Predestination: Does the Bible Teach it?

Predestination: Does the Bible Teach it?

by Peter Salemi

What Does the Bible say about Predestination? Is every thought, action, and circumstance predetermined by God? What about your salvation? Is your ultimate fate already decided? What does the Bible say?

Do you have a choice in any decisions that you make including salvation? People who believe that everything is predetermined say “God knows all things, even in advance. And so He knows beforehand how you are going to decide.”

“If that is the case then,” people reason “If God knows beforehand how I am going to decide, then it is all predetermined. If He knows in advance I am to be Lost, then that’s the way I'll have to decide in the end. And since I’ll lose out anyway, why try?”

“On the other hand, if He knows now I’m going to repent and accept Christ and be saved, I’ll have to do it in the end anyway, whether I try or not. Then my ultimate fate is predetermined.” Isn’t that what predestination means, that the ultimate fate of each one is predestined, or determined, in advance? And if that’s so, then we simply are not free moral agents and we have nothing to say about it and have no choice in the matter!

But is that what God wants? Predetermined robots with no choice? Why does God say, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deut 6:5)? IT IS really up to you! God says, “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:

“That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deut 30:19-20). These scriptures simply fly in the face of the idea of predestination. God called Israel and God wants his people to accept their calling and love him with all their hearts and minds and they choose to do so-God is all about free moral agency!

There is no teaching in the Bible that says the decision you are to make-your final fate of becoming either saved or lost is already pre-determined; that you are completely helpless when it comes to your fate and have no control over your life, and that you are destined finally to arrive at that fate. Absolutely no text anywhere in the Bible says anyone is predestinated to be lost!

But wouldn’t God know in advance anyway? Yes! if God chooses to do so! But what if God chose not to know?

Look in the book of Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Gen 3:8). Notice what God said, “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (v.9). What? The creator of the universe asks “Where are you?” How can that be? Could it be that God chose NOT TO KNOW! That God respects the privacy of individuals and their decisions. Didn’t God know they sinned? He asked Eve, “What is this that thou hast done?” (v.13). God chose not to know and wants us to come to him and confess what we did wrong and repent. The decisions in this life are our own choice. God has laid down his commandments and wants us to choose his ways when we make those decisions-to seek his will. Adam and Eve knew God’s will and made their choice. God chose not to know till the time had come for him to know.

God, when he does want to know our hearts and what we have done and the decisions we have made is usually the time is when he judges see Jeremiah 11:20. Notice it says that He, “…searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev 2:23; Jer 11:20; Jer 17:10; Jer 20:12). He searches the hearts of men and looks at all the decisions people have made so he can judge righteously. So God respects the privacy of individuals and lets people make their own choice in their lives.

Predestination in the Bible?

But doesn’t the Bible say anything about predestination? Certainly! But it does not say what people seem to think. People seem to think it says “we are predestinated to be either saved or lost.” Absolutely Not!

There are just four places where the word “predestinated” occurs in the King James Bible Version when it comes to the fate of humankind.

The Greek work is “proorizō” (Strong’s #4309). It means:

1) to predetermine, decide beforehand

2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity

3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand

(Thayer’s Greek Definitions).

The first place it is found is in Romans 8:28-30: “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.

“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.”

The second place is in Ephesians 1:4-5, 11-12: “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,

“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:

“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

Notice, none of the places in the Bible where predestination is mentioned does it say anything about anyone being predestinated to be Lost or predestinated to reject Christ. No one is predestinated to make a certain decision to accept or reject Christ to be saved or lost. There is also nothing here that says every action and decision you make or take are predetermine.

The Break Down

Let’s go through the scriptures to see what it actually says.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the “calling” of God. Paul speaks of Christians who are “called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This is the context!

He goes on to say, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he [“Jesus” Alford’s NT] might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (v.29) The Ellicott commentary says, “The two phrases indicate two distinct steps.” One, God “foreknew” “In all cases it means foreknow. Acts 26:5; 1Peter 1:20; 2Peter 3:17; Rom 11:2. It does not mean foreordain. It signifies prescience, not pre-election.” (Vincent Word Studies, emphasis theirs). What did God “foreknow” ahead of time? Verse 28 says “his purpose.” What is his purpose and plan for man? What he predetermined! We get to the second phrase that says “he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,” This is what is predetermined! God’s ultimate purpose for mankind, to be changed into the same image as his Son, Jesus and that Jesus can be “our elder Brother and Head” (Alford’s NT) “firstborn among many brethren.”

Paul goes on to say, “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.” (v.30). Predestination also has to do with being called. Those now being called, in this age, were pre-destined to be called now - to be the first to put their hope in Christ. All others have their call later! This is what God has also predetermine-when certain people will be called and receive their first chance for salvation if they choose to accept the calling!

The ones God predetermined to be called, he justified, and will glorify. Does it say that any are predestinated, then, to be lost? Is it God’s will that any be lost? Absolutely not! Then “predestination” has nothing to do with whether people shall be lost or saved or with any of their decisions, or with their ultimate fate!

Notice let’s move on to Ephesians, Paul says, “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:”(1:4). God selected certain individuals in this age, “before the foundation of the world,” meaning, “the context always suggests the highest reference; ‘before any created being began.’” (Cambridge Bible, emphasis theirs). The context is choosing people for his purpose-so the meaning is, before any of the people that God chose were born, they were already selected for God’s purpose. As in the case of Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5); and people choosing to accept that calling entering into a covenant relationship with him, God wants them to be, “be holy and without blame before him in love:” This is the process. One is called, then chosen, then faithful. God calls you, you accept the calling and become baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. When this occurs you are chosen; “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Rom 8:9); and if God really wants you he will convince you to make your decision as he has done in the past (one example is Jonah); and then you remain “faithful” to Christ and endure unto the end, “…and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Rev 17:14; Matthew 24:13).

Then Paul says, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (v.5). Again the God has predetermined his ultimate goal for mankind to become his “children” to those who choose to accept his calling and God will bring them into his family to be begotten and then eventually born into the family of God.

Paul continues, “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:” (v.11). Again, the “purpose” of God is predetermined-the inheritance is predetermined, and it has nothing to do with people’s decisions, actions and choices.

God does not decide for you in advance whether you shall be saved or lost. He did decide far in advance which ones He would call in this first calling. He has predetermined his ultimate goal for man and his inheritance for them of being part of his family.

The overwhelming majority on earth today are neither saved nor lost. Their chance has not yet come. This is not their time. But it is coming as certainly as God’s Word is true. All people will get their first chance for salvation whether in this age or in the time of the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:11-2); but they will get the chance and it will be THEIR CHOICE TO ACCEPT IT!

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