The concept of predestination I’m sure has perplexed people for years and will continue to do so for many more to come. Biblically what does it mean to be predestined by God, to be conformed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)? Predestination in the bible is the Greek term proorizō. The term means to choose beforehand, to foreordain, to predetermine ones destiny.
To get a better understanding of predestination, let’s examine the scriptures to gain more insight into this wonderful concept.
The apostle Paul in the book of Romans 8:29-30 said this, “For whom he foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he predestined, these he called, whom he called these also justified and whom he justified these He also glorified." These are all past tense verbs. Our salvation is secured in the mind of the Lord.
What Paul is describing here is the doctrine of sovereign election. Meaning that God chose those that would become heirs of the kingdom of God. As the gospel of John declares, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe on his name – who were born not of blood nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11, 12 Emphasis added). There are those who believe that since God has infinite wisdom and knew beforehand who would receive Jesus in their lifetime, that God made his selection based on that reality; in other words, God looked through the annals of time and selected those who would choose him so he (God) chose them – foresight is what it’s also called. While it’s true God knew who would receive Jesus, the Lord didn’t chose man based on that premise. Had he made his selection that way, that would predicate salvation based on man’s merit not God. This view is absolutely tragic because that means faith dictates election, instead of election dictating faith. Also Romans 3:11 states, “none seek after God.” John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” Basically God is the aggressor when it comes to man’s salvation because we are unable and unwilling to come to God on our own. God grants us not only salvation but the faith to believe God for that salvation so that no man can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
HOW DID GOD CHOOSE MAN? DID HE SELECT SOME AND REJECT OTHERS?
God chose man based on nothing that man has done. When I talk about choosing man, once again I’m referring to predestination. Predestination is an absolute when dealing with man’s salvation since the bible says we have been chosen before the foundation of the world, meaning God preordained our destiny before the world began ( Ephesians 1:4).
Now does this mean we had no choice in whether we accept the Lord or not since we were chosen before the foundation of the world? Of course we had a choice, however God knew who would come into the kingdom. But once again that wasn’t the basis for God selecting those whom he foreknew. God did so based upon his sovereignty. Not because one person was better than the other. God chose some because it pleased him to do so. It was part of his sovereign plan (Ephesians 1:5).
Someone would say of God’s character that’s not fair. To them it would seem that God is showing respect of persons – setting his love on some and not on others. Before I reply to that statement, let’s look at an account of God’s sovereignty in John’s gospel.
JESUS HEALS A PARALYTIC
In John chapter 5 we read about Jesus in Bethesda where there lay a great multitude of blind, lame, and paralyzed people desiring to be made well. In verse four it says, for an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. Then whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who an infirmity thirty eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, “ Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “ Sir I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up and while I am coming another steps down before me” Jesus said to him, “ Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked, and that day was the Sabbath (John 5: 5-9).
Going back to verse 3 we read there were a great multitude of sick people all desiring to be healed of whatever disease they had. However, Jesus healed only one man. Why would he do this? Everyone there needed healing yet Jesus healed one man. From all appearances Jesus was being totally unfair to the rest of the sick people there, but he was not. The doctrine of sovereign election was being demonstrated here. Jesus showed compassion on this one man and not on the others not because he was better or had greater faith, simply because it pleased the Lord to heal him. The reason why he chose not to heal the others we will never know. It’s not our place to know or to question God’s judgment in this instance. There are some things we can’t understand. “What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19;Romans 9:14-15).
Another passage reads, “And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls), it was said to her, The older shall serve the younger” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy – emphasis added (Romans 9:10-12;16).
GOD WILL DO WHATEVER HE WANTS
Once again the remark by man would simply be this, “God is not fair!!” Praise God he’s not fair. Because if he was fair all the time, then none of us would have any hope. We’d all get exactly what we deserve – eternal damnation and not mercy which we need and receive everyday of our lives. The word of God’s reply to fairness is this, Paul speaking to the Romans, “ You will say to me then, why does He (God) still find fault? For who has resisted his will?” What Paul is saying here is the antagonist’s question is since God knows what I’m going to do before I do it then why am I penalized for doing wrong? But indeed O man who are you to reply against God? Will the thing say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another for dishonor?” (Romans 9:19-21)
What we must understand is God’s choosing is simply that – God’s choosing. For us to have the gall to question God’s intentions shows are ignorance of God’s sovereign will. This is a characteristic of God we can’t comprehend fully. It’s beyond us. God has absolute power in dealing in the affairs of man. No one can oppose him. It doesn’t matter rather we understand this facet of his character or not. Isaiah 55:8,9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Another passage of scripture dealing with God’s sovereignty, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to Him (God) and it shall be repaid him” (man) (Romans 11:33-35. Verse 34 quoted originally from Isaiah 40:13 and verse 35 quoted originally from Job 41:11). One last passage of God’s Sovereignty is Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but the things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
0ne of the many problems that man has is his pride. Because of this fatal flaw man feels he’s okay in his own eyes when in actuality he’s wicked and beyond hope without God. Because man thinks he’s okay, he feels he has the right to accuse God for things he can’t understand when in effect his ways are offense to God and God for his holiness sake will judge him. Despite this attitude, God is tenderhearted and merciful and desires that all men are saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Will all be saved? No. Because of unbelief not because they never had the gospel preached to them (Matthew 24:14). There is a certain number for the elect of God that only he only knows. We don’t know so that’s why we must go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15,16). By man’s rejection of Jesus proves that he deserving of what he gets – eternal damnation. Praise God he saved some from this tragic reality and took us out of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son (Colossians 1:13).
Comments
Thanks for your comments.