Bible Truth #127 - Acts 16:6-7

Acts 16:6-7

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

This clearly shows the sovereignty of God in choosing where to send these men and the Holy Spirit through them. I hope those who believe in decisional salvation don't actually think that Paul and his companions had a choice whether to obey or not. Whether it was the Holy Spirit preventing them from preaching the Word in Asia, or the Spirit of Jesus not allowing them to enter Bithynia, God prevented the Gospel from being preached in those places.

Surely the man who believes in decisional salvation will agree that in the weeks, months or years it took Paul, or any other apostle or disciple, to go back to Asia or Bithynia, there were those who died without hearing the Gospel? YES! Well why do you think God wanted Paul and his companions to skip these places and go somewhere else? Number one because He is sovereign and what He wants, He gets, i.e. His will IS being done on earth as it IS being done in Heaven (Matthew 6:9-13); number two, there were those in Phrygia and Galatia whom God had chosen and wanted to use Paul to share the Gospel with them instead; and number three, and to me, most obvious, there were those in Asia and Bithynia God had NOT chosen, those whom God did NOT want to hear the Gospel, at least not at this time.

Bottom line - God chose where to send Paul and his companions, and where NOT to send them. Therefore, God chose those who would hear the Gospel and those who would not. And since God determines the times and places for every man to live (Acts 17:26), God clearly chose those would would have the privilege of even hearing the Good News and who would not.