Free will and predestination have been topics of great debate over the years. How do we exercise free will if God already knows the outcome of our decision? In this selection of sermons, Alistair Begg explores both topics, looking to the Bible for clarity on the debate.
The Chain of Salvation (Romans 8:28-30) — Listen | Download MP3
The Bible tells us that God works “in all things” to accomplish His purposes. In this sermon, Alistair Begg reminds us to keep the context of this promise in mind: God’s purpose is to call to Himself a people, and “all things” may include suffering and hardship. Salvation, meanwhile, isn’t a matter of our own efforts or knowledge. Instead, it results from a chain of actions God has done—actions initiated by His love and grace.
Freedom Understood and Applied (Galatians 5:13-15) — Listen | Download MP3
The nature of Christian freedom, addressed in the letter to the Galatians, centers on an acceptance with and access to God that is made possible only through Christ. Alistair Begg reminds us that this freedom entails applying limits, expressing love, and fulfilling the law. Ultimately, Christian liberty allows us to live, love, and serve under the control of God and His Holy Spirit.
Chosen in Him (Ephesians 1:3-6) — Listen | Download MP3
Throughout the Bible, God’s initiating role is displayed. Teaching from the first chapter of Ephesians, Alistair Begg explores basic principles of what it means to come to faith in Christ and the role of election in that process. When we recognize that we are who we are because God set His affection on us before the dawn of time, our hearts bow down in wonder at His mercy and grace.
Woe to That Man (Mark 14:17-21) — Listen | Download MP3
The Lord Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, yet He treated his betrayer as a friend, even at the Last Supper. In this scene we see the mysterious harmony between God’s sovereignty and human volition, as they work together to fulfill a predetermined purpose. Alistair Begg teaches us that we do not need to fully understand how these two truths can coexist – we simply rest in the fact that God is always just and good.
Truth Tightly Packed — Part One (Titus 1:1-4) — Listen | Download MP3
As a servant of God and an apostle of Christ, Paul wrote to Titus with a clear purpose: to see men and women come to faith and grow in their knowledge of the truth. In this study of Titus 1:1–4, Alistair Begg explores the authority and single-mindedness of Paul’s ministry as he examines the doctrine of election. As Paul affirmed, although God is sovereign, we still have the responsibility to believe and proclaim the Gospel.