct object, and then to add even greater understanding, He gives the indirect object. Let me explain how this works. If I say, let me just pick a person. Let's say I chose Barry. I threw the ball. Barry and I were playing catch. You don't know that, but I said I threw the ball. That's enough for that sentence, right? That's a complete sentence. It makes perfectly good sense. I threw the ball. What is the direct object? The ball. Now I can give better understanding, greater clarification if I say who I threw the ball to, to Barry. Or I can say, I placed the fruit in the basket. Who did it? I did it. I did what? I placed, what's the direct object? The fruit. So what is being, what is having something done to it? The fruit, the direct object. Are you with me? I know some of you guys, it's been a while since we went on with English, but the direct object tells us what the action is being done to. So in this case, I put the fruit. I put the fruit. I placed the fruit. The indirect object is what it was gone into. Into the basket. Why is that important? Because grammar, syntax, these rules apply here in English and in Greek. Notice what he says. He chose us. Now, in Greek, the accusative, the accusative case is the direct object. That's this word right here. Matter of fact, no, let's do it differently. Let me go ahead and give a little highlighter. Let me, let me utilize this, this doggone thing. This, let me underline this, the us. That's the direct object. Then we're going to find the indirect object. The indirect object, if I can push this button, the indirect object is right here. Oh, that's bad writing. All right. So close that out. Now, as you can see on the screen, I don't know if you all can make that out. So he chose us. Us is the direct object. Us in him. So when someone wants to say, yeah, but you got to be in Christ. Well, duh, if you say, well, yeah, but it's in Christ is the key. Duh again, double duh, duh, duh, duh. Sure. Notice when they say this, the word in Christ, let's go back to verse three. It's got to be in Christ. Look what it says. It's in Cristo. And then in verse four, it's in Alto. Notice the ain Cristo is in the dative. I want you to look at this for a second. The ain Cristo is in the, my highlighter back up. Cristo is in the, and I'm putting it in the, what is this? Cayenne, no, Magenta. That's what this is, Magenta. So the Magenta is in what's called the dative. The dative case is what's happening over here. Oh, I see. The dative case is in the Magenta. The dative is the direct, I'm sorry, the indirect object. The direct object is in the, whatever color this is, greenish. The indirect object is what was chosen to be in what? Into the, I mean, the direct object is what was chosen. The indirect object is what was chosen to be in. The Alto. Alto is in the dative, which so is Christ. So in Christ, so if you say that he chose us to be in Christ, amen. When did he do so? He did so at the, or before pra catamales. Now, why is this word pra important? Well, let's go back to the main passage. The word pra, if we go back to Romans 828, we see this word pra. Let me go ahead and get my, get my trusty highlighter over here. Hold on one second, get my trusty highlighter, and I'm going to highlight the word, so you all can see it in the Greek. Okay. Oh, it's not on the screen. This word pra, if you all can see, as a matter of fact, let me undo this. Let me, uh-oh, I'm clicking too many buttons. Let me undo this. Let me unhighlight this. Okay. One day I'm going to get a firm handle on this thing. There it is. So now, what's highlighted? Fuck, we're pushing these buttons. Notice what's highlighted, guys. In the Greek, the word pra is highlighted, pra, okay? P, row, amicron. I know you guys are like, what's P? And we say the word pie. The actual, the actual pronunciation of the word is not pie. It's P. It's P. P, row, amicron. That's pra. Go back over to Ephesians 1, and notice what's highlighted over there. Pra also. What does pra mean? Before. That's why we say election and predestination. It's essentially the same thing, and they both were done pra before. Pra or riso, and in this case, pra, kathabalayas, which is before the foundation of the world. So when did he choose us, the direct object, to be in him, before the foundation of the world? So what does predestination have to refer to? It necessarily has to refer to him choosing us before we did anything before he saw us doing anything. If he saw us doing anything, it eliminates the definition and the use or need of election or predestination. Have I lost anybody so far? That's a good way to put it though, Dutch. Pra equals pre. It does actually. Pra equals pre, before. So it would be difficult for somebody to come back and say, no, that's just not what that means. Well, you have to tell me what it means. You have to tell me what it means. God is the one that has determined to regenerate hearts. He's the one that determined whose hearts are going to be regenerated. Now, I said before that I'm going to do it right now. I want to cover this issue. Don't want to am I through with first with Ephesians? I said first Ephesians. Am I through with Ephesians? No, I'm not. I'm sorry. I'm not through with Ephesians. I'm not through with Ephesians. Let's continue reading. He predestined their word again. He predestined us to the adoption of the sun. So it's all in that same trend of thought of him choosing us before the foundation of the world. He predestined us to adoption as sons, which is what he says in Romans 8. Now, did he do it arbitrarily? He says, according to the kind intentions of his will, which tells us something, the good pleasures of his will, his will is the reason why he did so. Did he give us, did he let us in on the secret meeting as to why and what, not everything, to the praise of his glory? You know what that means? So that when we recognize this, that you mean to tell me you adopted me not because of what you saw I was going to do, but you adopted me in spite of me? Praise God. I love you even more. If I could possibly love you more, Lord, I love you even more. Now, notice what he says. Verse 13. In him, there's that... Ainho, which is, by the way, still in the data. So in him, so we have to be in him. In him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of salvation, having also believed you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge as our inheritance. Now, this pledge is this earnest money, this down payment. It cannot be forfeited, right? Now, I want to go to chapter two because there's something in chapter two we also need to cover really, really, really briefly and we're almost through. So he says, among them whom we, too, all, formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging in the desires of the flesh and of the mind, were by nature, children of wrath, even as the rest. This is Ephesians chapter two, verse three, now verse four. But God, being rich in mercy, so if you want to know the reason why, there's a reason why, because of his great love with which he loved us, which he loved us. This is the heiress tense. So he did in the past, even when we were dead. So he did it at the time that while we were dead, so it could not have been that he did so because he saw that what we were doing while we were dead in our transgressions, he made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with him and seated us with him, which means we're not going to lose what he's given us, that in ages to come, that he might show the surpassing riches of his great, of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For grace you have been saved through faith, that it is not of yourself, and we talked about before, that the that's there, the top top, because it is in the neuter, it refers to the masculine and the feminine before that. So what is a gift? The faith and the salvation. Both of those he gave us. Now someone's going to say, wait a second, though, Cory, that's not fair. If he did that for us, if he chose us to be saved, that that necessarily has to mean that he chose some people to go to hell. Well, let's see. Second Peter, chapter 3, verse 9. This word is here. The Lord is not slow about his promises, as some count slow-less, but his patient toward you. So he shows his patience, but here's what he does. Not wishing that anyone would perish, but for all to come in. Well, so see, if he's not warning all of us to perish, why then do we? Well, because the word that's used here is not the word phthalo, which is his desire, it's the word bulimenos, or from bulimai, which means he has not appointed or placed us to do so. So this passage tells us that anyone that goes to hell, he did not predestine them to go to hell. He has not placed anyone or planned for anyone to go to hell. If you find yourself in hell, you are there because of your own will, your own volition, your own desires are with me. So now let's go back to John. And in this case, let's go to John, chapter 6. And let's look at verses, let's start at 37. All that the Father gives, me will come. So he gives to you, he gives us to him when. Those that he gave, he will come. And to the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. This is the will of him who sent me that all, verse 39, of all that he has given me, and this word, this word, the doken, is in the perfect tense. So it's a past action that he's done so. I will lose nothing, but raise me in the last day. Now let's drop to verse 44, controversial passage. No one can come to me unless the Father sent me, draws him. And some are going to say, well, this simply means him just kind of giving an offer, making the occasion. Well, again, duh, if it means that, because that means everybody. That it's like making a statement that doesn't have any benefit, because this is for everybody. Certainly God has made the offer for everybody on the plan to come. If you want to, if you, if a Muslim wants to place his faith in Christ, if he can, then he would, or he can. The opportunity is there, but that could not be what he's saying. All that the Father, unless the Father who sent me, draws him, I will raise me in the last day. So there's also in that same train of thought of those who were given. So to be given requires the Father to do so, and you cannot do so unless, unless according to Jesus, you have been given. And it only occurs if you have been drawn. Cory, you sound like a card carrying member of a Calvinist, but I'm not. Verse 65. And he, he was saying, for this reason I've said to you, that no one can come to me unless it has been granted, him of the Father. Now this is perfect tense. It's middle. So you couldn't. So this is, this is not you doing it to yourself. This is God doing it to you. And the only way that it can happen is if you have, it's been granted or been given. Okay. That is what this word means. So there are going to be those that obviously will disagree. And so to make it simple, to make it simple. Now, by the way, Jesus makes a statement in John 15 then and people say, well, he's only speaking of the, the, uh, the disciples. He's only speaking of the disciples in John 15. Says, you didn't choose me, but I chose you. Okay. If you say so, at least we see another example of God doing the choosing. But then if we go to first John four, he says that not of the disciples, but of all of us that we loved him only after he first loved us. So even there, we see an order. Okay. Now the question is, because again, somebody's going to disagree. Somebody's going to be up, be bothered. That's fine. I go back to the question that I just asked. If salvation is contingent upon you, taking the word of God and it taking root in your heart, I don't think anyone is going to disagree. No, I'm not a Calvinist, Barry Bull. If it's contingent upon that, the question is who is responsible for your heart being in a good enough condition for you to grow that faith to keep believing. Now the reason I'm not a Calvinist, Barry is because I don't hold to total depravity in the way that Calvinists do or to limited atonement. Now, if that makes me a three-point Calvinist, fine. If that makes me a three-point Calvinist, but three-point Calvinists aren't really Calvinists. But if I were, then fine. No problem. Listen, if that's what I, if that's the category that I fit in, no problem. But what you have to say is what I just gave you was the Bible. And if you can tell me that not necessarily you, but if anyone can say that I am responsible for the condition of my heart, that my heart is a good heart or the soil that the word will be implanted is good because of me. You're going to have to give a passage and there is none. Jesus literally says that that's the only way that that can grow. And he's told us how it happens by the power of God. So that being the case, let me go ahead and see if there's any questions that anyone had. By the way, guys, I'm sorry. I've been moving and moving and moving. Did he get a chance to thank you guys for the Superchats? Thank you all for the Superchats. Let me see how I said this. Circa... I don't know if I'm saying this right. Thank you for the Superchats though. B.J.S. Did Adam and Eve have free will? They had will. They had volition. And even in the best of conditions, what do they do? They fail. Which tells us, what are we going to do? We don't live in pristine conditions where we interact with God. And God didn't have to... God didn't even have to veil himself with them. They had no sin at the time. And they fail. Rick, thank you for the Superchats. I appreciate you. It is. I agree with that. He says, if I take what you're saying, you're saying that him looking and seeing, okay, he's going to choose. He's going to choose me. He's going to choose me. He's going to choose me and then does. And then, okay, on that basis of you doing so, I choose you. Yeah, I think that's completely unbiblical. Unbiblical meaning, it's not found in the Bible. Thank you, LaShonda, also. And Christ of Life, thank you so much as well. Did God elect Noah? He chose Noah. He chose Noah without a question. So, okay. Alrighty. If there is anyone that has a complaint, core your wrong. Here's why you're wrong. Katrina already did 2 Peter 3.9, but let me do... You said 1 Timothy 2.4. Let's go to 1 Timothy 2.4. I see what he says. What would you say? 1 Timothy 2.4. Oops, if I can spell Timothy. This is good and simple inside of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth. So, is it a true statement that God does desire, that he wishes all of them? Yes. Is it also a true statement that he has, that he has not placed all of them to come? That's also true. So, because there's a difference between bullamy and phthalo. There's a difference. I wish this would happen. I wish, I wish we could have fried chicken tonight. You know what I wish we could have? I wish we could have some Kentucky fried chicken. It's one thing to wish it, and then another thing to say, you know what? I'm placing the order. I'm going to do... What's that thing? Uber Eats or Door Dash? I have, I've planned it. I've put it in motion. Both of them have a do with, with one as a desire, just kind of, I wish this would happen. Another one is, I'm making it happen. And so that's kind of what the concept of boulevard has. And so that's not there in 1 Timothy 2.4. So God does desire. I wish you would. I want you to, but you won't. And so that's what that is. By the way, okay, hold on one second. Thank you, Steve, for Super Chat. I appreciate that, my friend. Now, I'm going to have about 15, 20 videos made about me because of this. Does he get what he wishes? Well, he gets what he plans. Well, that's a good question. Does he get what he wishes? What God, remember, God made a statement. God made a statement. He said that sin is going to be punished. But then if he wishes and then it causes all men to come to him, well, then sin is not being punished. Well, then God, what did you make that statement for? So God, according to Paul and Romans, he shows two things. He shows his justice, his righteousness, as well as his mercy, his love at the same time. Because I'm a God of my word and also at the same time, I'm going to show my love on people who do not deserve it. Thank you, Marquette. Appreciate that. Wouldn't Psalm 14 and 50, even all of Psalm 14 and all of Psalm 53. Spider monkey, you want me to read this whole thing. You may read this whole thing. Heretic Corey videos. I've seen those videos. I have seen the videos. I've got horns on my head. I've got all kind of it, which is fine, which is fine. I've never been one to really go after them. Listen, you are more than welcome to call me a heretic. You are more than welcome to call me all sorts of things. Matter of fact, you're even more than welcome to call me and to say, Corey, you're wrong. Come on the channel. I've got, I literally have, and we'll have to, spider monkey, I'm going to look this up later because you've got to be looking at two chapters in the whole, the whole, all of Psalm 14 and 53. Yes, Q and A tomorrow. But I've got people who are in the, what do you call those people? The ones that are banned. The Hebrews of Lights. Corey, you haven't reached out. You're afraid to talk to them. No, I've reached out to them. They don't want to talk to me. I did talk to a couple of them and even, even, even by their superior person, recollection, yeah, you should have handled it this way. You didn't do that. When you go back to your own channel and you talk bad about us, but then you're saying, yeah, that was easy. You should have said this to Corey. Corey, if you just said that, that means that they are saying, you didn't hold up your end of the bargain when you came onto the channel and tried to refute Christianity as we know it. But I've reached out to the IUIC. I'm not going to reach out to every single, he really is like, that'd be foolish. But I would love to talk to Nathaniel. Would love it, but he's not going on to or their chapter heads. They don't want to do that either. So fine. And I don't, I'm not forced to or care about it, but they can always come on and talk. You've got one guy saying that I'm this, I'm that, I'm a liar, I'm this, I'm that, and I'm afraid to face them and so forth. Well, you can come on the channel anytime you want to, anytime you want to. If you push that button, I'd have brought you on. And then you wouldn't like the result, which is fine. And hopefully, maybe you'll hear it. I would say hopefully because I really don't care. But if you, if he's so choosey, it won't be this, we could be next Friday, we do it again. If you choose to come on and wants to, wants to make a video of it, fine. You're not going to like, you're not going to like the way it's going to go. Promise you that. You all know what I'm talking about. I won't, I won't say the person's name. And then other folks who put horns on my head and all these different things. Listen, you are more than welcome to come on and say, Corey, I disagree here. And let's just have the conversation like adults do. How cool would that be? How cool would that be if adults had conversations like adults? So anyway, oh, I've got to, I'm, it's December. I've got to respond to you December about your, about your Bible college thing. I'm sorry. I'm a guy. I'll tell you guys on next week why I've been so swamped on some things. And when I say swamp, I mean swamp. Y'all pray for me. I'm not getting enough sleep. But I can't. I'm going to bed late. Waking up early. I'll tell you guys about it on, on next week. But it's, it's, it's rough. It's a rough of my own making. But if you want to do some things, you got to do some things. If you want to do some things, you got to do some things. That sounds like some of my father would have told me. And so I'll tell you why. But it's been rough. It's, it's, it's been rough. But can I, can I recommend a good seminary that you can access? Where are you? What, what's, what city are you in? What, there are a lot of seminaries that you can do online as well. Of course, it also depends upon what you're majoring in. Some seminaries you have to be there for certain majors. Some seminaries require you to, some seminaries require you to give most of your time. Some seminaries are, are for the most part online. All you really want out of a seminary or a Bible college is some place that's going to challenge you, meaning this. They're going to make you do the work, make you go and research, make you prove your point, make you earn your point. When you say, Hey, Jesus died on the cross. Okay, I don't believe you prove it. Show me on, show me in the Bible. Why? Well, what's the model of this channel? Love it, learn it, live it. You say you love it, well then learn it. And then how you learn it, you live it. So when you live it, when you live it, you have to convey it to somebody. We're not learning the scriptures going over this just so we can just say, you know, I know, I know this stuff, but I won't tell you about it. No, no, no, no, no, no. Jeff, I got you tomorrow, buddy. I have you tomorrow. And I did. You guys try and give me a Q and A. Ask, ask me these questions tomorrow, guys. Ask me these questions tomorrow. But they make you, a good seminary should make you earn your point, prove your point. Just because, by the way, because a person graduated, doesn't mean that the seminary approved of all of their work. They did work. They kind of backed it up. Maybe it was debatable and so forth. There are people out there who, that seminary or a lot of folks at the seminary family disagree with the person, but the person did do the work. And they agree with most of what the seminary agrees with. DTS is good. DTS is a good seminary period, but online, well, you can't get a DTS, a master's theology. I think DTS's master's course is the best on the planet. It's harder. It's harder. That level master's course is, is more stringent than virtually anyone else's. As a matter of fact, anyone else's master's of theology course. One, because they, what DTS is known for is the languages, Hebrew and Greek. Also, Aramaic and so forth. And so they, they're going to make you learn that. And so that's what makes it hard. So anyway, ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you so much. I look forward to you guys, look forward to your comments afterwards as well. See if you all agree or disagree, where you would disagree. In the meantime, guys, be blessed, but also thank God for the fact that if you're in him, you're in him because he chose you. Amen.