Once again, the issue is not
whether man chooses God. Of course he does. Humans make choices. The question is
why one person believes and another does not. What determines that difference? That's what
Acts 13:48 (the passage we're
supposed to be discussing) explicitly answers: ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον As I argued in the OP, the sense of that statement is, "as many as were in the state of having (beforehand) been appointed to eternal life, believed." Is adoption not eternal? What's the difference? In other words, when the Gentiles hear the gospel, they are already "in the state of having been appointed."
The narrative logic naturally runs: divine appointment precedes and explains belief.
The OP position is that, "divine appointment precedes and explains belief." The natural conclusion for the reader (myself, and possibly others) is that the OP is saying that some are appointed to belief, but some are not. (Because of the question posited,
"The question is why one person believes and another does not?")
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
What was it the Gentiles heard that made them glad?
The complete context:
Acts 13:44-49 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
Verse 47:
Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
The "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed" makes sense when you consider it was the great commission to spread the gospel and save as many as possible. Notice, "unto the ends of the earth;" the whole world.
Given verse 47, there is no other way to interpret the verse but appointment unto salvation for all.
1. God is not a respecter of persons.
In the very book of Acts, just two chapters before, Peter says that God is not a respecter of persons. James says that
respecting persons is a sin. God's very character is being called into question: For God would be sinning if He were a respecter of persons, appointing some to belief, but others not. Indeed this cannot be the case and is not the case.
Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
2. The scope of the plan of salvation is global.
Let's revisit John 3:16-17 again.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Salvation is available to all. The world; the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family. Whosoever; all men, every man.
John 3:17 supports point #1; that God is not a respecter of persons. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
God wants the world to be saved. God does not condemn the world. Both statements are all inclusive.
3. Free will belief.
Paul explains how belief works.
Romans 10:10-13 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
- Belief is from the heart, of man's own free will.
- Whosoever believes. All.
- Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. All.
Jesus asks a father to believe in Him, that his child can be healed.
Mark 9:17-25 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
Did Jesus deny the father in unbelief or did He meet the father where he was and ask him to believe?
Jesus is completely impartial here. He is not a respecter of persons (point #1), He is concerned about whether or not a man believes in Him. Jesus even laments the faithless generation; concerned with their salvation (point #2).
Paul reasoned with the Gentiles unto belief.
Acts 17:2-4 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
4. Unbelief.
Satan is the cause of unbelief, not God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
The veil is taken away when one turns to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
5. The grafting in.
Grafting into the olive tree hinges on belief according to Paul. The cause of unbelief was shown in point #4.
Romans 11:17-24 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
6. The gospel going to the world.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
- For a witness unto all nations.
Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
- Fear God and give glory to Him. (Worship the Creator.) Free will choice.
- All are called to worship. No stone is left unturned.
- The hour of His Judgment is come.
7. Obedience.
Obedience is of free will, a natural result of belief.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
- The saints are patient through tribulation.
- The saints keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The answer to the question of
why one person believes and another does not:
Romans 10:14-17 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Why I can't support the OP position:
1. Verses 44-47 show the context of verse 48.
2. God's character
- God is not a respecter of persons.
3. All
- All are called to salvation.
- All are called to believe.
- The gospel goes to all.
4. Unbelief
- Unbelief is of Satan, not God.
Conclusion:
- If the preceding verses show the context and do not support the position.
- If scripture as a whole does not support the position.
- Then it cannot be a correct position.
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