Please do not ‘skim’ read the following article. Each word was given thought, and carefully written. Each sentence is often a statement unto itself that leads into the understanding of sentence following it. To skip a sentence through quickly glancing through the article will most definitely result in a lack of understanding and lead to a wrong conclusion of what is being said. If the reader is pressed for time, I ask that you set the article aside until more time can be allowed, or do not read it at all. Thanks.
What Did God Create?
God gives us insight into who He is; through the written word that He has given to man. The Holy Bible speaks of His characteristics, His moral and ethical values, His judgments, His precepts and His will. Understanding of His Word leads us down a path from sinner to saint, from being children in understanding to maturity, from being weak in faith to a soldier wearing the full armour of God, from only knowing Him through His word to knowing Him through His indwelling Spirit. This is a life-long journey.
God, (who is a Spirit) created the physical universe, and all the natural laws that govern them. He set all things into motion, and they all operate by His laws; which we call physics. Heat rushes toward cold with resultant air currents (wind), water on earth evaporates into the air and returns as rain, objects in the air fall to the ground, and the earth spins creating night and day, cooling and heating. The science of physics has set rules that apply to the physical world. The laws of nature. Laws of relativity, motion, thermodynamics, gravity, etc. We study and come to conclusions of these laws whereby we can know in certainty what will be the effect of applying these laws in a given situation. God also created life, male and female, and the inner workings of living things, so that life is self perpetuating. Everything producing, or re-producing, ‘after it’s kind’.
All these things are a self-contained operating system designed to function continually, much like a terrarium
Math is book of science. It too has ‘set’ values and knowns. 2 and 2 will always equal 4, 5 times 5 will always equal 25. There are 360 degrees in a circle and we can divide these up to calculate angles, and use trigonometry functions and algebra to navigate to the moon, and place survey equipment on Mars. With our knowledge of science in many areas we can determine fault line movement, predict weather, know the temperature of the sun and the distance to other galaxies. All these things and more, because man understands the ‘set values’ and ‘constants’ of what we call ‘natural law’ and the ‘law of physics’. We also know that these laws will REPEAT themselves, whether in experiments or in reality, over and over and over again. Drop a brick from a 100 foot tall building and it will hit the ground at a given time, EACH time it is dropped. In algebra, if ‘A’ equals ‘B’, then ‘A’ will ALWAYS equal ‘B’.
Where we come into problems in trying to understand God, is when we seek to understand the workings of God in the same manner in which we learn the laws of physics; trying to find the ‘set’ rules of the operation of God. Even though a Christian is born again and are now spiritual, we are often still studying the bible and coming to conclusions in our study based on what we understand with the ‘natural mind’, the way we understand physics; with ‘set’ and repeatable results.
Even though we are born again, and now spiritual (ye are spiritual, if so be the spirit of God dwell in you), we are often still studying the bible and coming to conclusions in a carnal minded way. Although the Word of God is literal, and often pertains to the physical world, we need to realize that the things of God, unlike physics, are ‘spiritually discerned’. (1 Corinth 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”). Jesus said in John 3:3; “Except a man be born again” (spiritually), “he cannot see” (understand) “the kingdom of God”.
There is a widespread teaching in the world today, stemming from interpreting God’s word as you would a physics book of set rules, teaching that what God does for one person…He will do for all persons. They take a portion of scripture, such as Acts 10:34, where the apostle Peter said; “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…”
and came up with what they call a spiritual ‘law’ to the effect that God treats everyone the same; in the same way that natural laws always repeat the same outcome. Some take it to mean that if God makes a statement or proclamation in scripture, that the statement or proclamation pertains to all believers, and, like physics, repeatable over and over and over again. This understanding is neither true nor realistic.
Taking that portion of scripture when Peter said God was not a respecter of persons, and applying their misconceived interpretation of it as if it were some sort of spiritual law paralleled to physical law, then we have to think that we could walk amongst lions, like Daniel did.Daniel was spared in the lions den, but those Christians thrown to the lions in the roman coliseum were eaten. Three Hebrews were thrown into a furnace and not burned, but many others were burned on crosses. Peter was freed from prison by an angel, yet many Christians have been imprisoned because of their faith and have died there. Jonah was cast into the sea and swallowed by a large fish; so does this mean that anyone and everyone who goes into the sea will be swallowed by a large fish? The Red Sea was parted so that Israel could cross over that area on dry land to flee from an enemy; does this mean that anyone being chased by an enemy could take the sea route? God created the laws of physics, they are constant, and only God by sovereign intervention supercede those laws for the reason of performing His will. So why is it that I hear so often that God is behind every storm; that He is either causing it or ‘permitting it’? This notion is equaling as ridiculous as those things mentioned in this paragraph. Job, was protected by God, being a very righteous man in God’s sight. It was only through God’s faith in Job that He allowed Satan to afflict him. It was a contest. In one of Satan’s attacks on Job, Satan created a whirlwind (tornado) and killed some of Job’s children. So now we have people looking for some ‘divine purpose’ for every storm! That’s ridiculous! Unless by special cause by divine will…it’s physics! It’s ‘earth science’.
Again, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after 4 days; does this mean everyone will be raised from the dead after 4 days? I understand that people destroyed by storms are seeking some sort of divine plan but propagating false understanding of God or His word ultimately does the kingdom of God no favors. Such teaching and thinking actually blames God for every disaster. Jesus healed a man blind from birth. Does Jesus heal every blind person? Of course not.
Picking apart scripture, taking it out of context and interpreting these things in the same way the human mind explores the laws of science, leads to great error. When Peter said in Acts 10:34; “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” he was talking about God’s acceptance of Gentiles by pouring upon Gentiles the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Before that time, Gentiles were still considered ‘dogs’ and could not be part of God’s family. The whole statement made by Peter, reflects this.“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
Taking only portions of scripture, then teaching those portions as set laws that pertain to all human beings has also led to other serious false concepts. One of them is that all babies are ‘prescribed at birth’. All babies prescribed at birth? Like physics, God created life, and natural laws, to perpetuate life, so that life itself begets life. God being sovereign, He can and sometimes does interrupt the normal flow of life and gets personally involved with a birth to fulfill His Will on earth; such as with Abraham and Sarah, Isaiah, David, and Jeremiah .He intervenes, and directs, and causes His prophets to be born. Among these, Jesus Christ, the son of God being born among man was a most special sovereign act. These are special intervening acts on God’s part, for the fulfillment of His ultimate will. Just like believing that God is directly involved with every storm, some people think God had his hand on every baby ever born, by divine plan, and knew them even while they were still in the womb. The scriptures used to conclude this understanding are: Isaiah 44:2 and 49:5, (but God was referring expressly about Jacob); Pslam 139:1-16; (Speaking individually of David); and Jeremiah 1:5, (referring to the person of Jeremiah).
Just as every storm is not directed by the Lord, neither is every birth. Births happen because God designed life to perpetuate. This does not mean that God has a personal hand in each conception, and His finger on the pulse of every birth. Although most parents look upon their babies as ‘bundles from heaven’ and some churches even teach this; these are ideas are based upon what people ‘wish’ to believe, and not fact. God has only a very indirect involvement in each birth, but only because He created life in the first place, and the design by which life goes on and on in it’s ability to perpetuate itself. If God were to be the designer of every birth, as some say He is involved in every storm, then once again that would be blaming God for every criminally minded person, the mastermind of every murderer and serial killer, the author of rape and all things vile.
Did God call homosexuality an abomination and then design it? Did God design the Pharoah of Egypt, and Judas? Did God design the Pharissees, those that beat the Lord Jesus Christ, and Hitler? Did God prescribe Ishmael? Were they ‘prescription babies’ too? I think not. In fact, blasphemy is attributing acts of evil as the work of God! Were these people that I spoke of, who did great evil, actually ‘good’and designed by God in their infancy and then turned bad? Not hardly.
I am against abortion, but it is a great error in the understanding of God’s word when I hear people use the term ‘killing innocent blood’ when referring to the unborn lives being murdered. Someone, somewhere, applied the term ‘innocent blood’ to babies and because it pleased human emotion it was accepted as fact.
It’s understandable, parents of a newborn child looking at their freshly given life to claim it to be a little angel. Sent from heaven. It’s understandable, so very emotional, but
will ‘man’ ever quit ‘making up stuff’ and declaring it to be true to the Word of God? When will man ever stop worshipping a God of his own making and turn to seek the true God? If indeed infants are innocent blood, then is God hypocritical? Did God order the Israelites themselves to kill innocent blood? Did He not order them to kill whole tribes of peoples including everything that breathed…women and children and pregnant mothers? Would He be ordering the deaths of so many ‘innocents’? Of course not!
Scriptures say we are born in sin, and shaped in iniquity, evil by nature due to the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. It was Paradise…Lost. And man became a servant and slave to Satan and kingdom of darkness. For scriptures say we are ‘servant to whom we obey’ and since Adam obeyed Satan, all of mankind that he was to spawn, were likewise born into Satan’s kingdom, and so was true for every generation yet to be born. All of man, had sinned through Adam, had spiritually died and became completely carnal by his new nature. Yet there is a way out of that kingdom of darkness, out of Satan’s domain, a way provided to restore the innocency of Adam before the fall; and that way is to return to God’s kingdom. Repentance, asking for forgiveness of all sin, committing yourself henceforth to obedience to the Lord and to His word. To give your life, and every area of it, to Jesus Christ. Once a person has done this, with all seriousness, then be water baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring Him to be your Lord, and following that you’ll receive a second baptism; which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
These things can be found in the second chapter of the book of Acts in the bible. At that time, you are born again, anew in the spirit, and because of this and the total forgiveness of sin that you will have received…you are now free of all past and current sin…and therefore you are now ‘innocent blood’. This is the only definition of ‘innocent blood’. Like I say, I am against abortion, but the calling of their murders to be shedding ‘innocent blood’ is completely against the teaching of God’s word, and the Kingdom of God.
God created life, and natural laws, to perpetuate life, so that life itself begets life. God created the laws of physics, the same laws that produce tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards,
He direct not each one. But this is not to say that God ‘never’ uses His hand to create one for the purpose of judgment either! For He does. Like the earthquake that swallowed Dathan and Dathan’s followers, or the volcano that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Though God created physics to perpetuate things on earth, He is still sovereign and can do these things according to His will and purpose. Pompeii was a city of extreme sexual immorality and was destroyed suddenly by a volcano. We’ve had modern day cities of wickedness likewise struck by volcanoes and hurricanes. These are warnings to us all, to be sure, but this does not mean that every storm is the ‘hand of God’. In the common event storm, though the result of physics and earth science. God certainly can, and does, intervene on ones behalf sometimes, to save from such disasters, but even such salvation is not necessarily a repeatable event. Acts of intervention are solely up to God’s discretion. God often intervenes on behalf of those in the storm’s path, and protects them. These acts of protection are not random, but are at the discretion of the Lord and often His reason is not known; although prayer is a powerful influence!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Predestination, or not?
Is All the World a Stage on which We Each Play a Part?
Some people seem to think so. Some people believe that everything we do is predestinated to happen. That God has pre-set everything in our lives and we are just fulfilling those plans. Other people believe that man has a free will and chooses his own actions. I have heard both views preached from the pulpits, and both preached as fact. Those that preach predestination seem both deaf and blind to the verses of scripture that point to “man’s free will,” and those that point to man’s free will seem deaf and blind to the verses of scripture that point to predestination. In this study of the issue we will look at both concepts according to scripture and, although I thought it to be impossible, will come to a definite conclusion in which neither view is totally right nor wrong; as truth rests upon both.
I looked at the verses that mention predestination starting with Romans 8: 29-30;
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Also Ephesians 1: 3-5 and 10-11
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
The above verses point to the predestination of men and are the foundation of that concept. But then there are other verses of scripture, too many in fact to include in one short writing, that pertain to predestined events in world history (also known as prophecy). Some of those events are: the dreams of Joseph that were to be fulfilled; the actions of a cruel Pharaoh that enslaved Israel; the life and actions of Moses; the rising and falling of kingdoms in the Old Testament; the coming of the Messsiah into the world; the betrayal of Jesus; the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that would lead God’s followers from within; the coming of false teachers and doctrines; the falling away of believers; the world becoming increasingly vile; and of course all the prophetic events foretold both in the old and new testaments pertaining to the end times. These events were foretold and they fulfill what God has purposed and God will bring those things to pass. It stands to reason then, that for those events to be accomplished, the people on earth directly involved in those events will be doing so either knowingly or unknowingling by predestined appointment. But will the individuals be predestined, or just the event?
Although certain people and events are predestined, man does have freewill.
He makes his own choices, and God watches over them to see what man will do. Doesn’t God know what man will choose? Bear with me for a brief moment. No, He doesn’t. Now, before I lose you, look at Genesis 2:19;
“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.”
According to scripture, God did not know what Adam was going to name things… until he so named them. That’s why scripture says “and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them.”
When God led the people of Israel through the wilderness for forty years it was because the parents of those He eventually would bring to Jordan vowed to follow the Lord and when the time came to cross into the promised land they were fearful and would not follow. They were lip-service followers, and when the road become hard they rebelled. So God kept them in the wilderness for forty years, partly to punish the adults who chose not to follow and keep them from going into the promised land, and partly to teach the children of those adults to trust in Him. Thus, their lives being sustained miraculously in the desert for forty years should have taught them to trust. No more lip-service commitment, God kept them in the desert to ‘prove’ them, to test them, to know what was in their hearts. Did God know? No. If He did, He wouldn’t have kept them in the wilderness for forty years. Because man has choices.
Deuteronomy 8:2;
“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”
Our very creative God, works ‘around’ our choices on a daily basis. He might have ‘plan A’ for your life but if you do not choose wisely He has ‘plan B’… and ‘C’… and on and on. Yes, God ‘knows the end from the beginning’ because He has foretold it, and will bring it to pass, but those are the prophesied events and not each and every action of each and every Christian. God sees, after we exercise our freewill, what our choices are and acts accordingly. Look at the creation of man again. God created man to till the ground in Garden of Eden; to be the gardener. But that’s not all, man was created to be obedient to God and reverence Him. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:13;
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Adam had choices. And he chose wrong. He fell into sin and became the servant of Satan through obedience to Satan’s promptings. Later, still in the book of Genesis where the creation of man began, we find the whole world corrupted except for Noah. Look at Genesis 6: 5-8;
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Read verse 6 again, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” God was sorry! This one is really easy to paraphrase; “I’m sorry I made man!” If God knew, much less predestined, the actions of Adam… then His creating man would make no sense at all. What would He have been thinking? “Hmmm, I think I will make man, then predestine him to sin, then be sorry for making him.”
Like I stated, man has freewill, and God acts accordingly to man’s choices. The same holds true for God ordaining (appointing) that Saul should be king over Israel. In fact, God did not want the Israelites to have a king at all because He wanted to be their king! Against His better judgment, because of the will of the people, He warned them against a human king then allowed them to have one. Talk about the Israelites not living by the concept of ‘thy will be done!’ Then God gave them a king; He appointed Saul. God wants what is best for us, but like Israel, if we fuss and moan and groan and gripe and complain and grumble and nag… He sometimes gives us what we want. Maybe that’s why it says in Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without murmurings.” Sometimes we just need to learn to trust Him and shut-up. This story is told in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Or you can skip down to my next (wide-margined) paragraph.
“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7
And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.
1 Sam 9:15-17
“ Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.”
Not long after God had Saul appointed as king of Israel, God once again repented (was sorry) about making him king, and appointed David to be king. Once again, if God had forseen that He would have been sorry about doing something… that He would not have done it to begin with.
1 Samuel 15:11; “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And
it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”
Aside from special events that have been prophesied, we make choices and are rewarded or punished accordingly. Individually, our choices affect our relationship with God and are not predestined.
God would not waste His time asking us ‘to choose’ if the outcome was predetermined. As the above verses point out, from Adam’s choices, to Noah, to ‘proving the children of Israel to see if they would obey God or not’, down through history to King Saul… God waits to see what our choices will be.
Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Joshua 24:15 - And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Proverbs 1:29 - For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
I would have to ask those who believe, beyond major events in history,
that everything an individual does is somehow predestinated. Who predestinated all things? God? Certainly only God has that much power.
But if so, that would make God responsible for all the evil in the world!
From the rebellion of Satan and a third of all the angels of heaven, to
Adam, to murder on the streets of New York. It totally makes void the personal responsibility of man for his own actions, and blames it all on God for having preordained all things to be so!
If Total Predestination Be So…
Why would Jesus have told us in Luke 13:24 to “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” It would be pointless, if the outcome were already determined.
We are told to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” But why, if it does not matter?
Why would Jesus have us to pray, “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10) if it is already done (or was done from the beginning) and finalized?
We have always heard that prayer changes things, and even scripture says the “Fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16), but why pray at all if the outcome is already set?
Why would Paul advise us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13) if personal salvation were already settled? Paul said,
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Why fight the good fight… if it’s already done? 1 Timothy 6:12; “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
If God Predesitnated Everything According to His Will…
If God predestinated everything according to His will, and since it’s not God’s will “that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), then why are there only going to “few” that find eternal life? (Matthew 7:14). Obviously, if ‘predestination’ were correct, then he must’ve predestinated only a few to eternal life contrary to His own will that all be saved? Does that make sense?
Why pray intercession at all? And why seek a peaceable life if whatever is going to happen will happen?
In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Paul writes;
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
And Paul continues:
3” For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
All men already saved because it says “who will have all men to be saved”? What about the great ‘falling away’ in the latter days? Since it was God’s will that all should have salvation, were it not for free choice, He could have just simply predestinated everyone and therefore accomplish that will. But He did not.
Was Credit Given to Predestination?
Paul was going to visit the church at Thessalonica but couldn’t. Why?
1 Thessalonians 2:18; “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” It wasn’t predestination that stood in his way… it was Satan, according to Paul.
Daniel, through faith, stopped the mouths of lions. Hebrews 11:33 says; “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.” There was no mention here of predestination being what stopped the mouths of lions; it was faith.
Does Paul, below, attribute those that are lost to being predestined to be lost? No, 2 Thessalonians 2:10 says;
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The lost will be lost because they made wrong choices, receiving not the love of the truth.
If Predestination of All Things Were True…
If predestination of all things were true then it is unalterable, being predestined. Could a person be predestined for salvation… then alter that predestination? If so, then the first predestination wasn’t really predestination and the whole concept is faulty. Yet that is exactly what Romans 11: 17-24 mentions (grafted in, broken off, grafted in again);
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25
If the concept of everything being predestinated were true and we are all just
‘living out’ what is already ‘finished,’ then when Jesus was foretelling an event concerning the future (which events truly are predestinated), he would have no reason to forewarn us to ‘endure.’ In Matthew Mt 24:12-13 Jesus forewarns,
“…because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
“He that shall endure to the end,” does not speak of being predestinated; it speaks of persevering for the purpose of achieving a goal. Jesus was cautioning us to be in the right ‘group’ of humanity at the Day of the Lord. Endure… denotes action and responsibility on the part of the believer. We are advised by just the word ‘endure’ itself 18 times in the new testament to ‘endure.’ Reading the new testament, there are hundreds, yes hundreds, of verses that pertain to remaining steadfast, to be watchful, to be strong, to actively live in obedience to God. None of which would be necessary if all things were already set in stone.
Paul was a born again spirit filled Christian, writing to other spirit-filled believers (not the ‘world’) and even Paul said “not as though I had already attained” (no mention here of Paul thinking his eternity was pre-set, but that he was actively pursuing… ). In Philippians 3: 10-14 Paul writes;
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation, and our acts here on earth predestined? Look at what Paul wrote to the Christian brethren of the Hebrews, warning them not to ‘depart’
(and you can’t depart from what you don’t have, this is how we know they were born again Christians). Hebrews 3:12-14 says;
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.”
Again, there is certainly no mention of anybody being predestined to any eternal destination, in the above, or many other of the verses of scripture.
Part 2
Getting Back to Predestination
Events are foretold in scripture beginning with the fall of Adam and Eve.
All the events foretold have either happened, will happen, or are currently happening as history continues to unfold. In order for prophecy to be fulfilled, those things prophesied have to be directed. Politics, the actions of nations, religious leaders, are all falling into their perspective roles (even unknowingly) and will bring to pass the world events as scheduled. These are major events, milestones that must occur, and it stands to reason that for purpose of fulfillment, certain people are preordained to come on the world scene for specific purposes. People such as Jacob, Esau, Moses, Samson, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Jesus, the apostles and others. These all came on the scene for a specific purpose to perform the accomplishment
of prophecy. This does not mean that every life upon the earth is somehow
Pre-ordained or predestinated, for that would take away man’s freewill and his ability to choose.
Look at the letter Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, and let us remember that this era in time was a very special era in which the prophecy of the Messiah, his death, resurrection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the beginning of His church and the salvation of the Gentiles was being fulfilled. Who was he writing to? Not to everyone, but to the firstfruits. Not only were the apostles predestinated, but so were the members of the first church. These were the ‘first fruits’ of God’s promise, those sealed with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s letter, first of all, proclaimed that they were all ‘chosen’ and ‘predestinated.’ And why? To fulfill His ‘purpose,’ His will. God predestinates His foretold events and causes them to happen. The things that were happening at that time in history were happening by divine appointment, to the ‘first fruits,’ those who first came to Christ. Paul included them all as being predestinated, and predestination was for only those first called, and that being so, to fulfill His prophetic will in the earth. His specific purpose.
Ephesians 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The first fruits were predestined, but others were to be called later, (that’s us), but not be predestined. If we are to understand the difference between predestination and free will, then we must understand the differences between the fulfillment of prophecy through predestination of ‘the first fruits’ and our lives today. The predestinated prophecy having been fulfilled then, (which brought salvation through repentance and infilling of the Holy Ghost), and our ability to chose our own destiny now by the choices we make to accept or reject God’s plan. Jesus said if He be lifted up (crucified on the cross) that He would draw all men unto Himself, but we know most will not respond to Him… hence, freewill. He wills that ‘none should perish’ but also tells us many shall seek but few will find.
Paul also wrote to the Roman church in Romans 8:28-30 (again, being the first fruits, and therefore called, to fulfill His Purpose) ;
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Does God Predestinate Some to Sin in Order to Fulfill Prophecy?
NO! There are times in scripture when it mentions that God brought ‘evil’ to men. But the word evil doesn’t always mean ‘sin’. Many times in scripture the word evil translates as ‘hardship’, such as sickness or other afflictions as a means of chastisement for wrong doing, but God never ‘causes’ man to sin.
James 1:13-15 says; Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Man fell to sin, and the sin nature, in the Garden of Eden and became the
servant of Satan through obedience to Satan. God does not corrupt man to do His will; but man, because of his fall in the Garden of Eden is already corrupted and follows Satan. Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim 2:25-26 to preach to the lost
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
Who’s will? Not God’s will at all but satan’s. God corrupts no man. It is only through grace that He draws some away from Satan. So it is not that God causes some to sin, for the doing of His will… but that, for the doing of His will He does not extend to some the same grace as others. Most of us know the story of Moses and how that each time Moses went before the Pharaoh that God ‘hardened Pharaoh’s heart’ and sent Moses away… and then God sent a plague to punish Pharaoh. This happened repeatedly. So is God to blame? No! Why? Because Pharaoh was already evil! Pharaoh, through fear of the Israelites, was already doing them great evil. God didn’t create evil in Pharaoh, but rather than extend grace to Pharaoh, for the purpose of fulfilling His will, God ‘hardened’
the evil that was already ‘in’ Pharaoh. You cannot take a bowl and harden butter in it, if there isn’t any butter there to begin with.
In the new testament dispensation of grace, God says He will draw all men
unto Himself, but we know most will not receive His calling. Does God predestinate that? No! 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 explains why they wouldn’t respond to His call;
“ …with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
God does not predestinate man to sin or to be eternally lost, but He gives man a free will to choose. God, in His mercy and grace says that He will draw all men and give them the opportunity to exit the kingdom of darkness and to serve Him in His kingdom. God certainly does not ‘save some and damn others’ in order to bring about the world events leading to destruction. In Romans 1:28-32, God did not predestinate ‘good people’ to be eternally lost, but rather, because of their own freewill to choose evil over good, gave them over to their
heart’s desire to follow evil.
28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
God Preordained Everything? Let’s Not Forget about Satan!
Those that believe ‘everything’ is an act of God, predestinated or not,
are overlooking a major ‘player’ in both world events as well as individual lives: Satan. There are those that preach “Satan can’t do anything that God does not allow” which once again ultimately blames God for all the evil in the world.
True, God allowed Satan to test Job, an extremely righteous man who reverenced the Lord to the utmost. For all of Job’s obedience and dedication
God fulfilled in Job all the blessings found in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and put a hedge of protection around Job. But that was Job, a special servant. For the majority of the world Satan does whatever he wants to, without restraint and without permission from God, because until man comes to God for redemption, they are all in Satan’s kingdom of darkness to begin with. So let’s not blame God for Satan’s actions. Matthew the thirteenth chapter speaks of God sowing good seed upon the earth and God’s enemy (Satan) coming in right behind him sowing bad seed (weeds), to which God replies, “the enemy has done this!” Not all things done are the will of God! Remember there are two kingdoms, and these kingdoms are at war. As skirmishes go on until the final battle there will be victories and losses during the conflict even though God will win the war. This is why we are warned to put on the whole armor of God; but those that think everything is God’s will and ordained by Him see no need for armor. We know that God desires that all come to repentance and be saved, yet 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan, “…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” That certainly is not God’s will, but is contrary to it. The woman spoken of in Luke 13:16 who had an infirmity for eighteen years was not an act of God either but Jesus put responsibility to whom it was due when He said, “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” There are many stories in the new testament, pointing the finger of blame to where it is due: Satan. The bible says the Lord is the author of salvation… not the author of evil.
For the fulfillment of predestinated events, some people will be used to perform an evil role. Unlike the Apostles who were chosen for service by the Lord, these people will be used to fulfill prophetic events to perform the evil that will result in God’s performing of what He has foretold, to manifest His glory and power.
But God does not take people that have a heart toward Him or that seek to please Him and ‘turn them bad’ for the purpose of fulfilling His will. They are simply ‘already evil’ and God, instead of showing them grace and mercy, for the working of His will, leaves them in Satan’s hands from whose they already were.
Jesus said, “Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must need be that offences come; but woe to ‘that’ man (whoever it is), by whom they offence cometh! Judas Iscariot was one of these. Scripture says Jesus knew who it was that was to betray Him… and he chose him to be one of the twelve, allowing God’s purpose to be fulfilled. But Judas was already corrupted, as it says in John 6:70-71;
“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
Once again, God does not take people who are seeking to please Him, and corrupt them for the fulfilling of predestinated events. When Judas betrayed Jesus, it was Satan that moved Judas… not God.
John 13:2 “and supper being ended, the devil having now put ino the heart of Judas Iscarioot, Simon’s son, to betray him:”
Again, God is the author of salvation, not the author of evil
.
Part 3
Predestination or Man’s Free will to Choose?
Aside from the many hundreds of verses of scripture relating to the subject of man’s freewill and his choices affecting his relationship with God and his eventual eternal destiny, let’s give the concept of predestination of all things
pertaining to a person’s life vs freewill, another test: the fruit test. Jesus told us in Matthew 12:33; “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”
So let’s give a moment’s thought to what the fruit of these two concepts might produce…
Man’s freewill to choose
to obey God and reap
Predestination of All Things the reward of doing so
Fear-----------------------------------------------------------Faith
Despair-------------------------------------------------------Hope
Giving up----------------------------------------------------Striving
Disobedience------------------------------------------------Obedience
Anger---------------------------------------------------------Peace
Depression---------------------------------------------------Joy
Self-centeredness-------------------------------------------Commitment
Estrangement------------------------------------------------Prayer
Apathy--------------------------------------------------------Determination
Carelessness-------------------------------------------------Vigilance
Spiritual weakness------------------------------------------Endurance
Living by self-will------------------------------------------Seeking God’s Will
Blaming God for all things--------------------------------Personal responsibility
The concept of Predestination in an individual’s life is poison:
to the believer’s determination to live for Christ.
to striving
to enduring trials and afflictions
to hanging onto faith in the face of adversity
to prayer life
to hope
to evangelizing
to commitment of one’s life
to having faith
to putting on the whole armor of God
to obedience
The Doctrine of “All” Things Being Predestinated
The doctrine of all things being predestinated does not inspire people to turn from their lifestyle of self and reach out for a relationship with God. Why should they turn from their sins or their self-directed life in an effort to please God if all things are predestinated anyway? What if they give up all they know and are not ‘compensated’ by an inward awareness of the presence of God in their lives and the love of God in return? It would all be pointless if some are ‘predestinated’ to be lost, and some, regardless of what they do, are cannot be saved. Hebrews 11:6 says “ …for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Believing that verse inspires hope, action, faith and commitment. One must believe what God told Cain, in Genesis 4:7 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” Of course we will. We have a choice, and also a promise from the Lord concerning those choices whether we choose to live for Him or for ourselves, therefore we should choose wisely. Galatians 6:7-9 says;
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
There is no sign of predestination for individuals in the above verse, if we choose wisely. Our eventual eternity, our destination, is pre-determined to be lost only if we do not partake of God’s plan of salvation… but not pre-destined or pre-set. Not predestinated because it is changeable and WE have to power to change it by turning to God. We are all marked for death and eternal separation from God because of the sin nature of man. The verses of ‘all have sinned’ and ‘the wages of sin is death’ apply to all unless we repent and commit ourselves to the Lord, become born of His Spirit and live in His kingdom on earth. John 3:18 says;
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Look at Luke 13:1-5 below, as it says that we shall all perish, (this establishes our eternal fate, our destination), unless we repent, (this means it is not ‘set-in-stone, or unalterable, not predestinated to happen because we have a choice).
It means we can change our fate.
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
We can come to Him in full assurance, with faith, and hope, of being accepted by Him and having eternal life with Him by believing in Him according to scripture and acting accordingly with commitment and obedience to Him.
And He will respond to us accordingly by giving us of Himself as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 6:37 - All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Those who think ‘all the world is a stage on which we each play a part’ are simply reading too much Shakespeare. Let’s not confuse his plays with God’s Word!
Some people seem to think so. Some people believe that everything we do is predestinated to happen. That God has pre-set everything in our lives and we are just fulfilling those plans. Other people believe that man has a free will and chooses his own actions. I have heard both views preached from the pulpits, and both preached as fact. Those that preach predestination seem both deaf and blind to the verses of scripture that point to “man’s free will,” and those that point to man’s free will seem deaf and blind to the verses of scripture that point to predestination. In this study of the issue we will look at both concepts according to scripture and, although I thought it to be impossible, will come to a definite conclusion in which neither view is totally right nor wrong; as truth rests upon both.
I looked at the verses that mention predestination starting with Romans 8: 29-30;
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Also Ephesians 1: 3-5 and 10-11
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
The above verses point to the predestination of men and are the foundation of that concept. But then there are other verses of scripture, too many in fact to include in one short writing, that pertain to predestined events in world history (also known as prophecy). Some of those events are: the dreams of Joseph that were to be fulfilled; the actions of a cruel Pharaoh that enslaved Israel; the life and actions of Moses; the rising and falling of kingdoms in the Old Testament; the coming of the Messsiah into the world; the betrayal of Jesus; the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that would lead God’s followers from within; the coming of false teachers and doctrines; the falling away of believers; the world becoming increasingly vile; and of course all the prophetic events foretold both in the old and new testaments pertaining to the end times. These events were foretold and they fulfill what God has purposed and God will bring those things to pass. It stands to reason then, that for those events to be accomplished, the people on earth directly involved in those events will be doing so either knowingly or unknowingling by predestined appointment. But will the individuals be predestined, or just the event?
Although certain people and events are predestined, man does have freewill.
He makes his own choices, and God watches over them to see what man will do. Doesn’t God know what man will choose? Bear with me for a brief moment. No, He doesn’t. Now, before I lose you, look at Genesis 2:19;
“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.”
According to scripture, God did not know what Adam was going to name things… until he so named them. That’s why scripture says “and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them.”
When God led the people of Israel through the wilderness for forty years it was because the parents of those He eventually would bring to Jordan vowed to follow the Lord and when the time came to cross into the promised land they were fearful and would not follow. They were lip-service followers, and when the road become hard they rebelled. So God kept them in the wilderness for forty years, partly to punish the adults who chose not to follow and keep them from going into the promised land, and partly to teach the children of those adults to trust in Him. Thus, their lives being sustained miraculously in the desert for forty years should have taught them to trust. No more lip-service commitment, God kept them in the desert to ‘prove’ them, to test them, to know what was in their hearts. Did God know? No. If He did, He wouldn’t have kept them in the wilderness for forty years. Because man has choices.
Deuteronomy 8:2;
“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”
Our very creative God, works ‘around’ our choices on a daily basis. He might have ‘plan A’ for your life but if you do not choose wisely He has ‘plan B’… and ‘C’… and on and on. Yes, God ‘knows the end from the beginning’ because He has foretold it, and will bring it to pass, but those are the prophesied events and not each and every action of each and every Christian. God sees, after we exercise our freewill, what our choices are and acts accordingly. Look at the creation of man again. God created man to till the ground in Garden of Eden; to be the gardener. But that’s not all, man was created to be obedient to God and reverence Him. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:13;
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Adam had choices. And he chose wrong. He fell into sin and became the servant of Satan through obedience to Satan’s promptings. Later, still in the book of Genesis where the creation of man began, we find the whole world corrupted except for Noah. Look at Genesis 6: 5-8;
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Read verse 6 again, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” God was sorry! This one is really easy to paraphrase; “I’m sorry I made man!” If God knew, much less predestined, the actions of Adam… then His creating man would make no sense at all. What would He have been thinking? “Hmmm, I think I will make man, then predestine him to sin, then be sorry for making him.”
Like I stated, man has freewill, and God acts accordingly to man’s choices. The same holds true for God ordaining (appointing) that Saul should be king over Israel. In fact, God did not want the Israelites to have a king at all because He wanted to be their king! Against His better judgment, because of the will of the people, He warned them against a human king then allowed them to have one. Talk about the Israelites not living by the concept of ‘thy will be done!’ Then God gave them a king; He appointed Saul. God wants what is best for us, but like Israel, if we fuss and moan and groan and gripe and complain and grumble and nag… He sometimes gives us what we want. Maybe that’s why it says in Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without murmurings.” Sometimes we just need to learn to trust Him and shut-up. This story is told in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Or you can skip down to my next (wide-margined) paragraph.
“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7
And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.
1 Sam 9:15-17
“ Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.”
Not long after God had Saul appointed as king of Israel, God once again repented (was sorry) about making him king, and appointed David to be king. Once again, if God had forseen that He would have been sorry about doing something… that He would not have done it to begin with.
1 Samuel 15:11; “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And
it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”
Aside from special events that have been prophesied, we make choices and are rewarded or punished accordingly. Individually, our choices affect our relationship with God and are not predestined.
God would not waste His time asking us ‘to choose’ if the outcome was predetermined. As the above verses point out, from Adam’s choices, to Noah, to ‘proving the children of Israel to see if they would obey God or not’, down through history to King Saul… God waits to see what our choices will be.
Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Joshua 24:15 - And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Proverbs 1:29 - For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
I would have to ask those who believe, beyond major events in history,
that everything an individual does is somehow predestinated. Who predestinated all things? God? Certainly only God has that much power.
But if so, that would make God responsible for all the evil in the world!
From the rebellion of Satan and a third of all the angels of heaven, to
Adam, to murder on the streets of New York. It totally makes void the personal responsibility of man for his own actions, and blames it all on God for having preordained all things to be so!
If Total Predestination Be So…
Why would Jesus have told us in Luke 13:24 to “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” It would be pointless, if the outcome were already determined.
We are told to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” But why, if it does not matter?
Why would Jesus have us to pray, “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10) if it is already done (or was done from the beginning) and finalized?
We have always heard that prayer changes things, and even scripture says the “Fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16), but why pray at all if the outcome is already set?
Why would Paul advise us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13) if personal salvation were already settled? Paul said,
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Why fight the good fight… if it’s already done? 1 Timothy 6:12; “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
If God Predesitnated Everything According to His Will…
If God predestinated everything according to His will, and since it’s not God’s will “that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), then why are there only going to “few” that find eternal life? (Matthew 7:14). Obviously, if ‘predestination’ were correct, then he must’ve predestinated only a few to eternal life contrary to His own will that all be saved? Does that make sense?
Why pray intercession at all? And why seek a peaceable life if whatever is going to happen will happen?
In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Paul writes;
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
And Paul continues:
3” For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
All men already saved because it says “who will have all men to be saved”? What about the great ‘falling away’ in the latter days? Since it was God’s will that all should have salvation, were it not for free choice, He could have just simply predestinated everyone and therefore accomplish that will. But He did not.
Was Credit Given to Predestination?
Paul was going to visit the church at Thessalonica but couldn’t. Why?
1 Thessalonians 2:18; “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” It wasn’t predestination that stood in his way… it was Satan, according to Paul.
Daniel, through faith, stopped the mouths of lions. Hebrews 11:33 says; “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.” There was no mention here of predestination being what stopped the mouths of lions; it was faith.
Does Paul, below, attribute those that are lost to being predestined to be lost? No, 2 Thessalonians 2:10 says;
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The lost will be lost because they made wrong choices, receiving not the love of the truth.
If Predestination of All Things Were True…
If predestination of all things were true then it is unalterable, being predestined. Could a person be predestined for salvation… then alter that predestination? If so, then the first predestination wasn’t really predestination and the whole concept is faulty. Yet that is exactly what Romans 11: 17-24 mentions (grafted in, broken off, grafted in again);
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25
If the concept of everything being predestinated were true and we are all just
‘living out’ what is already ‘finished,’ then when Jesus was foretelling an event concerning the future (which events truly are predestinated), he would have no reason to forewarn us to ‘endure.’ In Matthew Mt 24:12-13 Jesus forewarns,
“…because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
“He that shall endure to the end,” does not speak of being predestinated; it speaks of persevering for the purpose of achieving a goal. Jesus was cautioning us to be in the right ‘group’ of humanity at the Day of the Lord. Endure… denotes action and responsibility on the part of the believer. We are advised by just the word ‘endure’ itself 18 times in the new testament to ‘endure.’ Reading the new testament, there are hundreds, yes hundreds, of verses that pertain to remaining steadfast, to be watchful, to be strong, to actively live in obedience to God. None of which would be necessary if all things were already set in stone.
Paul was a born again spirit filled Christian, writing to other spirit-filled believers (not the ‘world’) and even Paul said “not as though I had already attained” (no mention here of Paul thinking his eternity was pre-set, but that he was actively pursuing… ). In Philippians 3: 10-14 Paul writes;
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation, and our acts here on earth predestined? Look at what Paul wrote to the Christian brethren of the Hebrews, warning them not to ‘depart’
(and you can’t depart from what you don’t have, this is how we know they were born again Christians). Hebrews 3:12-14 says;
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.”
Again, there is certainly no mention of anybody being predestined to any eternal destination, in the above, or many other of the verses of scripture.
Part 2
Getting Back to Predestination
Events are foretold in scripture beginning with the fall of Adam and Eve.
All the events foretold have either happened, will happen, or are currently happening as history continues to unfold. In order for prophecy to be fulfilled, those things prophesied have to be directed. Politics, the actions of nations, religious leaders, are all falling into their perspective roles (even unknowingly) and will bring to pass the world events as scheduled. These are major events, milestones that must occur, and it stands to reason that for purpose of fulfillment, certain people are preordained to come on the world scene for specific purposes. People such as Jacob, Esau, Moses, Samson, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Jesus, the apostles and others. These all came on the scene for a specific purpose to perform the accomplishment
of prophecy. This does not mean that every life upon the earth is somehow
Pre-ordained or predestinated, for that would take away man’s freewill and his ability to choose.
Look at the letter Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, and let us remember that this era in time was a very special era in which the prophecy of the Messiah, his death, resurrection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the beginning of His church and the salvation of the Gentiles was being fulfilled. Who was he writing to? Not to everyone, but to the firstfruits. Not only were the apostles predestinated, but so were the members of the first church. These were the ‘first fruits’ of God’s promise, those sealed with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s letter, first of all, proclaimed that they were all ‘chosen’ and ‘predestinated.’ And why? To fulfill His ‘purpose,’ His will. God predestinates His foretold events and causes them to happen. The things that were happening at that time in history were happening by divine appointment, to the ‘first fruits,’ those who first came to Christ. Paul included them all as being predestinated, and predestination was for only those first called, and that being so, to fulfill His prophetic will in the earth. His specific purpose.
Ephesians 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The first fruits were predestined, but others were to be called later, (that’s us), but not be predestined. If we are to understand the difference between predestination and free will, then we must understand the differences between the fulfillment of prophecy through predestination of ‘the first fruits’ and our lives today. The predestinated prophecy having been fulfilled then, (which brought salvation through repentance and infilling of the Holy Ghost), and our ability to chose our own destiny now by the choices we make to accept or reject God’s plan. Jesus said if He be lifted up (crucified on the cross) that He would draw all men unto Himself, but we know most will not respond to Him… hence, freewill. He wills that ‘none should perish’ but also tells us many shall seek but few will find.
Paul also wrote to the Roman church in Romans 8:28-30 (again, being the first fruits, and therefore called, to fulfill His Purpose) ;
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Does God Predestinate Some to Sin in Order to Fulfill Prophecy?
NO! There are times in scripture when it mentions that God brought ‘evil’ to men. But the word evil doesn’t always mean ‘sin’. Many times in scripture the word evil translates as ‘hardship’, such as sickness or other afflictions as a means of chastisement for wrong doing, but God never ‘causes’ man to sin.
James 1:13-15 says; Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Man fell to sin, and the sin nature, in the Garden of Eden and became the
servant of Satan through obedience to Satan. God does not corrupt man to do His will; but man, because of his fall in the Garden of Eden is already corrupted and follows Satan. Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim 2:25-26 to preach to the lost
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
Who’s will? Not God’s will at all but satan’s. God corrupts no man. It is only through grace that He draws some away from Satan. So it is not that God causes some to sin, for the doing of His will… but that, for the doing of His will He does not extend to some the same grace as others. Most of us know the story of Moses and how that each time Moses went before the Pharaoh that God ‘hardened Pharaoh’s heart’ and sent Moses away… and then God sent a plague to punish Pharaoh. This happened repeatedly. So is God to blame? No! Why? Because Pharaoh was already evil! Pharaoh, through fear of the Israelites, was already doing them great evil. God didn’t create evil in Pharaoh, but rather than extend grace to Pharaoh, for the purpose of fulfilling His will, God ‘hardened’
the evil that was already ‘in’ Pharaoh. You cannot take a bowl and harden butter in it, if there isn’t any butter there to begin with.
In the new testament dispensation of grace, God says He will draw all men
unto Himself, but we know most will not receive His calling. Does God predestinate that? No! 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 explains why they wouldn’t respond to His call;
“ …with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
God does not predestinate man to sin or to be eternally lost, but He gives man a free will to choose. God, in His mercy and grace says that He will draw all men and give them the opportunity to exit the kingdom of darkness and to serve Him in His kingdom. God certainly does not ‘save some and damn others’ in order to bring about the world events leading to destruction. In Romans 1:28-32, God did not predestinate ‘good people’ to be eternally lost, but rather, because of their own freewill to choose evil over good, gave them over to their
heart’s desire to follow evil.
28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
God Preordained Everything? Let’s Not Forget about Satan!
Those that believe ‘everything’ is an act of God, predestinated or not,
are overlooking a major ‘player’ in both world events as well as individual lives: Satan. There are those that preach “Satan can’t do anything that God does not allow” which once again ultimately blames God for all the evil in the world.
True, God allowed Satan to test Job, an extremely righteous man who reverenced the Lord to the utmost. For all of Job’s obedience and dedication
God fulfilled in Job all the blessings found in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and put a hedge of protection around Job. But that was Job, a special servant. For the majority of the world Satan does whatever he wants to, without restraint and without permission from God, because until man comes to God for redemption, they are all in Satan’s kingdom of darkness to begin with. So let’s not blame God for Satan’s actions. Matthew the thirteenth chapter speaks of God sowing good seed upon the earth and God’s enemy (Satan) coming in right behind him sowing bad seed (weeds), to which God replies, “the enemy has done this!” Not all things done are the will of God! Remember there are two kingdoms, and these kingdoms are at war. As skirmishes go on until the final battle there will be victories and losses during the conflict even though God will win the war. This is why we are warned to put on the whole armor of God; but those that think everything is God’s will and ordained by Him see no need for armor. We know that God desires that all come to repentance and be saved, yet 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan, “…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” That certainly is not God’s will, but is contrary to it. The woman spoken of in Luke 13:16 who had an infirmity for eighteen years was not an act of God either but Jesus put responsibility to whom it was due when He said, “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” There are many stories in the new testament, pointing the finger of blame to where it is due: Satan. The bible says the Lord is the author of salvation… not the author of evil.
For the fulfillment of predestinated events, some people will be used to perform an evil role. Unlike the Apostles who were chosen for service by the Lord, these people will be used to fulfill prophetic events to perform the evil that will result in God’s performing of what He has foretold, to manifest His glory and power.
But God does not take people that have a heart toward Him or that seek to please Him and ‘turn them bad’ for the purpose of fulfilling His will. They are simply ‘already evil’ and God, instead of showing them grace and mercy, for the working of His will, leaves them in Satan’s hands from whose they already were.
Jesus said, “Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must need be that offences come; but woe to ‘that’ man (whoever it is), by whom they offence cometh! Judas Iscariot was one of these. Scripture says Jesus knew who it was that was to betray Him… and he chose him to be one of the twelve, allowing God’s purpose to be fulfilled. But Judas was already corrupted, as it says in John 6:70-71;
“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
Once again, God does not take people who are seeking to please Him, and corrupt them for the fulfilling of predestinated events. When Judas betrayed Jesus, it was Satan that moved Judas… not God.
John 13:2 “and supper being ended, the devil having now put ino the heart of Judas Iscarioot, Simon’s son, to betray him:”
Again, God is the author of salvation, not the author of evil
.
Part 3
Predestination or Man’s Free will to Choose?
Aside from the many hundreds of verses of scripture relating to the subject of man’s freewill and his choices affecting his relationship with God and his eventual eternal destiny, let’s give the concept of predestination of all things
pertaining to a person’s life vs freewill, another test: the fruit test. Jesus told us in Matthew 12:33; “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”
So let’s give a moment’s thought to what the fruit of these two concepts might produce…
Man’s freewill to choose
to obey God and reap
Predestination of All Things the reward of doing so
Fear-----------------------------------------------------------Faith
Despair-------------------------------------------------------Hope
Giving up----------------------------------------------------Striving
Disobedience------------------------------------------------Obedience
Anger---------------------------------------------------------Peace
Depression---------------------------------------------------Joy
Self-centeredness-------------------------------------------Commitment
Estrangement------------------------------------------------Prayer
Apathy--------------------------------------------------------Determination
Carelessness-------------------------------------------------Vigilance
Spiritual weakness------------------------------------------Endurance
Living by self-will------------------------------------------Seeking God’s Will
Blaming God for all things--------------------------------Personal responsibility
The concept of Predestination in an individual’s life is poison:
to the believer’s determination to live for Christ.
to striving
to enduring trials and afflictions
to hanging onto faith in the face of adversity
to prayer life
to hope
to evangelizing
to commitment of one’s life
to having faith
to putting on the whole armor of God
to obedience
The Doctrine of “All” Things Being Predestinated
The doctrine of all things being predestinated does not inspire people to turn from their lifestyle of self and reach out for a relationship with God. Why should they turn from their sins or their self-directed life in an effort to please God if all things are predestinated anyway? What if they give up all they know and are not ‘compensated’ by an inward awareness of the presence of God in their lives and the love of God in return? It would all be pointless if some are ‘predestinated’ to be lost, and some, regardless of what they do, are cannot be saved. Hebrews 11:6 says “ …for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Believing that verse inspires hope, action, faith and commitment. One must believe what God told Cain, in Genesis 4:7 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” Of course we will. We have a choice, and also a promise from the Lord concerning those choices whether we choose to live for Him or for ourselves, therefore we should choose wisely. Galatians 6:7-9 says;
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
There is no sign of predestination for individuals in the above verse, if we choose wisely. Our eventual eternity, our destination, is pre-determined to be lost only if we do not partake of God’s plan of salvation… but not pre-destined or pre-set. Not predestinated because it is changeable and WE have to power to change it by turning to God. We are all marked for death and eternal separation from God because of the sin nature of man. The verses of ‘all have sinned’ and ‘the wages of sin is death’ apply to all unless we repent and commit ourselves to the Lord, become born of His Spirit and live in His kingdom on earth. John 3:18 says;
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Look at Luke 13:1-5 below, as it says that we shall all perish, (this establishes our eternal fate, our destination), unless we repent, (this means it is not ‘set-in-stone, or unalterable, not predestinated to happen because we have a choice).
It means we can change our fate.
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
We can come to Him in full assurance, with faith, and hope, of being accepted by Him and having eternal life with Him by believing in Him according to scripture and acting accordingly with commitment and obedience to Him.
And He will respond to us accordingly by giving us of Himself as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 6:37 - All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Those who think ‘all the world is a stage on which we each play a part’ are simply reading too much Shakespeare. Let’s not confuse his plays with God’s Word!
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