As a Christian, do you believe in predestination?

Question

Explain why or why not.

(Looking for a Christian view only please)

Answer 1

As a Christian, do you believe in predestination?

Yes, I do believe in predestination. I believe in predestination because I read about it in my Bible. In Ephesians 1:3-6 we read, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Here we see in this text, an excellent reason as to why we should believe in predestination. The reason I’m thinking of is not that it is biblical (although that’s a good reason as well) but that an understanding of predestination should result in the offering of praise unto God – which is honoring to God, and therefore good to us. The passage says that in love God the Father predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ. Predestination is a very good thing! The Scriptures say that God did this “according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace.”

Predestination is a part of God’s plan and He gets all the glory in it. Romans 8:28-30 says it this way, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." Here in Romans 8:28-30 we see another text for predestination. Briefly, I want to point out here that what is described here in this text only applies to those who will come to trust in Christ or are trusting in Christ.

Foreknew means simply knew (or loved) beforehand. Compare this with the phrasing of Ephesians 1:3-6 when it says, “In love he predestined” The same idea of foreknew found in Romans 8:28-30 is in Ephesians 1:3-6 wrapped up in that phrase “In love”. The Scriptures say, “those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” So those who were foreknown were also predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. That’s a definite. I don’t believe God can foreknow and predestine someone to salvation and them not come to saving faith. I don’t believe that’s going to happen. I believe that if God the Father gives one to the Son that they will be saved. Jesus speaks of this some in John 6:37-40. Jesus in verse 37 says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” So all those who will ever be saved are only saved because the Father gives them unto Christ. That’s what the Scripture says. If you are a believer, God chose you before the foundation of the world in Christ. He predestined you for adoption in Christ, and his choice (despite some opinions here) was not based upon anything you would do in the future. We know this because, as Romans 9:16 says, “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Take the example of Romans 9:11-13 with Jacob and Esau. This passage is a passage addressing predestination and here is what it says, “Though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad – in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” We were not chosen because of what we would do, or who we would be, but we were chosen purely by grace. Jesus emphasizes this in John 15:16 when he said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” Salvation then, is a matter not of our human intellect, but a matter of God’s grace. We don’t trust man’s I.Q. to save him, but we depend upon God’s grace. One last passage I’ll bring up before I wrap this up. In Acts 13:48 we read, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” God is in the business of choosing people to be adopted in Christ.
All of us, who believe and trust in Christ, are fruits of that choice of the Father.

Much more should be said as a precursor to this. Much more should be said about how we got in the predicament we are in. Volumes could be said here about Adam and Eve and Original Sin and how we all from the very moment we came into existence were opposed to the will of God, born a sinner in need of the grace of God. It could even be said that we were in bondage to sin, and if our will was enslaved to sin it was only free to sin not to righteousness. I don’t believe I had a free will before my salvation, but I believe I had a will inclined to sin, enslaved to sin. I willingly chose to sin, and that sin was my master. Then one day Jesus Christ came and liberated my will. He set me free and I willingly came to trust in Him as my Savior and my Lord. This wasn’t because I was smarter than the next guy, but it was all because of God’s grace. God chose to awaken me to a brand new world, with brand new eyes, and a brand new heart, and a brand new life. He’s willing to do this same glorious work to others that he has chosen even to this very day. So where does that leave me, a believer in predestination? It leaves me living my life as I’m living, being the trophy of a visible resurrection that God has made me to be, pointing to Jesus Christ as the only way. My salvation is secure, and I know that all those who God has in his Book of Life will be saved. I just continue to be faithful sharing Christ with people, and God will do the drawing and the saving.

I love seeing the salvation of souls, and I live for the sharing of Jesus.

That's my answer in regards to predestination. Not as long as I would have liked to share, but if you have any more questions or would like any clarifications feel free to e-mail me, would be more than happy to take the time to respond.

Answer 2

It's a lose-lose any way you look at it. Even if free-will existed, it is a very very weak force. Our actions and decisions were put in place by the preceding events. If circumstances had been a fraction of a fraction different, then we would have made a different choice. This means we have a very limited sphere of control over who we are, or what we do. With this in mind, predestination would make decent sense--except that God creates souls knowingly to send to hell. Doesn't seem that merciful and loving. On the other hand, God is not omniscient or prescient. God -cannot- see the future, or know which path humanity will take. That would certainly be a strike against an all-powerful, all knowing creator. The better assumption is that there is no Hell. There can't be if God knows everything and is just and righteous, because that would imply that he created billions of souls to torture for eternity, knowing perfectly well that they were going there. The best assumption is that God doesn't exist as you think of him.

Answer 3

Aberham was predestined, Joseph was predestined, Mosus was predestined, Jesus was predestined. This are examples of Gods plans coming to pass. Every man woman and child is predestined even before birth. So do i believe in predestination as a christian yes i do and i also believe that people have to make a choice to follow God or to be bypassed for the predestined life he has planned for them. Because people willfully walk away from God all the day long seeking only to drink a cup of soup and never walk in the birth right they could have enjoyed.

Answer 4

I believe in predestination to the extent that there is a master plan, as explained in the Bible through prophecy. Do I think that God micromanages each and every decision an individual makes? No. That would invade freewill; something God would never do.

Answer 5

I don't. But some christians do. The one's that do are called hyper calvinists. Most hyper-calvinists are true believers. I agree with them on most issues. I just disagree with them about predestination. I disagree with them because I believe in free will. I don't think they do. Pre-destination practically turns the bible on it's head. All through the bible God is practically begging the non-believer to come to Him and save himself from the wrath to come to those who enter eternity without God. If God has already decided who is going to heaven and hell then why beg all to come to Him. Plus why is God calling ALL to come to Him and not just some.
John 3:16 says "For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life".
Also, how could God hold people responsible for not accepting Him when they were predestined to not accept Him. Hyper-calvinists would say that I'm not presenting their views correctly. Maybe I'm not. I'm only giving their views as I understand them.

Answer 6

That is a question involving Calvinism and Armenians,
The whole debate is all over the interpretation of one word.
"Foreknowledge"
A Calvinist would say that that word is a relational word, meaning God's foreknowledge of the future has no part in how He decides who would be saved or not, involving man's free will.
An Arminian would say that the word "foreknowledge" is a literal term referring to God's ability to "look down the Tunnel of time" and see who would freely choose to love and obey Him, and it is of those whom he predestined and choose to be conformed to the Image of His Son.
It is an old debate.
It is also tied into the Once saved always saved debate

Answer 7

If someone is a Christian, the only logical stance if predestination. God is all knowing and has a plan. It wouldn't really make sense if anyone could do anything and f*** up God's plan.

Answer 8

Another vote for "The Muskrat", who presented Calvinism in its proper light. I also believe in predestination as the "Unconditional Election" element of Calvin's theology. Man can do absolutely nothing to bring about his own salvation, including making a decision for God, when he is so tainted with sin. Even prior to the age of reason, original sin condemns us before the Lord.

Answer 9

yes,you have said it ,predestination is something you see every
time ,i mean you have been born ,but you know you are going to
die,well you can consider that predestination,and this is just a brief explanation of what predestination will be.

Answer 10

I think God knows what's going to happen, but it is our free will that makes it happen. That isn't predestination in the strictest sense.

I also think this makes little or no sense to humans; however, most of the entire universe in incomprehensible to me, so what's new.

Answer 11

Only in the sense of foreknowledge. In other words God knows the outcome of things but individuals have choices to make that determine the results.