Luke 10:17-21
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.
19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
I’m sure you remember the situation. The Lord had sent 70 disciples out to all the villages and towns ahead of Him - to heal the sick, to cast out demons, etc. It picks up in verse 17 when they returned to Jesus. Verses 17-20, all these are for context.
But read verse 21 - why would God hide things from anyone if He wanted to give all men the “opportunity” to be saved?
As you think about it, please let me answer, and don’t take my word for it. Look at the end of that same verse. Because it was well-pleasing in His sight. Another version has Jesus saying because it was God’s GOOD PLEASURE! Both to hide these things from the wise & learned AND reveal them to little children. And what is hidden from men by God will remain hidden until GOD decides to reveal it and He doesn’t reveal it to all. And unless God reveals it, man can’t believe something he knows nothing about! This is why it is not man’s decision to become a child of God, but it is God’s decision. (John 1:13)
These are all typical “hard” sayings of Christ. It is my contention that the only reason it is a hard saying is because of the flesh. Yes, the flesh of even Christians. The idea that man just HAS to be involved in salvation takes glory from the Creator and bestows it on the creature - i.e. "It is man's decision to accept or reject the offer of salvation."
Those who believe in decisional salvation do NOT see a sovereign God. God is sovereign until it bumps up against man's "free will." When that happens, then the creature CAN say no to God...
Sorry, that contradicts Isaiah 55:11. God gets His way.
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