Isn't this what Predistination is?

Question

It's a Free Ticket!

And Tickets Are Still Available

Predestination and election can be easily understood with the following illustration: Bob Smith lives in Tyler, Texas. He has been invited to attend a banquet in Shreveport, Louisiana. The host for the banquet sent Bob a ticket for a seat on a bus scheduled to leave Tyler at 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday and arrive in Shreveport at 12:00 noon the same day-just in time for the party.

The destination of the bus has been predetermined. As soon as Bob steps onto the bus, he becomes a participant in this predetermined trip. His ticket assures him of a seat on the bus. His destination is certain.

However, if Bob throws away his ticket before departure, or if he gets off the bus between Tyler and Shreveport, he will not arrive at the destination originally intended for him.

The same is true of the predetermined journey God has set before us. If we use the free "ticket" He has given to us, get aboard the "bus" to the Kingdom, and stay on the bus until it arrives, we will arrive at our proper destination. But if we get off the "bus" before it reaches its destination, we will not enter the Kingdom. Or, if we throw away the "ticket" before boarding, we will forfeit our "seat" on the bus and lose the privilege of participating in the predetermined journey.

The host of the banquet invited many, offering them free tickets, but many of them declined the offer. The only ones finally chosen for participation in the festivities were those who made the trip and showed up for the banquet.

Divine election is no different. God chooses those who choose Him. Many are invited, but those finally chosen for participation in the Kingdom are those who accept God's provisions for salvation. Jesus Christ is the Elect One chosen from the foundation of the world (Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:20). He is the Way into the Kingdom of God (John 14:6). When we accept Him, we are "in Christ," and become participants in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:311; 2 Corinthians 4:14). Similarly, by joining ourselves to the Elect One, becoming members of His Body, we become participants in His election.


The End

Answer 1

Good illustration!

If there is predestination how can we make the wrong choice?

Answer 2

Sorry, but I see no "offer" of free tickets. What if the host held a banquet and no one wanted to come, or even knew about the banquet? The host didn't have to hold the banquet at all, no one deserved to be invited. This host then is the one who chose way ahead of time who would be attending, out of His sovereign will. The cost was paid for IN FULL by the host's son (the cost per plate was unaffordable), not for the entire world of people but for the ones the host selected. The Messenger opened the eyes of those that the host elected, and they saw the bus, and they enjoy the ride despite the bumps on the road on the way there. The rest of the world was never invited.

We see the same bus, and we'll be at the banquet together, my Christian friend, but we have way different ideas as to how we're getting there!

Answer 3

Very pretty. but you just had to throw in verses in the last paragraph to spoil it.
The only predestination I believe in is What my soul and my guardian angel said was the lesson or lesions that my soul needed to learn in this lifetime.
Divine election pah. we are all a part of the CREATOR and the CREATOR is apart of all of us. After al the CREATOR made ALL the souls that was and Will be from its own body before the creation of this physical universe.

Answer 4

I agree with you as I think the same way, everything except the last part about Jesus and salvation.

For me Jesus is not God, but just a prophet.
But about God you are right in 100%

Answer 5

Once a person is sealed with the Holy Spirit, which happens at the moment of conversion, they are kept by God, until the day of redemption. At a moment in time, we receive ETERNAL salvation. (Heb. 5)