what if i am not predestined to be saved
Devoted and faithful Christian theologians have struggled throughout the centuries to find adequate words and concepts to inform our faith about how God exercises his sovereignty in the world. We can trust him because we know we exist only because he says so. Absolutely Not!. Since the blood of Christ covers all sin, and he atoned for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2), then predestination, or election, in the sense of being chosen by God to be his people, applies to everyone through Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10). Yes, Paul argues, Israel has rejected Christ and therefore, except for a believing remnant, falls under the covenant judgments. (See Romans 9:25-29.) The God of Plato and Aristotle could not change, because for God to change would mean that God was not already perfect. It is connected to His foreknowledge ( Romans 8:29, 11:2 ), His . Its not because you From eiko; a likeness, i.e. Some people think God said, People are just helpless, insensible clay, and Im the Potter. And yet both truths must be received without detriment to each other. When it comes to assurance of salvation, we trust in God who justifies the ungodly, which we are. Well, that depends on how you are "applying" the doctrine of predestination. For example, some people are contrite over their sins and are ready to have the Gospel applied to them, while others lack repentance and are in immediate need of the Law. Well, think of it this way. Likewise, when the Son became flesh in the Incarnation, God became something newhuman like us and for our sakes. Limited atonement The Bible shows us that God created a world for himself in which he can and does abide, work, enjoy himself and rest. And whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. He is constantly bringing good out of evil and light out of darkness through his indescribable grace freely demonstrated most supremely in Jesus Christ. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. "But I thought God gets everything He wants." Berean Literal Bible because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be firstborn among many brothers. You can turn it into freedom to reject him if you want, but you dont have to. Pharaoh chose for himself. An antinomy is where you have two equally true concepts that appear to contradict each other (God's sovereign election and man's volition or responsibility to believe), at least from our limited and finite point of view. predetermine. Notes: Q&A must only be enabled through Meeting options. God works in his own ways and in his own times, but his work is aimed toward one final outcome, his desire for all people to be saved: God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. That would deny that ability to those whosoever will. That is, it rests on a marriage of Christianity with the earth-centered concept of the cosmos formulated by Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer, and on a concept of God that was formulated by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. God did not have to create, nor did he have to become flesh, but he did so in his divine freedom out of the abundance of his grace and love. To foreordain, predetermine, mark out beforehand. Keturah, Eternally Grateful and Nancy. European startup Destinus is designing a series of ultra-speedy aircraft capable of reaching Mach 5. The idea is that if a human could ultimately refuse Gods grace, then it would mean that Gods will could be thwarted by humans, which would undermine the Calvinist view of Gods sovereignty. Omid . The apostle Paul wrote about predestination, or election, in several passages. (In Aristotles view, God was an impersonal force.). He is a regular contributor to The Christian Post. (1 Cor. I Am Who I Am, or I Will Be Who I Will Be, is who this God says he is (Exodus 3:14). Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural, Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. God is neither threatened by, nor overcome by, human free will and the time and chance he built into his universe. God is the one who ordains the Christian into forgiveness, "and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" ( Acts 13:48 ). Further, "Non dicit quae , sod : praescinditur a causa efficiente: tantum dicitur quales inveniat Deus quibus tram infert" (Bengel). The Church Fathers repudiate gender hierarchies in Bible. On the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." That is, the plan was finished! Ephesians 1:5,11 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, . Coming to ver. It is a freedom given to us by God, entrusted to us, and dependent on Gods own freedom to give it to us. There are many people for whom a yes answer to this question yes, he predestines people to hell would have to mean God is unjust and he is not good. The redeemed will know we are saved utterly by grace while deserving hell and the rest will know that they suppressed much knowledge of Gods grace and they deserve to perish. Business Owner, Husband and Father of Four Kids & Blogger, Ex: Chief T. Officer, Fish Farmer, Bible Teacher, Men Leader. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins. (verses 25-27). Even the pronoun he is only an analogy; we should not get the idea that God is actually male or female. Scripture answers both of these questions with a resounding "yes." From pro and horizo; to limit in advance, i.e. And the Lord has laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). You can only trust him and receive the good things he has given you, or not trust him and refuse the good things he has given you. Even the angels knew about it (1 Peter 1:10-12). The God who is forever faithful to his covenant love is so powerful that he can and does provide opportunity for unbelievers to become believers, even dead unbelievers (many of the unbelieving Israelites were dead, but Gods work of mercy involves all of them, see 11:32). Speaking of his kinsmen, the Jews, Paul says God gave them special privileges He didnt give to other people: a name of honor, an adoption, the covenants, the glory, the law, the service of God, the promise, and above all, the Messiah! Only a preconceived idea could surely have suggested such an interpretation of the verse. If we are predestined to heaven or hell what is the point in - Reddit But it is not of necessity implied by anything that is actually said that the persons addressed might not themselves resist the Divine purpose. Or is it solely because of their unbelief? Quick Answer: Contrary to some popular teaching, God has chosen that everyone be invited to the Gospel message. The universe depends on God for every moment of its existence, the Bible tells us, yet God takes pleasure in what he has made and is actively involved in its life and journey. . It's a bit like how we can say, it was entirely possible for the Nazis to win WW2. Again, "Sequitur notitiam hanc a bene placito pendere, quia Deus nihil extra seipsum praeseivit quos voluit adoptando, sod tantum signavit quos eligere volebat.' Does God choose who will be saved? - BibleQuestions.com Romans 9 October 24, 2021 This article is based on Pastor Adrian Rogers' message, Predestined for Hell? He knows his power and purpose and what he is bringing out of it all. He wants none to perish and everyone to believe (2 Peter 3:9). Return to homepage. No. However, some theologians who teach predestination of the saved do not take a stance on predestination of the damned. This does not fit our normal definitions of love.. From sun and morphe; jointly formed, i.e. The God of the Bible does not force anyone to trust him. Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed When he finished making it, he proceeded to rest in it. 2:4) And "Christ died for sins once for all." I wasn't shocked. Gods grace has saved them no matter how hard they might resist it. (2065). 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 brothers. This God, the God of the Bible, is sovereign, yet not so otherly that he cannot enjoy the world he made. It is received and enjoyed only by those who accept it in faith, but it applies to everyone. So Ill just take a lump of clay and make one vessel for Heaven and the other for Hell. It is hardly necessary to consider whether there is any countenance given to the view that predestination ensures salvation, however a man may live; the obligation of actual holiness in Christians being (as we have seen) so strongly insisted on all along. Here is what, by the testimony of Jesus Christ, we know to be certain: God loves us, and we do not have to fear that we wont be saved. how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Exodus 33:12,17 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Absolutely Not!. To be conformed . That the elect should in the first place be "conformed to the image of Christ" is all that is, here at least, denoted as preordained by God. Ordinary Women. 0 responses He finds out things about them (Genesis 22:12). By Gods sovereign will, He decided He will show us mercy when we dont deserve it. Before I give my clear and definite answer, it really is crucial that a few preliminary things be said that are always lurking right there below the surface, ready to turn the answer into something it is not. Three questions arise. Then, of Isaacss two sons, Paul narrows down Gods sovereign choice even further. In this family Christ has the rights of primogeniture, but all Christians are His brethren; and the object of His mission and of the great scheme of salvation (in all its stages--foreknowledge, calling, justification, &c.) is to make men sufficiently like Him to be His brethren, and so to fill up the number of the Christian family. The idea of a person wanting to be saved but being unable to, due to not being one of the elect, is absolutely foreign to the Bible. Psalm 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. God will be who God will be, and he has revealed himself to be, for us and with us, the Father of Jesus Christ, the Sender of the Holy Spirit, the Forgiver of sins, the Lover of souls, our Savior, our Deliverer, our Comforter, our Advocate, our Helper, our Strengthener, our Righteousness, our Peace, our Hope, our Life, our Light, our Friend and many other good and wonderful things. Can a person believe in some sense but not be saved? (See Romans 9:23-24.) God did not ordain some people to Hell. Free will vs Predestination : r/TrueChristian - Reddit James 2:19 says, "You believe that there is one God. Extraordinary God. Consider the biblical picture of God. This means that if God ordains ahead of time that anyone will perish he does it in a way which is probably inscrutable to us and beyond our understanding. Share Who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. How was a large family a sign of God's blessing? Probably the best-known view on predestination is the one called Calvinism. This view of predestination is named after the Reformation theologian, John Calvin. Paul spells out the goal: "to be conformed to the likeness of his Son." The last stage of Christian existence is to be "conformed" to Christ's own glorious body (see Phil. Of course not. Earlier, Paul established this truth about God: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Obeying His commands enhances, improves and benefits us and those around us. (Psalm 127:3-5). But he does it in ways that are mysterious to us so that on that day no one will find any legitimate fault with God. Many people, the first time they encounter the doctrine of election, are upset by what seems to them to be a horribly unfair arrangement. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? Further, cannot be understood as limiting , as though among those that love God only some are "the called;" nor can be understood as limiting , as though even of the called not all are called with the purpose of saving them. Youre not a hapless victim. Its all settled? . God loves lost sinners, which is who we all are before coming to Christ. Hence the apostle in this passage does not really touch the theoretic questions that have been raised by theologians, his purpose being simply the practical one of encouraging his readers to persevere and hope. The expression, , etc., may be understood, from the preceding context, to refer, primarily at least, to participation in Christ's sufferings (cf. Predestination is God's choosing of who he wants to spend eternity with in his kingdom. He has preferences for nations, having to do with their realm of service for Him, but it is national, not personal. But we do not really know more than that it is that hypothetical faculty in man by virtue of which he is a responsible agent. Further, there is no way of knowing for sure whether you are saved or damned. We can throw in our lot with him and follow him to the ends of the earth, because we owe him our lives now and forever. The message of Scripture is clear: "God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Ironside: "What if I Am Predestinated for Hell?" But it's impossible in the sense that it is not part of God's plan and is certainly not actually going to happen. But that's not at all what this verse or any other verse in the Bible teaches. God does as He pleases, but He always pleases to do right. similar. When God chose one of them over the other, Before these children were born, having done neither good nor evil, someone will ask, Now, wait. He does not say, "You are not my sheep because you do not believe"; rather, He says, "You do not believe because you are not my sheep." In verse 16, Jesus speaks of other sheep who will believe once they hear His voice. This is the God who became one of us in Jesus Christ. The triune God is complete in every way, including in love, joy and perfection, without the creation. Lets look at how TULIP plays out in practical terms: First, it is based on a certain concept of the sovereignty, or ruling power, of God. Did God want Adam and Eve to obey Him? Yet, he is infinitely creative in his means of knocking on the doors of our human castles, inviting, even urging, us to invite him in. Now if their stumbling means riches for the world, and if their defeat means riches for Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! (11:11-12). An image, likeness, bust. In His choices, He cannot and will not choose to do wrong. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! God works with you like a potter shaping a vessel. Or does God want all people savedand He created no one to go to Hell? And if God the Word became a human being, part of the creation, then there was a change within God. Answering the Following: "Sometimes I am afraid I am predestinated to be damned; if so, I can do nothing to alter my terrible case." No one was ever predestinated to be damned. Q&A in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft Support "It sounds like it says . 0 responses First, since God is sovereign, that is, completely in control of everything, nothing happens that God is not ultimately the cause of. God made promises to Abraham, and those promises included the salvation of the whole world through the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16, 29). Is it possible for a person to be saved but not predestined? No! Jesus is. Is that the God of the Bible? In Christ, we can respect one anothers views, hear the issues that we each raise, in humility form our own conclusions, and still love one another as fellow partakers of the mercies of God. I dont want to undermine anyones confidence in the righteousness and the goodness of God. Elsewhere in the New Testament, when used of men, it has the latter sense (Acts 26:5; 2 Peter 3:17). 14:33) We are the ones who make things confusing by thinking that human reasoning is capable of keeping up with God's Word. Predestination Did God plan Jesus' death for our sins and return to life? The Bible says for God so loved the world (John 3:16) and that God wants all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and Christ says I will draw all people to myself (John 12:32), yet the TULIP construct suggests a God who loves some (most, as it turns out) by damning them before they ever drew breath. So, what have we found? Anonymous. Im going to take people who arent part of Israel or the covenant promises and include them. In our efforts to discuss and describe God, we have no choice but to use analogies and comparisons to created things we know about. John 17:16,19,22,23,26 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Are some people predestined to be saved and the rest predestined not to be saved?, The doctrine of predestination is sometimes referred to as election, in the sense that God chooses people for his own purposes. Has God createdpredestined, set upsome people to go to Hell, and theres nothing they can do about it? Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. God doesnt create people to damn them or destroy them! 1 Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. The Scriptures clearly teach that God does not predestine people but rather invites them all to be saved as seen in the following verses: For God "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). Calvin, commenting on it, quotes St. Augustine as saying, "Peceata quoque sua, ordinante Dei providentia, sanctis ideo non nocere ut potius corum saluti inserviant;" but while he assents to this proposition, he denies, with truth, that any such meaning is intended here. He has been speaking of the trials and imperfections of the present life, and urging his readers not to be discouraged by them, on the ground that, if they continue to "live after the Spirit," these things will by no means hinder, but rather further, the final issue. Does God reject them? A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases. Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Select Meeting options. God is smarter than we are, and our ideas about God arent always correct. 30, we find the following sequence: (1) eternal foreknowledge (or eternal purpose), . will Me to be merciful to you. God cannot be acted on against his will, but in his divine freedom, he acts. We neither know strictly what God's omnipotence and omniscience are (according to a more exact use of language, we ought to say, perhaps, "perfect power and knowledge"--power and knowledge such as would belong to what we are incapable of conceiving, a perfect Being), nor do we know what human free-will is in itself. Can God be sovereign and perfect, and also be able to change? But if we harden our hearts, God will say, Okay, since you insist, not My will, but yours be done.. God creates entirely in his divine freedom, not because he is a creation machine. Therefore, all humans are unfit for the kingdom of God apart from Christ. 2:9 and John 3:16) Other passages state He died for the sins of His sheep. He, she, it, they, them, same. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby God's omniscience seems incompatible with human free will.In this usage, predestination can be regarded as a form of religious determinism; and usually . Were on a mission to change that. Better translated in todays English, this verse says, I have preferred one, not that I abhor the other, or I chose Jacob instead of Esau. It simply means preference. We were created with a will. Everyone who perishes has chosen sin in such a way as to be truly responsible for his choice and truly guilty and truly deserving of judgment. (1 Tim. 2:3-4). Did God want Adam and Eve to obey Him? Report, June 15 2015 In his divine freedom, God can, and does, of himself, change and feel. If he did, then he would be the ultimate cause of the evil. As the English verb suggests, this word ( proorizo) simply means to direct a person to a particular goal. The Bible answers: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! He is in control, but of what? When we argue deductively from the omniscience and omnipotence of God, human free-will seems to be obliterated. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob. If you want mercy, you can have it. Ukraine and Russia warn about nuclear attack at the Zaporizhzhia plant A second preliminary thing would be that God never, never sends, never will send anyone to hell unjustly. It seems to me, and you may disagree, that such a God is in far more control, and has far more power than the sort of God described by the TULIP. Diving Deeper: John 6:44 says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." The Iranian's state's brutal murder of Bah' women must not be forgotten. TULIP presents a picture of a God who is omnipotent, omniscient and immutable. Even to conceive of a God with this much authority, this much complexity, this much power is almost impossible for many modern people. It was His purpose. Youre telling me before they were born, God said, I love this one, and I hate that one? God chose one to go to Heaven and one to go to Hell?. The God of the TULIP has to create what amounts to a grand DVD recording of entirely predetermined outcomes and characters who cant wrestle with him, cant talk back to him, challenge him, or, conversely, cant truly love him, except as he has written it all into the script. (Romans 8:30) At first blush, one might be tempted to think this verse implies that unbelievers are predestined to hell. Our freedom to be who we are in Christ is not a freedom that we have simply by virtue of existing. Free will means that God did not involve himself in any way with the choice to follow Him, while predestination is that God chose for the person rather than that person for themselves.
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