Isn't this Predistiantion?

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.

Answer 1

Friend, I believe in Predestination 100%, But we have to understand what Predestination really is, By GOD'S foreknowledge, God knowing everything & every step we will take, He then did Predestinated us to be Sons & Daughters of his. But too many Christians have taken Predestination out of context, many thinks, Well if I am predestinated, Then I can do whatever sin I want to, & I will still make it in, That is a sign that maybe that person is not predestinated, One True sign of Predestination is the True Seal of the Holy Ghost, We are sealed until the day of our redemption & not until the next revival, I know what you are reffering to, But I also see a potential for some like for instance Baptise, saying I can do whatever I want to, I can drink & get drunk Because I am Predestinated, They have the wrong Ideal of predestination. So by God giving us a free choice, & knowing what choice we would take to the end, & by his foreknowledge, He does predestinate us.

Answer 2

Almost. God is at the end of Bob's journey before Bod receives the ticket and therefore already foreknows Bob as an arrival or a missed the Bus which is not predestination but an all knowing God. The chioce still belongs to Bob.

Answer 3

The only problem I have with this concept is the idea that Jesus Christ is the only way to go to heaven. If I'm a Buddhist living in Asia, and I get a ticket from a missionary, I'm far less likely to get on the bus than a Baptist living in Alabama. And what if I were born in a country that doesn't practice Christianity? What if I were born into a family of another faith who brought me up to believe that Christianity is wrong? I'd be likely to just throw the ticket away, or maybe not even accept the ticket, wouldn't I? This means that the likelyhood of getting to Bob's party is largely based on where one is lucky enough to be born. If I'm lucky enough to be born into that devoutly church-going family in Alabama, I'd be glad to get that ticket, and never hesitate once in getting on the bus, whereas if I were born to that family that brings me up to believe that Christianity is wrong, I wouldn't get on the bus. Now that brings me to my next question: God is perfect. God is love. God is all knowing. God understands all. So why would GOD make a rule about getting into heaven that gives an unfair advantage to some over others, based entirely on something HE had control over and WE didn't (namely, where we're born and who our parents are). I know some Christians believe that the unbaptised go to Hell. Well, if I don't baptise my baby, and my baby dies unbaptised, that wasn't the BABY'S fault, it was MINE! Why should the BABY go to Hell? If God is perfect, all knowing, and full of perfect love, don't you think he'd love us all enough to save us all? Don't you think he'd have the power to help see and understand? I'm sorry to go off on Christianity, there, but you asked a question: No, it's not predestination, but the odds are certainly stacked. Check out the concept of Universal Salvation.

Answer 4

If predestination actually is the way things are, doesn't it make free will meaningless and every act we perform irrelevant since everything has already been irrevocably decreed and predtermined? It would make the universe like a CD which has to play what is pre-recorded on it with no possibility of deviation or change.

Answer 5

It is an illustration that depicts predestination.
Why?
Because the only references to predestination in the Bible are in Ephesians, and it says that we are predestined to be sons of God.

That was God's plan for us, but since we have free will, we can accept God's plan or reject it.

I have accepted it.

Some believe that predestination is about God having predestined everything that will happen in your life, like being run over by a car.
Well, it was just predestined.
But it does not match up with scripture, and I cannot accept that.

grace2u

Answer 6

Predestination is simply God's foreknowledge of who will choose to be born-again. God stands outside of time and without Himself interfering with the outcome in any way can see how each one's life will pan out through their exercise of their free will. Predestination does not mean God has in anyway interfere with the exercise someone's free will.

Answer 7

I like your example ( a bit long and drawn out for my taste, but)

The real question (which I have no real answer for) is way back at the beginning (which you called 'election').

Are some called and others not?

Some say, since God knows, then he calls (and he does it perfectly)

Others say, since he calls, they come (they can't come without the call - they would not ever think of coming without the call)

I can find both sides in the Scriptures
I cannot decide at this juncture

Answer 8

Interesting allegory. I would point out that the use of phrases like "he becomes a participant,” "If we use," and "get on board" still point to man's cooperation with his salvation. Soteriologically, the allegory is not particularly strong.

Answer 9

Will there be a beef entree at this banquet, or just some more worthless fish and chicken entrees? And make sure the waitress refills our roll basket.

Answer 10

What is predestination and election?


Predestination and election are both biblical teaching. The English "predestination" is translated from the Greek word "proorizo" which means "1) to predetermine, decide beforehand. 2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity. 3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand."1 Predestination, then, is the biblical teaching that God predestines certain events and people to accomplish what He so desires. The word "proorizo" occurs six times in the New Testament each time demonstrating that God is the one who is foreordaining and bringing about certain events:

Acts 4:27, "to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur."

Rom. 8:29, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;

Rom. 8:30, "and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

1 Cor. 2:7, "but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory."

Eph. 1:5, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,.

Eph. 1:11, "also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will."

You must also note that God predestines people as Rom. 8:30, and Eph. 1:5, 11 demonstrate. There is, however, controversy as to the nature of this predestination. In the Reformed (Calvinist) camp, predestination includes individuals. In other words, the Reformed doctrine of predestination is that God predestines who He wants to be saved and that without this predestination, none would be saved. The non-Reformed camp states that God predestines people to salvation, but that these people freely choose to follow God on their own. In other words, in the non-Reformed perspective, God is reacting to the will of individuals and predestining them only because they choose God where by contrast the Reformed position states that people choose God only because He has first predestined them.

Election

The word "election," or "elect" comes from the Greek word "eklectos" and occurs about 25 times in the New Testament. It signifies "1 to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one’s self. a choosing one out of many.""1 The one who does the choosing, the electing is God.

John 13:18, "I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’"

Eph. 1:4,"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."

1 Tim. 5:21, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality."

Again, there is debate within Christianity as to the means and purpose of God's election. Some say that God elects individuals and others say He only elects nations and/or groups of people. If God elects individuals this means that God is predestining them, electing them into salvation and He is not electing others. This does not sit well with many Christians. On the other hand, some Christians state that God elects based upon a foreknowledge of what an individual will do.
Whichever side you believe, remember that predestination and election are biblical concepts. You must also remember that how you believe or not in predestination and/or election does not effect your salvation. Therefore, you should be gracious to other Christians who differ with you on this subject.