Are we predestined?

Question

Thanks ahead of time for your answers. Have a nice day.

If so, how then does free will enter into the equation? Anyone?

Answer 1

God predestinates us according to His Foreknowledge. He knows who will be open and who will reject Him. Our will is free and praise the Lord sister... we Chose Him. We Chose Life.

Romans 8:29
Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinaed to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

God has predestinated us not simply that we may be sanctified,spiritual and victorious but that we may be fully conformed to the Image of His Son. This is our destiny, determined by God in eternity past.

Great Q sister
in Christ
sandy

Edit.
For years my own husband struggled with this matter of Predestination. So much so that it became a stumbling block in his christian life. He was eventually brought to the point when the Lord simply said' Simon, just drop it".
It might sound strange, but based on the limitations of our human concepts and what we know this topic of predestination will never be fully grasped until maybe we look back in eternity. But may we learn to trust the Hand of God and thank Him for His selection and His choosing us in time to be those that are conformed to His dear Son. What a privilege and blessing this is. May our hearts be so full of thanksgiving.
Next thanksgiving we should probably say" Father.. thank You for predestinating me unto sonship"
:)

Answer 2

This is an incredibly old debate; it's been going on for centuries.
My take on it is this: Jesus threw open the door so wide, that whosoever will, let them come.
That is free will.
Now, to explain the other- if we consider the Sun, by its very nature, it puts out light and heat. It can do no other. So it is like some people- by their very nature, they cannot help but choose to follow Christ, and others do not.

I am certain that there is a point in everyone's life that they make a choice. They may reach that same point many times, but each time God will honor that choice. If positive towards Him, He begins to lead. If not, He does not.
God does honor the choices we make, and doeas not force Himself on anyone.

Answer 3

Tough to say in such a limited forum but here's my take:

Imagine the exit of a maze as salvation (the only way out = predestination)

The maze has several valid thoroughfares. You make choices along the way that ultimately lead to the only true exit.

However, at anytime you can chose to "not move forward".

This is just to draw a mental picture. I expect, like any metaphor, it will die under scrutiny.

Good question

God Bless

Answer 4

Yes.........Read Romans chapter 8 & 9

God is the potter.........and some are made for honor & some for dishonor

Job 11:7-8
"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?"


Man's free will & God's sovereignty work together somehow. We don't know how.....it just works.

Not all of God's ways can be explained....or else, we would be equal to Him

Answer 5

There are several scriptures that use this term. More properly translated, we may be fore-ordained. We may be placed in circumstances that permit us to fulfill an assignment received in the pre-existance. This was the case of Jeremiah, who was fore-ordained to be a prophet.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Answer 6

In a sense we are because God knows everything. But in the bible Moses prayed for the Jews and God removed his wrath from them. So the power of prayer is very important even at this present time.

Answer 7

If you are talking about man's free will to do right thing it still is the result of God' s sovereignty. Man is totally depraved and unable to do it without the help of God.

Answer 8

There is a " people " that is predestined...

Many are called, but few are chosen...

Answer 9

We are not pre-destined. The fact that you're thinking and choosing what to do at the moment proves that. To say that your thoughts and choices are pre-destined is the kind of thing that you'd hear from folks that wear aluminum foil hats.

Answer 10

well so far we seem to have plotted our own course - forceful personality's have manipulated history to fit their imagination.

the good part is theoretically we could write our own destiny the bad part we excel at tragedy...?