4. Confidence in Disciple-Making

One of the biggest misconceptions about predestination is that it removes any urgency for us to share the gospel. Well, God’s already chosen who is saved, so it doesn’t matter if I witness or not. This is the exact opposite picture we see in the New Testament.

For Paul, the fact that God had chosen some was precisely why he had the confidence to witness. In the book of Acts, God told him, “Go on preaching, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9). Paul was ready to give up. But knowing that God had predestined some gave him the confidence to keep sharing.

I once heard a missionary say that when he first went overseas, he didn’t know how he could be a missionary if he believed God had chosen people. Now, after years on the mission field, he says he doesn’t know how anyone could go on being a missionary unless they believe God had chosen people.

God never tells us we’re chosen so we can look at the outside world and say, “Well, too bad for you.” You shouldn’t sit around pondering why God saved you instead of your non-believing friends; you should realize that God saved you for the sake of your non-believing friends. He chose you because he wants to choose others. “I chose you,” Jesus said, “to go and bear fruit” (John 15:16).

I know that might make your head hurt. It does for me. But that’s the paradox Scripture gives us: we share Christ with people like it’s all up to us, and we pray to God knowing that it’s all up to him.