Predestination
The word "predestination" means "to appoint, to
determine, or to design beforehand".
The Father, through perfect expression of His thinking, predesigned
His perfect plan in Christ, Eph. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:2,20; 2 Tim. 1:9.
Through Predestination, believers are guaranteed sonship (Eph.
1:5) and heirship (Eph. 1:11).
The doctrine of Predestination deals only with Christians. There
is no such thing as an unbeliever being predestined to go to hell.
The Christians makes a conscious decision to follow the plan of
God. The unbeliever makes a conscious decision to reject the plan
of God. John 3:18; 3:36. If any person accepts Christ as Saviour,
he will be saved.
The Biblical concept of Predestination does not conflict with
human volition, but emphasizes it.
The purpose of Predestination is to relate the believer to the
Plan of God through Positional Truth. Eph. 1:4,5. It is based
on the foreknowledge of God, Rom. 8:29. It is an expression of
God's love for those who are in union with Christ. Predestination
was a sovereign decision on the part of God the Father, Eph. 1:5,11.
Jesus Christ has a destiny. When we enter into union with Christ
at the time of salvation, we share in that destiny.
Topic: Positional Truth
There are five Greek words used to communicate the Biblical doctrine
of Predestination. Without a knowledge of these words and the
categories of truth they represent, no one can draw inferences
or theological conclusions about what is being taught in the Bible
on the subject.
(prooridzw) - verb, "to predesign; to predetermine".
Rom. 8:28,29; Eph. 1:5,11
(protithemi)- verb, "to predetermine", Rom. 3:25; Eph.
1:9. Synonym of prooridzo.
(prothesis)- noun, "a predetermined plan". The subject
of Ephesians is the Prothesis of God. Rom. 8:28; 9:11; Eph. 1:11;
3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9.
God is never caught napping. He has already met every contingency
with a predetermined plan of action. When we yell "Help!"
to God, He doesn't have to try to think up some way to help us.
He has already provided everything we need. All we have to do
is learn about what God has provided and how to take advantage
of it.
(proginoskw) - verb, "to foreordain", I Pet. 1:20; Rom.
8:29; 11:2
(prognosis)- noun, "foreknowledge; a predetermined purpose",
Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:2. [ English: prognosis ]
The crucifixion of Christ is related to the Divine Decrees and
the predetermined purpose of God. Acts 2:23**, 4:28, cf. I Pet.
2:4,6
All believers' suffering is related to the predetermined plan
of God. In eternity past, God thought about us and predesigned
provisions for us for both time and eternity. Rom. 8:28,29.
God the Father predetermined the Grace concept of Propitiation,
Rom. 3:25.
Topic: Propitiation
Predestination defines God's ultimate purpose for the believer
- that we should be like the Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity,
Rom. 8:29. This is called glorification, Rom. 8:30.
The born-again Jew is part of the preordained plan of God under
the unconditional covenant to Israel. Therefore, the Jew of the
Old Testament is not a castaway, Rom. 11:2. There is a definite
relationship between Predestination and Eternal Security. Predesination
provides the basis for Eternal Security.