"Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad - in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls - she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."
- Romans 9:10-18 (NIV)
after reading glenn miller's article on predestination and free will, i am convinced that God's sovereign choice does not pertain to election for salvation. rather, God's sovereign choice pertains to election for service.
romans 9 is not about predestination, but God's sovereign choice. in fact, there is a break between romans 1 to 8 (the Gospel, which mentions predestination) and romans 9 to 11 (the election of Israel, which does not mention predestination). romans 1 to 8 deals with election for salvation, while romans 9 to 11 deals with election for service.
conflating predestination and God's sovereign choice - as i have been guilty of doing - is faulty exegesis. clearly, the Gentiles in the Old Testament who believed were saved by faith; even as they were not sovereignly chosen to serve God by being part of the Messianic line (the Jews were), they were sovereignly chosen to serve God in other ways.
God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him whether or not we believe. if we believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our belief - as a positive example, pulling others towards God. if we do not believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our unbelief - as a negative example, pushing others towards God.
all in all, God does not sovereignly choose whether or not we believe!
on this note, it was misleading of me to say that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like Judas, and that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like John. this implies that God sovereignly chooses some to be saved but not others.
rather, if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like Judas. if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like John. the point is,
"You will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
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