Biblical or Calvinistic Predestination?--You Choose
by David C. Swanson
The Bible teaches predestination, but not Calvinistic Predestination (the teaching that each individual's life and destiny are pre-determined by God).
The Bible teaching on predestination is that God pre-determined, not the individual identity of the saved, but the character of the saved and their relationship to Him. The church, the body of Christ as a whole is predestined to be saved, not the individual.
In the Bible passages that deal with predestination, notice that those predestined are always plural: we, us, these, etc. It is the body of Christ (composed of those that have a proper relationship 'in Christ' with God) that is predestined to be saved.
Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
Romans 8:29-30 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, 35; Romans 2:11-12; 1 Peter 1:17). If God determined beforehand who was going to be saved or lost, or who would do this or that, wouldn't that be showing partiality? God tells us that showing partiality is a sin (James 2:9).
God does not will that any perish but all be saved: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (Titus 2:11; see also 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9). There are two points to consider here. If God wants all to be saved, why would he choose some to be lost? He doesn't choose. He allows us to choose. If he wants all to be saved, why aren't they? Not all are saved because God allows us to choose whether to faithfully follow Him. We have choices and have control of our lives, and to a point, of our own salvation (Philippians 2:12, 13).
Predestination makes the Devil no enemy for the saved to worry about. If all are predestined, why beware? (1 Peter 5:8) If you are predestined to be saved, you will be no matter what the Devil does so why worry? But the Devil is a worry. He tempts us to make sinful choices which jeopardize our salvation.
Our eternal destiny (heaven or hell) is a result of personal choices we make (to obey the gospel or not) based upon our own freewill.
"For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself" (Acts 2:39). He calls us through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). Anyone who responds to that call in obedience (initially baptism, then faithful living) has salvation (Hebrews 5:8,9). This is calling on His name (Acts 22:16). "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2). "Whoever" is anyone. This is an open invitation. Those who do not obey will be punished (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Whenever Paul speaks of the predestined he uses the plural: us, we, those, etc., never the singular. It is the body of Christ (composed of those that have a proper relationship 'in Christ' with God) that is predestined to be saved. We may come and go from this relationship as we make choices. We may grow in grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). We may be severed from Christ (Gal. 5:4). We may be restored (Gal. 6:1; James 5:15, 19,20).
This being the case, this passage from Psalm 139 cannot be teaching (as some assert) that God has set our lives in concrete before we were born, but rather that He knows our lives before they happen. Read it carefully and see that it is so.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:14-16
Note the word 'ordained' rather than 'preordained.' 'Ordained' in this verse comes from a Hebrew word that means 'fashioned' or 'made.' (It is unfortunately translated as 'ordained' only once in the scriptures here in Psalm 139.) God is of course in control of history and may determine certain things about our lives, one being when we live. But like a suit of clothes, the days made for us are fashioned for our use.
Another example: A congregation may 'ordain' (select, set aside) someone to preach the gospel (See Acts 13:1-5). But how and when the preacher does this is up to him, within the guidelines set by the congregation, of course. He may even choose not to do as they have ordained (selected), but will face the consequences.
God has fashioned days for us, but it is up to us to use them how we will, within the guidelines He has set in the Bible. If we do not follow the rules, we face consequences. As a matter of fact, there are consequences (good or bad) for each and every decision we make.
In Romans 8:28, another passage used to 'prove' predestination, we read: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." This does not say that God causes all things to happen. It does not say that all things will be good. It just says that all things will work together for good to those who love God.
If we follow His word, trying to make decisions based on his guidance in the Bible, things will work out for us. There may be difficult times, but in the end, things will work out (eternal life). Difficult times can be an opportunity to grow stronger in faith which results in a life pleasing to God.
If we end up in hell, we can only blame ourselves! Our temporal success or failure in this life is based as well upon the choices we and those around us make that affect us. If we foolishly squander the blessings and opportunities in our lives, we can only blame ourselves!
Be Sure of Your Eternal Salvation
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