Predestination 0
Predestination
The word “predestination” means “to appoint, to determine, or to design beforehand”.
The Father, through perfect expression of His thinking, predesigned His perfect plan in Christ, Eph. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:2,20; 2 Tim. 1:9. Through Predestination, believers are guaranteed sonship (Eph. 1:5) and heirship (Eph. 1:11).
The doctrine of Predestination deals only with Christians. There is no such thing as an unbeliever being predestined to go to hell. The Christians makes a conscious decision to follow the plan of God. The unbeliever makes a conscious decision to reject the plan of God. John 3:18; 3:36. If any person accepts Christ as Savior, he will be saved.
The Biblical concept of Predestination does not conflict with human volition, but emphasizes it.
The purpose of Predestination is to relate the believer to the Plan of God through Positional Truth. Eph. 1:4,5. It is based on the foreknowledge of God, Rom. 8:29. It is an expression of God’s love for those who are in union with Christ. Predestination was a sovereign decision on the part of God the Father, Eph. 1:5,11. Jesus Christ has a destiny. When we enter into union with Christ at the time of salvation, we share in that destiny.
There are five Greek words used to communicate the Biblical doctrine of Predestination. Without a knowledge of these words and the categories of truth they represent, no one can draw inferences or theological conclusions about what is being taught in the Bible on the subject.
(prooridzw) - verb, “to predesign; to predetermine”. Rom. 8:28,29; Eph. 1:5,11
(protithemi)- verb, “to predetermine”, Rom. 3:25; Eph. 1:9. Synonym of prooridzo.
(prothesis)- noun, “a predetermined plan”. The subject of Ephesians is the Prothesis of God. Rom. 8:28; 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9.
God is never caught napping. He has already met every contingency with a predetermined plan of action. When we yell “Help!” to God, He doesn’t have to try to think up some way to help us. He has already provided everything we need. All we have to do is learn about what God has provided and how to take advantage of it.
(proginoskw) - verb, “to foreordain”, I Pet. 1:20; Rom. 8:29; 11:2
(prognosis)- noun, “foreknowledge; a predetermined purpose”, Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:2. [ English: prognosis ]
The crucifixion of Christ is related to the Divine Decrees and the predetermined purpose of God. Acts 2:23**, 4:28, cf. I Pet. 2:4,6
All believers’ suffering is related to the predetermined plan of God. In eternity past, God thought about us and predesigned provisions for us for both time and eternity. Rom. 8:28,29.
God the Father predetermined the Grace concept of Propitiation, Rom. 3:25.
Predestination defines God’s ultimate purpose for the believer - that we should be like the Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity, Rom. 8:29. This is called glorification, Rom. 8:30.
The born-again Jew is part of the preordained plan of God under the unconditional covenant to Israel. Therefore, the Jew of the Old Testament is not a castaway, Rom. 11:2. There is a definite relationship between Predestination and Eternal Security. Predestination provides the basis for Eternal Security.