WHAT IS MEANT BY PREDESTINATION?
Predestination is that effective exercise of the will of God by which things before determined by Him are brought to pass. God says that at a certain time He is going to do a certain thing. That thing shall be done at that time because God is sovereign, possessing all wisdom and power. Predestination, as presented in Scripture, does not imply that God arranged all things beforehand but it refers solely to the salvation of God's elect. The prefix pre means before. Destination is the end of a journey. Destine means to determine. Predestination means the end of a journey determined beforehand. There is but one destination that was predestinated and that destination is heaven and immortal glory. It is there that all the saints will be conformed to the image of God for this is what God had predestinated. "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" (Romans 8:29). Paul also writes, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" (Ephesians 1:5). We are told why the saints are predestinated. "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" (Ephesians 1:11).
Predestination
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by Earth Wind and Fire, Jun 22, 2020.
Page 1 of 8
-
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
The Greek scholars here will do better than me, but the Greek word is basically a construction term meaning to set boundaries stones prior to building.
So God set us apart, laying the boundary stones for His chosen people to include them in His plan for salvation.
Peace to you -
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
14 whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." ( 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 ).
-
I remember distinctly, when I once believed this "order of salvation", sitting in church as a young believer and hearing the pastor tell me...
" ...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." ( Acts of the Apostles 16:31 ).
I believed those words then, and I still believe them now.:Notworthy
Much later, I discovered that there was more to the Bible than what he quoted and that, while this was still true, it was the whole "how to get saved" part that I began to disagree with.
When the Lord showed me Acts of the Apostles 13:48, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-5 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, it all started to change for me.;)
The thing that saves a person is this, Barry...
" not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." ( Titus 3:5-7 ).
We believe because we are saved, not to gain God's favor and get Him to save us.:)
In truth, the very thing that saves a person is God Himself, and we react to His decision and His work in us as the targets of that salvation.
He bestows the gift of eternal life, we don't earn it by our belief.
That is how grace works, biblically.
It's not a cooperative effort between man and God, but an operative effort by God towards us as sinful men. -
"* Elect" doesn't mean "chosen"?
* (of a person) chosen or singled out.
"one of the century's elect"
"* Ordained" doesn't mean "commissioned", "set forth", "appointed", etc?
* order or decree (something) officially.
"* Granted" does not mean "given"?
* agree to give or allow (something requested) to.
What does "called" mean to you?
"Summoned", as the dictionary says, or something else?;)
I'm also not sure how I became a "Calvinist", since all I was doing was reading the Scriptures one day and *click* I understood the words to mean exactly what they said on the page.
For example:
" And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." ( Acts of the Apostles 13:48 ).
So, when I read this, I clearly saw that only as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed, and only those who were ordained to eternal life.
I'm also not sure how anybody could have difficulty believing what this says, as to me, it's quite simple and straightforward.
Note:
What I did not do, was read the Scriptures, come to something I didn't understand, and then find a commentary that I thought seemed right to me and plug that explanation in as my own personal definition of what I was having trouble with.
I do know of people who do that, but I never seemed to have this problem with the words themselves... only with trying to understand how it all fit together, which came to me gradually ( and still does, to an extent ) over the years.
The words on the page were all I that needed, sir.:) -
Destination- ( a place or state of being to go to ) -
You are stating that no one is chosen by God until the human being chooses to believe.
That is just one of the most illogical things I have ever read. -
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
Eph 1 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 Holy spirit ...
1 cor 1
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20¶Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Rom 1 . The Gospel is ! the power of God unto salvation.
Rom.10
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14¶How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18¶But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. -
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
-
Barry Johnson Well-Known Member
Page 1 of 8