Acts 13:48

The Gentiles in the audience immediately embrace such good news. They want salvation! "Glorifying the word of the Lord" That is, they praised the Scriptures for the wisdom and mercy in bringing salvation to all men. "Salvation is possible through Jesus to everyone who obeys Him? Now, that's what we call. message worthy of our highest praise".

"And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" Calvinists had long argued that this verse is teaching that God predestined specific individuals for salvation and that men were saved or lost simply because God had so decreed it. Yet such. view violates. number of things in the context:

The entire sermon assumes that men have. choice, in fact the Jews are warned about rejecting the message (Acts 13:40).

If one is predestined to heaven or hell without any choice in the matter then how does one obey the warning "take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you" (Acts 13:40)? If predestination is true, then such. fate is unavoidable!

God does "appoint" eternal life to believers, but the difference is that anyone can become. believer (Mark 16:15). God determined that obedient believers would be saved, but specifically who would believe or not believe was not determined. that is. freewilled choice. Thus, when. choose to believe and be baptized. automatically become part of. chosen group.

Notice that Paul said that the unbelieving Jews had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46), yet such. statement is inaccurate if predestination is true. In that situation God already judged you unworthy. In addition, in Calvinism one could judge themselves unworthy yet still be selected by God, because the choice has nothing to do with what one says or does in this life.

Brother Larry Hafley wrote the following comments:

The easiest way to explain the text is to refer to verses 26, 38,39. Verse 26 encompasses Jews and Gentiles--men, brethren, children of...Israel (Jews) and whosoever among you that feareth God (Gentiles)."

So, all are given "the word of this salvation." This same truth is echoed in verses 38, 39--"all that believe are justified from all things." See how comprehensive that is? Now, compare it with the affirmation of Romans 1:16. But, how could that be, how could it be that "all that believe ('whosoever')" may be justified, if, according to verses 46-48, God had arbitrarily and capriciously determined who should be saved and who should be lost? Now, in this case, we have the plain and clear import and teaching of verses 26, 38, 39. We know what those verses say. About them, there is no doubt. Now, verses 46-48 are in controversy. However, we can form no opinion regarding them that would conflict with or contradict those other texts.

Next, in view of the conclusions established above, that the gospel is "sent" to all, is effective for all, note the contrast in verses 46. 48. First, one judges himself either worthy or unworthy of eternal life, for if some judged themselves unworthy of it, it follows, given the conclusions established above, that some judged themselves "worthy" of it. The meaning of verse 48 is partially explained by John 5:40 and Acts 2:41. There, some would not, or "willed not" to come to Christ (not that they

could not, but that they "will not"). Jesus spoke to them that they might be saved (John 5:34). This correlates with Acts 13:26; Acts 13:38. But, they, like those in Acts 13:46. did not "will" to be saved; hence, they judged or condemned themselves. On the other hand, those in Acts 2:41 "gladly received the word." Those folks, they who gladly receive the word, are

they are ordained unto eternal life. In essence, this is what Romans 1:16 says.