When the Jewish leaders of Antioch rejected Paul’s gospel message in Acts 13, he told them that they were unworthy of eternal life and that he was now “turning to the Gentiles” (vs. 46). Verse 48 goes on to say, “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Yahuah; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

There were no more and no less of the Gentiles in Antioch who believed than the full number of those whom Yahuah had already appointed to eternal life.

The question that presents itself before us is, were these Gentiles appointed to eternal life because they believed, or did they believe because they were appointed to eternal life?

Notice Luke does not say, “and as many as believed, Yahuah appointed to eternal life,” as if to suggest their belief was contingent upon their volition, i.e., their free will choice to believe. On the contrary, Luke unequivocally states that “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” The appointment to eternal life preceded their believing.

We see the same approach when Paul instructed Timothy about those who oppose his teaching to correct them gently so that “if perhaps Yahuah may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2Ti 2:25-26).

If people are to repent, they must be equipped by Yahuah with the power to do so. They must be granted repentance as a gift, and in turn this will cause them to “come to their senses.” Here again we see that repentance ultimately rests with Yahuah and His sovereign good pleasure to give or withhold that gift which leads “to the knowledge of the truth.”

The fact that Yahuah does not give this gift universally is self-evident in the text. If repentance were something that Yahuah gives to all, Paul would hardly have said “if perhaps” Yahuah will grant repentance. Clearly Paul envisioned that Yahuah may or may not grant repentance to those who oppose the gospel.

In both Acts 13:48 and 1 Timothy 2:25 we see that those who believe are those whom Yahuah appoints and gives the ability to believe. These are two examples of the Bible’s systematic teaching that Yahuah is sovereign over salvation. Eternal life does not rest in the fickle decision of man, but in Yahuah’s eternal decree.