Matthew 25:34
Matthew 25:34 (see also Revelation 13:8)
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”
Jesus stated: “‘In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.’” (John 14:2-3)
Calvinist, John MacArthur: “The Lord designed His kingdom from before the foundation of the world and He designed who would be in it from before the foundation of the world. And you and I are saved and we know the Lord Jesus Christ because God chose us before the world ever began. What an incredible reality!” (Understanding Election, emphasis mine)
Question: Why do Calvinists insert the word “before”?
Answer: “Before” the foundation of the world means
before Genesis, whereas “from” the foundation of the
world means from Genesis to present: “‘For this reason
also the wisdom of God said, “I will send to them
prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill
and some they will persecute, so that the blood of all
the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world,
may be charged against this generation, from the blood
of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed
between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you,
it shall be charged against this generation.”’” (Luke
11:49-51)
“Since the foundation of the world” signifies the time from Abel to Zechariah (i.e. from Genesis). Otherwise, you would have the blood of Abel spilt from before he was born, that is, from before the foundation of the world.
Question: Who did God design to be in the kingdom?
Answer: Those who are in Christ. (Ephesians 1:4) Those who are in Christ are those who are “blessed of My Father.” In perfect Calvinistic tradition, MacArthur lops off in Christ, when he misquotes Ephesians 1:4 as being: “God chose us before the world ever began.” Calvinists see themselves as “blessed of My Father” in terms of being elect for Christ (i.e. given, drawn, ect.), rather than being elect on account of actually being in Christ. That’s a fundamental distinction between Calvinism and Arminianism.
