The Sovereignty of God and the Non-Elect, Part 5

In the Scriptures, the words “know” and “foreknowledge” when applied to God, have reference not simply to His prescience (i.e. His knowledge beforehand), but to His knowledge of approbation (i.e. a favorable choice of someone). When God said to Israel, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2), He meant, “You only have I any favorable regard to.” When we read in Romans 11:2 “God has not cast away His people (Israel) whom He foreknew,” what was signified is, “God has not finally rejected the people whom He has chosen as the objects of His love”—cf. Deuteronomy 7:7,8.

In the same way are we to understand Matthew 7:23. In the Day of Judgment the Lord will say unto many, “I never knew you.”  Note, it is more than simply “I have no knowledge of you.” Rather, His solemn declaration will be, “I never knew you”—you were never the objects of My approbation. Contrast this with “I know (love) My sheep, and am known (loved) of Mine” (John 10:14).

The “sheep,” His elect, the “few,” He does “know;” but the reprobate, the non-elect, the “many” He knows not—no, not even before the foundation of the world did He know them—He “NEVER” knew them in the sense of approbation (a favorable choice). 

Now this is not hard to understand.  What it may be is hard to accept.  But let me remind you that as the Sovereign ruler of the cosmos, God is not obligated to give us anything – not life and not happiness. In America, we may have come to believe that we are entitled to some things freely, but not so with God. He chooses some to eternal life and He chooses some not to eternal life.  This is His sovereign choice and He does what pleases Him.

End of Part 5