In our English language, we have what we call a "quantifier". This is a word or phrase that expresses a specific quantity. For instance, if I said "the ones hired as janitors, cleaned. So the phrase "the ones hired as janitors" quantified who "cleaned." Cleaning was not the cause of them being hired as janitors. Being hired as janitors was the cause of their cleaning.
This is what we see in Acts 13:48
"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE believed."
"AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE" quantified who would believe. Believing was NOT the cause of being "ordained to eternal life" Being "ordained to eternal life" was the cause of believing. And only "as many as"
Again we see this same thing when our Lord said:
John 17:2 (KJV):
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to AS MANY AS thou hast GIVEN him.
Here we see the testimony that Jesus has been given of God's power to give eternal life. Meaning that there was not anything that could hinder him from bestowing upon any person the divine gift of eternal life. However, this power to give life was quantified by in the will and purpose of God and directed upon “AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN”
Christ could have given eternal life to every person born of Adam without distinction for He had the authority and the power to do so.
John 5:25-27 (KJV)
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him AUTHORITY to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." Matthew 28:18 (KJV) "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power(authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
With all authority and power to give eternal life, Jesus only gave that gift to as many as God had given Him.
Eternal life is not a decision we make or something we merit by any work on our part. Eternal life is a free gift given by God to “AS MANY AS” he has elected/chosen in Christ from before the world began.
John 10:28 (KJV)
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Let us not wrest the scriptures nor the plain reading of the text.
Mikal Smith
