Acts 16:6-10 “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. (7) After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. (8) So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. (9) And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (10) Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
It is only God who knows whom He has not predestined for salvation, and God does not make that information known to His saints. And so, as far as the church is concerned, we continue to obey His command to preach the gospel to everyone throughout the earth. However, we need to also recognise the leading of the Holy Spirit in this area. So what do I mean by saying that? Very clearly, God knows whom He has and has not chosen for salvation, and so in the normal course of events God would not lead His saints to preach the gospel to those whom He has not chosen for salvation. The above passage of scripture reveals very clearly to us, that God did not want Paul and his ministry team to preach the gospel in the regions of Asia and Bithynia at that time. We can only assume that the people living in those areas were not chosen for salvation, and God therefore did not want His apostle preaching the gospel to those people in vain. The same passage reveals to us just where God did want His apostle to preach, i.e. Macedonia, obviously because God had chosen certain individuals in that region for salvation.
Michael E.B. Maher
コメント