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FAQ # 3
QUESTION 3 : What is
Predestination?
Predestination
according to the dictionary means, “determine or appointed beforehand;
ordain by divine will.” Then a Bible dictionary rightly had this to add:
This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan
or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate"
is found only in these six passages, Ac 4:28; Ro 8:29-30; 1Co 2:7; Eph
1:5,11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the
eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate
purpose" of God governs all events.
Another source states:
This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties.
It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the
revealed word of God as our guide, we must accept this doctrine with all
its mysteriousness, and settle all our questionings in the humble, devout
acknowledgment, "Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."
For the teaching of Scripture on this subject let the following passages
be examined in addition to those referred to above; Gen 21:12; Ex 9:16;
33:19; De 10:15; 32:8; Jos 11:20; 1Sa 12:22; 2Ch 6:6; Ps 33:12; 65:4;
78:68; 135:4; Isa 41:1-10; Jer 1:5; Mr 13:20; Lu 22:22; John 6:37; 15:16;
17:2,6,9; Ac 2:28; 3:18; 4:28; 13:48; 17:26; Ro 9:11,18,21; 11:5; Eph
3:11; 1Th 1:4; 2Th 2:13; 2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2; 1Pe 1:2.
The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to
honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were
all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles.
(2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g.,
the Hebrews (De 7:6; Ro 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election
of individuals to eternal life (2Th 2:13; Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:2; John 13:18).
The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph
1:5,11; Mt 11:25-26; John 15:16,19). God claims the right so to do (Ro
9:16,21).
It is not conditioned on faith or repentance, but is of sovereign grace
(Ro 11:4-6; Eph 1:3-6). All that pertain to salvation, the means (Eph
2:8; 2Th 2:13) as well as the end, are of God (Ac 5:31; 2Ti 2:25; 1Co
1:30; Eph 2:5,10). Faith and repentance and all other graces are the exercises
of a regenerated soul; and regeneration is God's work, a "new creature."
Men are elected "to salvation," "to the adoption of sons,"
"to be holy and without blame before him in love" (2Th 2:13;
Gal 4:4-5; Eph 1:4). The ultimate end of election is the praise of God's
grace (Eph 1:6,12). {Source: Sword Searcher 4.3, www.SwordSearcher.com, Easton
Bible Dictionary}
With the
above, it is undisputable that there is something called predestination
but how does it fit into obedience of faith, doing works, etc? The fact
is, God choose us to salvation before the foundations of the world, in
other words our names were written in the book of Life, I’ve never heard
names being added but God said he would blot out names, “And the LORD
said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out
of my book” (Ex 32:33). And if your name is blotted out your only abode
is eternal death, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire” (Re 20:15). So here we see a
notion of names being removed from predestination. In other words,
one is automatically predestinated, being born, but upon confrontation
with the choice given by the ‘predestinator,’ can forfeit that predestination.
Nevertheless, this all sounds good in theory that’s why I highlighted
the word notion because what is explained is the logics of it and not
necessarily what is, because what is cannot necessarily be explained.
We are talking about a God that looks down time and know your every move
from birth to death, and by that can choose you or not choose you; then
he orders your every move from birth to death based on his foreknowledge.
The only way predestination can be fully explained is if we can understand
God. Because how could a wretched murderer like Paul be choosen while
my Aunt Evadney who relatively did no wrong but just refuses to get save
go to Hell’s fire. There’s no way to rightly figure out predestination
except that the moment you find yourself in the position to choose Christ
being pulled by his spirit through a preacher, track, written word or
literally being pulled, then you must be predestinated.
In other words, the mere fact you’re looking in the way of salvation
means that you’re predestinated, because no man come to Christ except
he pulls them (John 6:44).
Also blowing
up the notion is that the scripture made it plain that those who are predestinated
are eventually glorified, no two ways about it. Romans 8:30 states, “whom
he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he
also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” In other
words, the predestinated ones all make it. If that be the case, and prior
to one’s birth your name is recorded, then every human would be saved;
because he is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet 3:9). You see
how it then can be sliced up. Then there is another scripture that makes
it plain that he holds some from coming to salvation when he said, “The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve
the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pet 2:9). Reserve
means that no matter what he keeps you from coming to him so that you
wont escape punishment.
Again,
only in the mind of God can predestination be cleared up, because I could
throw in just a few variables to prove one notion while disproving or
approving another. Simply, as stated above “the ground of this election
to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph 1:5,11; Mt 11:25-26; John
15:16,19). God claims the right so to do (Ro 9:16,21).”
My summary
is that God pulls you to the decision table and by all means try to convince
you to choose, then let you decide, after believing, he will do the rest.
He will send the preacher, like Philip, to baptize you and he will send
the Holy Ghost to make you alive. When that occurs his spirit will automatically
make you live like how he wants; because he did say, “I will put my spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them” (Eze 36:27).
In other
words, there are really two choices in life 1. choosing God, which
is now expressed as Jesus Christ, or 2. not choosing Christ and
by the latter you’re automatically with the devil (Lk 11:23). Thereafter,
you’ll be ruled by either Christ (1 Cor 6:19) or the Devil (2 Pet
2:19), no more choices. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves
servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin
unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Rom 6:16).
{Source: question only from GNC}
Answer Notes: 1. See a
study called Instinct and Intelligence at http://groups.msn.com/Threeqcom/archive.msnw
2. Notice
I said that if you don’t choose Christ that makes your choice the Devil.
However, Christ didn’t put it like that in Luke 11:23, but rather said,
“He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with
me scattereth.” There is no comparison to the Devil. For who is the Devil?
God has no equal or rival, “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel
against the LORD” (Pro 21:30). But we metaphorically refer to you being
with the Devil as being against God, because he is the Chief among them
that are against God or in some supposed rebellion.
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