His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Today on His Perfect Love, Pastor Matt helps us make sense of the foreknowledge of God.

Matt VanderVen: Wait a minute, are you telling me that God preordains people and babies and how they're going to behave? That's not what this is saying, actually. What this is saying is that, and it's going to go back to this, it's explaining foreknowledge. In verse 29, we already read that God foreknew.

I think that's great. My God's omniscient, and so is your God if you believe in Jesus Christ. I don't have a problem with him being omniscient. But I also read that he gives free will. What he's saying is that much like we would look in a rearview mirror and we can see what's happened, God knew that these two children while still in the womb weren't going to be the same.

Guest (Male): There are some things about God and his ways that we don't fully understand this side of heaven, and that's to be expected. After all, he is God and we are not. Today on His Perfect Love, we delve into election, God's foreknowledge, and our free will.

Pastor Matt VanderVen will bring the cookies down to the lower shelf to help us arrive at a greater understanding of God's plan of salvation. Here he is now in Romans Chapter 9 with a message first delivered at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.

Matt VanderVen: God says to not forsake the gathering of the saints. Where we gather together, this is our home. Not earth, our home's in heaven, but this is where we gather together to encourage one another. There's no coincidence you're here. There's no accident.

He draws in the personalities, the people, the whole thing for the encouragement, for what? For the Ephesians 4, the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry. That's what it's all about. He's brought us all in not to just sit in our comfortable seats where first and second service are a little different.

You all have, I'm watching some folks change seats, some of you are moving around. Sometimes I can almost tell who's here and who's not here by looking out because I know where a majority of you generally sit. There's nothing wrong with you keeping your seats. That's great.

I look to it and I know if they're not there, okay, boy, I have to pray for them, check in on them, are they okay? I know who's in the back row. I have my back row posse. I know who's back there. I generally know who sits up front and I know who's in the middle.

First service is the same thing, you all got your own seats. I have some younger people that are new, they're moving around, figuring out where they like. But are we investing in the lives one to another? Are you staying in your seat long enough to actually meet your neighbor next to you and are you willing to cross over the aisle?

There's this big divide. I know you guys get caught up in a bridge over here with the East Shore, West Shore, and I know that goes way back. But we've got a five-foot row. Cross over, cross over that bridge too. That's ridiculous. Nonsense. Great food over there. Great food over here.

I think you get the point. Are we investing in each other's lives? This was something that grieved Paul. He says he was in continual grief and sorrow. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.

What's he talking about here? He's saying, Lord, if it meant that I could be accursed and that all of Israel would be saved, then I would be willing to be eternally separated so that my countrymen could be saved. Wow. I love you all. I don't know that I could say that.

I'm just being real. I don't know that I could say that. I love you all, but I don't know. I'd like to think I could say it, but what I mean is I'd like to think I could believe that. The only other person in the Bible that I read that said something similar is Moses.

Exodus 32:32, he said something very similar too. When Aaron had gone in the whole scene with the golden calf and them worshipping that, and then God coming down and obviously saying what's going on. They were worshipping alright, but it was an orgy of horrible things going on there and they were worshipping this calf.

Moses is like, I need to go up to God and I'm going to intercede. I'm going to intercede to God on your behalf. Moses goes up there and he begins to say, God, judge me and let them go. That's a real shepherd. That's an under-shepherd heart.

Both of these folks, what did God tell them? It's not for you to do. He says I'm going to bring that judgment on those that have deserved it, not those that don't deserve it. The only person that I see in all of scripture that did this and actually fully carried it out was Jesus.

Jesus did this for you and I. He says my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption. They too are considered adoptive children. The glory, the covenants, the giving of the law. He's now proceeding to say what has followed them.

It was the law, it was the service of God, it was the giving, it was all the things that they were brought in and under. Turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy as I read the rest of this passage. We're going to read about it. Deuteronomy Chapter 7.

It says the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. What promises? Look back to Deuteronomy 7:6. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy Chapter 7, he tells us, for you are a holy people to the Lord your God.

The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than those or than any other people, for you were the least of all the peoples.

Because the Lord loves you and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, speaking of the Abrahamic Covenant, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

Think about that. God's a promise keeper, isn't he? He's a promise keeper. Every single word in the Bible is trustworthy and every single word in the Bible is necessary. Every jot and every tittle. It produces something inside of our hearts. We can't always see it.

It's supernatural. It goes in and it has the ability to change the heart in ways that we can't. We might want to help others, but often the most sanctified thing you can do is sit down with somebody and open your Bible and just read with them. That and a cup of water as Jesus said.

You can turn back to Romans. He's saying look, what about Israel? Look at what God had given all this to Israel. To whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh, Christ came who is over the eternally blessed God.

If you're looking for a passage that specifically talks about Jesus as being God, please direct them to Romans 9:5 because there are those out there that are trying to say the word of God never, Jesus never says he's actually God.

There's a new movement going on in our area, by the way. It's in this area. I've heard it from somebody that came in and was struggling, and this is what they were saying. There's a small sort of cult-type thing going on in this area right now where they're trying to say Jesus really wasn't God.

He came in humanity and divinity, but it wasn't the same divine nature as God's divine nature. We are living in the last days. We really are. There is such an attack on doctrine and such an attack on God's word. Either you have people not teaching any of God's word or they're teaching half-truths.

Half-truths are still full lies. Exactly what we saw in Matthew Chapter 4 when the devil went up and he began to give a half-truth to Jesus, and so faithfully Jesus drew him right back to Deuteronomy and said, no, this is what the word of God says.

What did the devil do? Did he just quit? No, three times he did the same thing until finally he realized he's not getting anywhere. That's why we have a sword and it's called the sword of the spirit. This is our offensive and defensive weapon. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

We've been given this. How great it would be if every Christian read their Bible. I pray, I really do pray for one more revival where everybody's reading the word of God and being set free and being encouraged. God is being very long-suffering, but we really don't know when that's going to end.

It's well overdue, friends. We're already living the days of Noah. But we shouldn't be fearful of that. Come Lord Jesus come. Christ came who is over all, praise God, the eternally blessed God. There he is declared. Amen. So be it.

Think of the spiritual pedigree for all of Israel right now. For those that are hearing this. For all of Israel. Their heritage. But wait a minute, he called them adoptive children too, didn't he? And then in Chapter 8 of Romans, he said that we were adopted too.

We're grafted in. We're all together in the family of Christ and I love that. God's not the author of division. Let's move on to verse 6. He says, but it's not that the word of God has taken no effect, just in case you wonder.

Paul obviously said you might think maybe there's nothing that happened. He says no, for they are not all Israel who are Israel. Wait a minute, that got confused. They're not all Israel who are Israel? I thought Israel's a physical place.

I understand Palestine's not real and that's a made-up man's name that has been added a couple centuries ago. But Israel? God's chosen people, God's chosen land? All Israel's not Israel, all Jerusalem's not Jerusalem? I'm not tracking.

Think about it for a minute. We lose some of that when we have the translation. What does Israel mean? Governed by God. All of Israel is not governed by God. That's what he's saying. I could say it another way for you here this morning. Not all Americans are Americans.

If I said that, you might say what? And I'll say it just as God would say it kind of as he did here. Not all Americans are patriots. Then you'd go oh, okay pastor, I see where you're going with this now.

Think about it. That's what he's going to spend really in the rest of our time today to verse 13. That's the point he's going to be making. Why? Because he's going to explain why there's this division of the seed. Why some believe and why some chose not to believe.

Because they chose not to believe, they were not counted as part of that seed, but they were given free will and they rejected Messiah. Look at us in this country. We come from such a Christian foundation, a Judeo-Christian foundation in America. Our forefathers, not only that, but the pedigree we have in this culture.

Our Constitution, the land of liberty, our soldiers that fight, men and women on the front lines for you and I to be able to open our Bibles here, to be able to read, to be able to be safe, to be able to have security, prosperity and liberty.

That is what the United States of America was about. It was not about oppression, it was about escaping oppression. It was about standing up to oppression and affliction. Not denying it. It always existed. It was European. And now we see our country and some of our politicians.

We have politicians right now that are actually standing in their podiums and they're anti-Semitic. They're literally attacking Israel. They've never even stepped on Israeli soil and they're attacking those people, and yet they're our allies. They're there to help us and we're there to help them.

Why are they so against them? Why do they want to attack them? I don't want to say they're demon-possessed. I think that would be unfair. I don't know them. But God did tell me to be a fruit inspector and you judge them by their fruit.

Rather than bringing people together and unifying people, we have a country that's very torn apart. We have a country where there is so much infighting going on. So much destruction. We have socialist propaganda being generated as though it's new.

We have a youth that doesn't know history to realize this is nothing new under the sun. There's an old saying history will repeat itself and those that don't know history will be doomed by it. Jesus told us in the word, pay attention, look at the signs. Don't be ignorant of the days you're living in.

Friends, the best is still yet to come. The best is still to come. He says it's not that the word of God didn't have an effect. He says nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham. Abraham was a Gentile.

He started the nation, but you can't say my daddy was Abraham, therefore I'm saved. No different than your child in your home can't say my daddy's such and such, I'm saved. No, it's an individual choice and it was accounted to him as righteousness by faith.

In Isaac's seed they shall be called. Remember from reading in Genesis 21:10, Isaac was the child of promise. Write that in your notes so you understand if somebody should bring you here and say what's going on. He's talking about Isaac being the child of promise.

There was another child, remember when they took matters into their own hands and they weren't waiting on the Lord? Ishmael. The Bible tells us in Genesis 21:10 and Galatians 4:28-31 that he was the child of the flesh.

He is symbolic for that. What he stands for and how it's real and there's a choice here. He says those are the children of the flesh that are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

He's explaining to us the dichotomy, why there's a separation. There are those that believe and those that choose to reject Christ. That's what he's telling us here. They may all physically be in Israel, but they may not all be governed by God.

That's what he's communicating here and I don't think that's hard for us to understand. This could be a church and there may be Christians here, but I would be ignorant to think that everyone sitting here is a Christian. That's not insulting anybody here.

When he originally said there will be wolves among sheep, he was speaking to non-believers. When I was teaching that through Matthew and we teach that through Mark, it was when he was sending the disciples out. He was saying that believers that there would be unbelievers, wolves in other words, out there.

Then he also said there'd be wheat and tares and he gave parables of that. Better example. When he said there would be tares among the wheat, he says don't worry about taking the tares out right now. You don't need weed control.

Ultimately there'll come a time when he'll gather up all the tares and those will be burned in the furnace, and the wheat will remain. He says don't concern yourself with that right now. You scatter seed. That's your job. You're seed scatterers. Some water, some plant, but to God is the increase.

In verse 9, for this is the word of promise: at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son. Now he's moving on generationally. He's going after Abraham, moving past Isaac and Rebecca, and he's going to Jacob and Esau. This is the next generation to give them another example.

When Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac, for the children not yet being born. That would be Jacob and Esau. Esau walked contrary to God. Jacob, even though Jacob wasn't perfect, he was the seed of the covenant.

Now this is interesting. Wait a minute, are you telling me that God preordains people and babies and how they're going to behave? That's not what this is saying, actually. What this is saying is that, and it's going to go back to this, it's explaining foreknowledge.

In verse 29, we already read that God foreknew. I think that's great. My God's omniscient, and so is your God if you believe in Jesus Christ. I don't have a problem with him being omniscient. But I also read that he gives free will.

What he's saying is that much like we would look in a rearview mirror and we can see what's happened, God knew that these two children while still in the womb weren't going to be the same. How many of you here have more than one child?

Each child behaves differently, and yet they came from the same mom and dad or they're part of the same family. They all have their own personalities. As parents, one of the fun things we get to do is we come back and go, this person really seems to enjoy math or science.

Maybe they're going to grow up and be a teacher, a mathematician or whatever. Or this person really, boy, they're such a good artist. Then you meet the people that are ambidextrous. I'll use baseball analogies or football analogies.

I'll go back to my comfort zone a little bit more. They get up to the plate and hit the ball this way and they say, "Just because I can." And they hit it that way. What are they doing? They're both left, right hemisphere brain.

They're not only visual-spatial but they have auditory capabilities. They're inclined. Beautiful. There are people like that. Some of us aren't happy that they're like that because maybe some of us aren't. That's the flesh.

Crucify the flesh, let it down. But the point is we see people that are really good like that and we're like, boy, how do they do that? They're really good at music and then they could also come and they can solve algebraic equations and all this other stuff.

Everyone has a predisposition, how they come out. Parents, we get to see that with our children. If we're doing our job as parents we try to guide them, right? We don't push, but we guide them. You seem to like art. Maybe we put you in an art class where you can develop those skills.

Maybe you really like math. Let's get you to get tutoring with a math professor or teacher. That's happened here. One of my sons was getting help. It's awesome when you can see that predisposition.

God's talking about a foreknowledge. He's omniscient. He knows. So he knew that Esau was going to turn around and go, "Look, I really don't care about my birthright. None of that stuff matters to me. I want the soup. Give me the soup."

Some of you are like soup is good, what's the birthright really matter? It was not just the physical, there's also spiritual aspect to that too he was giving up. For the children of not yet being born nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to the election might stand.

According to their choosing, not of works. He makes clear that this is not of works in any way, that even before they came out of the womb, God knew what they would do. God knew.

There's a sovereignty there, but there's also a free will because we have a choice as to how do we respond to the calling. Are we available? Do we serve in our church? Are we available to help? Are we available to serve our neighbors?

Are we available to love? Do we make ourselves available? Isaiah Chapter 6, "Here I am, Lord, use me," as Isaiah the prophet was being called. Not of works but of him who calls. It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger.

He foreknew and again we shouldn't be surprised at that because verse 29 says for whom he foreknew, he also predestined. Which means it's all part of the plan of salvation. It's all tied together. This shouldn't be a difficulty.

Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. God's not saying I hate Esau. Remember the spiritual example while he does say that. What is the spiritual example we're talking about? Israel and the fact that they can have one seed going one direction and one seed going the other direction.

The seed of promise and the seed of flesh. That's the context of what we're studying. The one that turns around and walks towards God, towards Christ, that doesn't reject Messiah, I love. The one that rejects me, I hate.

What is the fear? The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom or knowledge. What does fear mean? Look at Proverbs 8. Fear means to hate evil. When you get home go to Proverbs Chapter 8 and look.

If we're going to say the fear, then we need to define what fear is. God defined it in his word and he said fear is a hatred of evil. That's the context of when he uses that. So to love God that way, we are to hate evil.

God being the author, he is to hate evil as well. This is what we see here. This is what he's revealing to us. Those that follow God he loves and those that reject God.

Guest (Male): We're making our way through Romans one verse at a time here on His Perfect Love with Pastor Matt VanderVen. You can hear this study again at hisperfectlove.org. We're also at oneplace.com and look for us wherever you get your podcasts.

We also have a mobile app. This is a great way to take Pastor Matt's teachings with you at the gym, in the car, on your way to work, or as you're getting ready in the morning. You can learn more about the mobile app and start your download when you visit our website hisperfectlove.org.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. You can make a donation to this ministry and send us your prayer requests through the website again at hisperfectlove.org. Those of you that are in the Mechanicsburg, PA area or will be visiting the area, we want to invite you to join us for a worship service here at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.

Sunday morning services begin at 8:30 and 10:30. We have a midweek service on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. We're located at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg, PA. Go to ccharrisburg.org for more information.

What happens when men come together with one purpose: to grow in Christ and strengthen one another in faith? You're invited to the Men of Calvary Conference 2026 at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore Saturday, September 19th.

This year's theme is Unity in Faith, inspired by Ephesians Chapter 4 verses 12 through 13: "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God." Join men from across the region for a day filled with worship, biblical teaching, testimony, prayer, fellowship, and spiritual encouragement.

The conference takes place at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg, PA. Registration is only $20 and includes breakfast and lunch. Don't miss this opportunity to be challenged, encouraged, and equipped alongside other men who desire to follow Christ faithfully.

Register today at ccharrisburg.org. Men of Calvary Conference 2026: United in Faith, brothers in Christ, built for his kingdom. There is much more to come in Romans. Don't miss a moment of the journey with Pastor Matt here on His Perfect Love. His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.