(to Christian ONLY) Doctrine of Predestination and Justification By Faith?

Question

please explain to me these christian doctrines, and do you believe or reject them ???
thank a lot....God bless you...

these are verses which always quotes by those who believe:
Ephesus 1:4-5, "according as He did choose us in in Him before the foundation of the world, for being holy and unblemished before Him, in love, having foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to good pleasure of His Will."(YLT) (also Rome 8:29-30)

Ephesus 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (ESV)
(also Galatia 3:11)

Answer 1

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" - Ephesians 2:1.

dead is "nekrovß" Nekros. Strong's Number: 3498. Definition
properly
one that has breathed his last, lifeless
deceased, departed, one whose soul is in heaven or hell
destitute of life, without life, inanimate
metaph.

spiritually dead

destitute of a life that recognises and is devoted to God, because given up to trespasses and sins
inactive as respects doing right
destitute of force or power, inactive, inoperative .

Obviously something that is spiritually dead, Nekros, a corpse, can do nothing.

2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

On faith:

The "faith" that has any substance or meaning is the faith OF Christ.

The Bible speaks of two types of faith:

1.) Ones own faith (work, no substance)
2.) The faith OF Christ (grace, substance)


1. Our faith (a work), works do not save, Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Timothy 1:9.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 - Remembering without ceasing YOUR WORK of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

2 Thessalonians 1:11 - Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the WORK of faith with power:

comparing:


Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith OF Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith OF Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. - Galatians 2:16 KJV.

footnote: the KJV is the only version I am aware of the correctly translates the Greek preposition "of"; this is greatly important because there is a huge difference between faith IN Christ (a work) and the faith OF Christ = grace.

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," - 2 Timothy 1:9.

grace = unmerited favor.

Jesus would set the record straight by stating three times in John 6 that no man CAN come to the Father unless they are being drawn by Him.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." - John 6:37,44,65.

This drawing is not all inclusive, the Sanhedrin, were lost not because they would not believe but because they COULD NOT believe, big difference:

"For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,

40 "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM." - John 12:39,40 nasb.


"So then

it is not of him that willeth,

nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." - Romans 9:16.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," - Ephesians 1:3-5.

Answer 2

I'll jump in just because this knowledge is not limited to Xians or believers. There are verses to support both sides, i.e there is likely no way that Judas could have done anything but betrayed Jesus or that kingdoms could have refrained from going to war when God "stirred them up". Consider the Pharaoh during the Exodus, he wanted the Hebrew to leave, but God hardened his heart or Eve or Cain, both of them had destinies to fulfill. Then there are the scriptures that talk about the "mockers" and people that God has not chosen.

On the other hand, the invitation seems clear that salvation is open to all and that acceptance of it is that is all that is required.

Face it, you can make very good cases for both or either one, but the question still remains" Why would God do miracles in this world but hide all evidence of them ever happening? Or why would a god present such contradictory messages as this?

Believe what you wish, but remember that belief does not change the facts.

Answer 3

I do not know of any Christian doctrine concerning the Doctrine of Predestination.

The Doctrine of justification stands second to none.Without being justified we can in no way enter into heaven.But we are unjust, so how then are the unjust justified? Only through Christ, the Son of God can we the unjust be justified.Here is a good scriptural example how it works.

Col 1:19 "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister"

I barrowed this quote from my wonderful Sister Maranatha132.
"Justification is by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone. Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set."

Answer 4

The doctrine of Predestination really started with John Calvin, who believed that a certain number of elect were going to heaven because it was decided before the foundations of the world. We cannot accept or reject this its in Gods hands. Justification by faith means that by believing that you are a sinner, that Christ is the Son of God, and died for the sins of all men,and rose on the third day and if you accept that, admit you are a sinner and ask Christ to come in your heart you are justified by your belief, and your sins are covered by his blood and your are clean. This is not to say that you will never sin again, its not possible on this earth,but you are now justified by his sacrifice. I do not believe in predestination, we have to choose to believe in the sacfice and ask for the gift Christ said Whosover, Will Come" Mark 8:34. It speaks of choice we choose. God made man to have free will, what kind of love is it when we are forced to love and believe, its what we choose or no. Hope I made some sense

Answer 5

The Doctrine of Predestination is about assurance that if you are a Christian then you will receive what God has promised.

Justification by Faith (not by good works) imo this is about bringing equity to Christians. We are saved by what God has done for us not what we have done for God. One Christian who saved x number of souls can't claim to be better than the Christian who keeps stuffing things up. The caveat is we are saved by faith alone but faith is never alone. That means that there is an expectation that Christians will keep trying to do the right thing.

Predestination has a bad name because it has been used to bash people who are presumed to be excluded. imo the only people who are excluded are those who exclude themselves.

In that respect I believe in them.

Answer 6

God has chosen some out of the human race to be saved through the finished work of Christ. Others of the same human race are not chosen to eternal life and therefore foreordained to everlasting punishment.

In the case of the elect there is a divine intervention called regeneration. This is a sovereign work of God the Holy Spirit.

In the case of those who are not elect, there is no internal work of God. It is not God who makes them evil. They already are evil. In their case the Word of God only hardens them in their sin.

“For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls,…“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated’. …Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens…..Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel

Answer 7

The "doctrine of predestination" did not start with John Calvin. The bible says that God chose us (believers) before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians: for it is by grace you are saved, through faith, not by works that any man should boast.

These two things are in the bible.

Answer 8

Predestination: God chooses the "elite" to be selected to go to heaven before hand. therefore, not everyone can go to heaven.

Justification by Faith: faith alone in Jesus saves a person from going to hell.

im still considering predestination and i believe in Faith alone.

Answer 9

No to predistination.... We are all predestined through christ but were not automatically going to heaven. We must use gods gift which is free choice, to go to christ

Answer 10

Never heared of those.
John 3:16 is the path that every believer must accept and believe

Answer 11

There are three historical Theological Positions:

1. Biblically balance teaching that God has a Sovereign Will and that at times He interferes with the life of man to produce results He desires.


Rom 9:13-15
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
(KJV)

Rom 9:17-21
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
(KJV)

At the same time God has given mankind the freedom to either accept Him or reject Him. Whosoever (anyone) who believes or calls upon the name of the Lord can be saved.

The example of Abraham is given in Romans 4. In this case it was the faith of Abraham that led directly to forgiveness of sin. If Abraham had not had faith, then he would not have been forgiven. His faith CAUSED him to be saved.


Rom 10:11
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
(KJV)

Rom 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(KJV)

I Jn 4:15
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
(KJV)

Rom 4:20-22
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
(KJV)

At the intersection of God's Sovereignty and Man's Free Will we find the point of GRACE. It is the climax of the story of our life. It is the pivotal point in which our eternity is determined.

Positions 2 & 3: The Doctrine of Predestination has been polluted by a foolish extremes. One side points to ONLY the Sovereignty of God in scripture. The other side points ONLY to the free-will of man in scripture. They are both two sides of the same coin.

Comparing Romans 8:29 and other passages that refer to the Elect it becomes clear that one of the powers of God: His Divinity if you will, is the ability to know what choices free-willed human beings will make under any circumstance.

That is true power. God used Pharaoh and Moses to show His power in one particular instance. Today, free-willed human beings debate this 'story'. Most call it a myth. This is the freedom of man. But in this event of history, God directly showed His power to all generations.

It is up to us to have faith. That is how we are justified.

Just as if I never sinned.