September 28 - God’s Predestination 하나님의 예정

September 28 - God’s Predestination

 

“For those God foreknew, he was also predestined to conform to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” – Romans 8:29-30

          

This passage introduces one of the most controversial and contentious ideas in all theology: predestination. Paul begins by saying our calling to serve God's purpose goes back to "before." He writes that God "foreknew" those who are now brothers and sisters of Jesus because they have become the children of God by faith in Jesus. The word "foreknew" means that God, in some way or sense, knew each Christian before we knew Him.Based on this sense in which He "foreknew" us, God predestined—determined, appointed, or ordained in advance—those who are saved to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Paul says it even more plainly in Ephesians 1:4, "He chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." Much of the controversy over this passage deals with whether or not God allows human free will to be a part of this choice or whether God's actions are unilateral. So far as it goes for this specific statement, that level of detail is irrelevant. 

The bottom line of this particular verse is that we can stand secure. We can know, as those now in Christ, that God's purpose for us has always been that we should become like Christ. God had scheduled our entry into His family long before we were born. If God knew about us before we were born and arranged for our salvation, He certainly knows about our trials and sufferings now and what lies ahead. That should provide great comfort as we wait to be with our Father forever. 

 

One of the most frequent questions from believers is a question of predestination; God already decided that some people be saved and others not be saved. What’s the relation and harmony between the free will of humans and God’s sovereignty? What is the difference between predestination and determination? And how can I know that I am predestined? These are all questions: "How does God have a special plan for me, guide me, and take care of me among billions of people?” In other words, it is a question about the assurance of salvation and God’s sovereignty. 

 

In the same way, believers with Paul in Rome wanted to have the assurance of salvation like us. The Bible tells us what God foreknewed us, and He predestined us in Christ (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:29). It is called “predestination.” Predestination differs from fatalism, which insists that some non-personal force controls a man’s life. Predestination is neither from the doctrine of Calvin nor the doctrines of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. It is rather our expression of God’s sovereignty and His deliverance. It is the core teaching of the Bible that God predestined our salvation to be His children (1 Peter 1:20). God also has a specific plan and purpose for us. He found us first before we sought Him, and He chose us to be His people before we believed in Him (John 15:16). 

 

“God preordained, for His glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation.” – John Calvin.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that the missionaries will be encouraged to communicate the good news to those of another culture. Pray that the words will be understandable and relevant.

Prayer Pointer: Even though God knows whatever we might tell Him before we tell Him, He still wants us to. This proves that God desires fellowship with us. Fellowship with God is one of the primary purposes of prayer. – Thomas Constable  

Bible Reading: Isaiah 13-15; Galatians 6

 

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9월 28일 -  하나님의 예정

 

“하나님이 이미 아신 자들로 또한 그 아들의 형상을 본 받게 하기 위하여 정하셨으니 이는 그로 많은 형제 중에서 맏아들이 되게 하려 하심이라 또 미리 정하신 그들로 또한 부르시고 부르신 그들을 또한 의롭다 하시고 의롭다 하신 그들을 또한 영화롭게 하셨느니라” - 롬 8:29-30

 

여기의 구절은 신학에서 가장 논란과 논쟁이 많은 성경 교리중 하나인 예정론에 관한  말씀입니다. 바울은 하나님의 목적을 위한 우리의 부르심은 과거의 시간으로 거슬러 올라간다고 말합니다. 하나님께서 믿는 자들을 예수님의 형제 자매로 삼은 것은 "이미 아신자들”이었고 예수님을 믿었기 때문이라고 말합니다. "미리 아심”이라는 말은 우리가 하나님을 알기 이전에 이미 우리를 그리스도인이 될 것을 하나님께서 아셨다는 의미입니다. 

 

하나님은 "미리 아심”으로 구원받은 자들이 예수님의 형상을 본받게 하기 위하여 미리 예정하신 것입니다. 바울은 에베소서 1:4에서 "곧 창세 전에 그리스도 안에서 우리를 택하사 우리로 사랑 안에서 그 앞에 거룩하고 흠이 없게 하시려고”라고 분명히 말합니다. 이 구절에 대한 논쟁의 핵심은 하나님께서 인간의 자유 의지로 구원을 선택하도록 허용하섰는지 또는 하나님의 예정이 완전히 일방적으로 정해진 것인지의 문제입니다. 여기의 말씀에는 하나님의 예정과 인간의 의지와의 세부적인 관계와는 연관이 없습니다.  

 

말씀의 결론은 우리의 구원은 보장되어 있다는 것입니다. 우리는 그리스도 안에서 하나님의 목적에 따라 주님의 형상을 본받고 있다는 것을 말씀에서 압니다. 하나님은 태어나기 오래 전에 우리가 하나님의 가족이 되도록 계획하셨습니다. 만약 하나님께서 태어나기 전에 알고 구원을 예비하셨다면, 하나님은 지금 우리의 시련과 고통, 미래의 일을 분명히 알고 계십니다. 이것은 우리가 하나님과 영원히 함께 하는 때를 기다리는 동안 큰 위로가 되는 것입니다.   

 

신자들이 가장 자주 묻는 질문 중 하나는 예정론에 관한 질문입니다. 하나님은 이미 어떤 사람은 구원하기로, 어떤 사람은 구원하지 않기로 결정하셨는가? 인간의 자유 의지와 하나님의 주권 사이에는 어떤 관계와 조화가 있는가? 예정론과 믿기로 결단하는 것과 차이는  무엇인가? 내가 예정되어 있다는 것을 어떻게 알 수 있는가? 이 모든 질문은 "하나님은 어떻게 나를 위한 특별한 계획을 가지고 나를 어떻게 인도하시고, 수십억 명의 사람들중에 어떻게 나를 돌보는가?"라는 질문입니다. 다시 말해, 구원의 확신과 하나님의 주권에 관한 질문입니다. 

 

로마교회의 신자들도 우리처럼 구원의 확신을 갖기 원했습니다. 성경은 하나님께서 우리를 예지하셨고 그리스도 안에서 우리를 예정하셨다고 말합니다(엡 1:4; 롬 8:29). 예정론은 어떤 비인격적인 힘이 인간의 삶을 통제한다고 주장하는 운명론과 다릅니다. 예정론은 칼빈의 교리나 장로교회와 개혁교회의 교리에서 나온 것이 아니고 하나님의 주권과 그의 구원에 대한 우리를 위한 말씀에서 표현된 것입니다. 하나님께서 우리의 구원을 위해 그의 자녀로 예정하셨다는 것이 성경의 핵심적인 가르침입니다(벧전 1:20). 하나님은 우리의 삶을 위한 구체적인 계획과 목적을 가지고 계십니다. 하나님은 우리가 그를 찾기 전에 먼저 우리를 찾으셨고, 우리가 믿기 전에 우리를 먼저 그의 백성으로 택정하신 것입니다(요 15:16). 

 

"하나님은 자신의 영광과 자비와 공의의 속성을 나타내기 위해 인류의 일부를 자신의 공로가 없는 영원한 구원으로, 다른 일부는 죄에 대한 정당한 형벌로 영원한 저주로 예정하셨습니다." – 존 칼빈 

 

오늘의 기도: 선교사들이 다른 문화권에 사는 사람들에게 복음을 효과적으로 전하는 사역에서 큰 위로를 받을 수 있도록 기도하고 복음의 메시지가 잘 이해되고 관련이 되도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: 우리가 기도하기 전에 하나님은 이미 기도의 내용을 모두 알고 계시지만 여전히 하나님께 기도하기를 원하신다. 이것은 하나님께서는 우리와 교제하시를 원하신다는 것을 입증해 주는 것이다. 기도의 우선적인 목적중에 하나가 하나님과의 교제이다. – 토마스 콘스테이블 

성경 읽기: 이사야 13-15장; 갈라디아서 6장