What is double predestination?

Double predestination is the idea or belief that God predetermines some people to go heaven and others to hell. Is this true?

As usual, we must go to the source of all truth the Bible.

In Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The word all in this context is exclusive. Mean all human beings have sinned. This is what scholars call a universal negative.

In the Old Testament we read in Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say I have made my heart clean? Who can say I am clean my from sin?”

The obvious answer is no one can or is willing to clean their own heart or cleanse themselves from sin.

Ephesians 2:1 says we were dead in trespasses and sins.

Colossians 2:13 says you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh.

Point being is that God only predestines the elect, the chosen. He does not predetermine the non elect go to hell. They go to hell because of their rejection of the finished work of Jesus Christ through willful unbelief.
No greater expression of love has ever been displayed on earth, and to reject that perfect love offering deserves immediate damnation.

The Lord is passive in condemnation whereas he's active, and aggressive in salvation.

The Bible teaches that all of us were hell bound, and some point in time, that was the fate of all men.

In Ephesians 2:4-5 we read, “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even while we were dead in our trespasses and sins made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:12 says that, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (italics added).

Ezekiel 18:31-32 the prophet speaking to Israel says, “Cast away from you all transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies (i.e. wicked) declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

The Bible teaches only the predestination of the chosen, those whom God desires to save. Understand the chosen do not choose God, he chooses them (John 15:16). We will never seek God on our own so God HAS to save us or else no one would ever be saved (Psalm 14:1-2; Psalm 53:1-2; John 6:44; Romans 3:10-11).

God chooses the elect because it pleased him to do so (Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:5, 11).

The unsaved are justly condemned because they reject the only way to salvation when the gospel is preached to them (John 3:36; 8:24; 10:26).

Those that are chosen will always come to saving faith when the effectual call of God is manifested in their hearts (Romans 8:28-39).<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]-->

The difference is that the wicked will be called by God, but will refuse to respond and thus be condemned. Why? Because they love their evil deeds (John 3:19).

There is essentially no difference between the elect of God and non elect. Pound for pound we are the same, born into sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). But spiritually, we are polar opposites because of parentage. Those whom were chosen before the foundation of the world belong to the Heavenly Father (Ephesians 1:4). Those not chosen belong to their father the devil (John 8:44).

Those who are chosen are a gift from the Father to the Son. That is why the Son was sent to earth, to  rescue those whom the Father commanded Him to save (John 6:37-40). Please understand that is why the chosen sinner comes to Christ because they are snatched out of the fire of eternal destruction where they were going and still deserve to go! Hell is just for all people – even God’s chosen.

It’s due to the inexplicable grace of God that we escape hell and enter into heaven. Naturally we do not want biblical salvation; it goes against the dictates of our corrupt minds.

God knowing this had to perform a supernatural work. He lovingly made the unwilling chosen sinner willing  by opening up his heart and mind, filling it with His love and power to bring an awareness of sins so that he would repent, believe and be saved. This only occurs because God is the initiator and culminator of salvation. Man is passive in salvation; he’s the blessed recipient of the love of God.

With the condemned man, he’s left in his depravity, because that is what he wants; he loves his sin, and God grants him that. God reaches His hands to him as well, but he refuses to take it; he rather not be rescued from the fires of hell where he’s headed. He rejects God so God grants him what he wants, that is out of 

God’s presence forever.

The only thing left for the sinner is judgment of their sins from God. He rejects God’s offer of salvation through the preaching of the gospel of repentance. This proves the unsaved are not predestined to go to hell before the foundation of the world. For if they were, God would not love on them the way He does by showing them the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.

They go to hell because of their rejection of Jesus Christ knowingly, the only way to salvation.

                                                                  

                                                                 Conclusion

If God decided to save everyone as some teach then it would (to the writer) depreciate the power of His saving grace. There would be no contrasting just condemnation of sinners to amplify the unmerited power of His saving grace.

God is completely balanced in that he saved some from his just wrath, and others he has reserved for judgment.

God then displays his mercy on those whom he saves and justly condemns those who have rejected him.

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<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]--> Just because God chooses some for salvation, doesn’t negate personal responsibility of the sinner to repent, believe and be saved. What we have going on here is divine sovereignty in election from God and human responsibility in tandem. God chooses who he will save, uses the gospel message as the means to bring the chosen sinner to saving faith. The unsaved are given that same message and refuse to repent justifying their damnation.

Some opponents of this doctrine of election will question the fairness of God and say, “Why does God choose some and pass by others?” Scripture says who are we to question God, Will the thing formed say to him that formed it why have you made me like this (Romans 9:20)?” The question is not why God saves some, but why does he save any? For none of us ever deserved to be saved.

For more info, please read my article here: http://gospelofrepentance.blogspot.com/2012/04/sovereign-election-part-ii.html