Predestination
Synonyms: Foreordination, preappointment, predetermined path
Greek References: proorizo 4309 (Strong)
Scripture: Lke 7:30, Acts 2:23, Acts 13:48, Rom 8:29-30, 1Co 2:7, Eph 1:5,11
Related ideas: foreknowledge, eternal purpose
Synopsis: There are two issues in predestination
The word "predestined" (or "predestinated") is a Bible word, but some have given it a meaning different to the Bible meaning. Consequently their doctrine of predestination skews the Bible doctrine of election.
The Bible doctrine might be stated as follows:
God has chosen some people to be saved, and these "elect" cannot, in that state, possibly be lost. The rest of mankind, who are not predestined to eternal life, are "rebrobate" and cannot, in that state, possibly be saved.
The above statement is true, in the following sense: If a person chooses to be among the reprobate, and chooses to remain so, certainly that person cannot possibly be saved, and is predestined to eternal damnation because that person rejects God and resists God's will. If a person chooses to be among the elect, and chooses to remain so, certainly that person cannot possibly be lost and is predestined to salvation and eternal life, because that person obeys God and yields to God's will.
There are two things involved here, as you no doubt have already noticed:
Those who deny the second of those things, have been dubbed "Calvinists" although John Calvin, 1509-1564, was by no means the first to propound their doctrine.
When you put the two points above together, you have God laying down two alternatives, pointing out the eternal and unchangeable consequences of each, and giving man the choice.
Calvinists however, go so far as to say that God chose particular individuals to be saved, and did so before they were ever born, even before the world was created. Furthermore, they say that God made his particular selection (or election) without any consideration whatsoever of the person's worthiness or disposition. Those whom God chose were no more deserving of, or disposed toward, God's grace than those whom God passed by, and nobody (except God) had any choice in the matter.
Although Calvinists would naturally object to the word "arbitrary" as a description of God's determinations, their teaching does nevertheless appear to have God making quite arbitrary decisions, ordaining some to eternal life, and passing others by. Those whom he passed by he effectively --if not deliberately-- consigned to eternal damnation. Yet there was supposedly no quality or disposition in a person which moved God to decide that person's destiny one way or the other. Since God has made the choice of destiny for the particular individual, that individual has no personal choice or say in it, and cannot change what God has effectively decreed for that individual.
Predestination, correctly and scripturally understood, means that God decided, before creating man, what he wanted man to be like. He purposed salvation and eternal life for anyone who would accept his Son Jesus Christ, and damnation for anyone who rejected Christ. But God never purposed that anyone should reject Christ. Rather, "God desires all men to be saved" (1Tim 2:4,6).
Some will agree with the statement, "God never purposed that anyone should reject Christ" yet at the same time say that God never purposed that everyone should accept Christ. They will also say that where God did not purpose that a particular individual should accept Christ then that individual is totally incapable of accepting Christ. That individual is therefore, without any personal choice, eternally damned.
The heavenly inheritance which Christians obtain is secure, because we were predestined from the beginning and we are sealed until the end, according to the sovereign purpose of God who works all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11-14). None of this, however, prevents people from rejecting and resisting God's purpose, and thus forfeiting their inheritance.
Man has always been able to reject God's purpose for man. God purposed that Adam and Eve should not eat of a certain tree, yet they went contrary to God's will (Gen 3:1-6).
Jesus wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem to himself, but they were unwilling, rejected their destiny, and their city was made desolate (Mtt 23:37-38). The Pharisees and lawyers refused to be baptised by John, "Rejecting God's counsel for themselves" (Lke 7:30).
God has called, according to his purpose, those whom he foreknew and predestined, and the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable
God chooses those who choose to follow his purpose for them. God refuses those who refuse to follow his purpose for them.
The condition "if you continue in..." has always been a part of God's calling and counsel, and man chooses whether or not to fulfill that condition
In the Calvinist's philosophy, a person who appears to be exercising choice in making a decision for Christ, is really only acting under an irresistable impulse from God who made the decision for that person before the foundation of the world.
God, before the world began, pre-ordained that his Son Jesus Christ would die for the sins of the world
Those who choose to follow the pre-determined path to that life, through the cross of Christ, are thereby predestined by God because they follow the path he predetermined for them.
Calvinists have God predestinating particular people, then ordaining that Christ should die for them. But God pre-ordained that Christ should die for all people in general, and that whoever follows Christ should not perish but have eternal life.
Since the path to eternal life was predetermined irrevocably, anyone who wishes may take that path and be certain of reaching its destination. That is the sense in which people are predestinated.
Imagine you are considering embarking on a train journey.
Certain things are predetermined: the schedule, the price, the route, the conditions and rights of travel, and, most important of all, the destination. Those things have long been decided by the authority or company. You have no direct or immediate say in those things, although it is fair to say that they have been determined with your interests generally at heart.
The company also has advertised its desire for you to use the train service it provides, and given you every assistance and encouragement.
The company has also made the system wholly safe and reliable so that you can use it with the utmost confidence.
To reach the destination, however, you must get on the train and stay on the train, and to do those things, you must make decisions and fulfill conditions. These decisions and conditions are well within your capacity to handle responsibly.
Everything therefore has been set up so that, if you choose, you can get on the train,. stay on the train, reach your destination. That's the way predestination works.