Predestination(divine decrees, foreordination)
Summary
Predestination is God's eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, by which He foreordained all that comes to pass, particularly His sovereign determination respecting the eternal destinies of men—a doctrine affirmed in Scripture yet attended by profound mystery regarding its relation to human freedom and responsibility.
☩Definition and Terminology
The word 'predestinate' properly signifies to destine beforehand—to set apart or devote to a particular use or end before the event. In theological usage, 'predestination' is restricted to God's determinations respecting the eternal destinies of men. The Greek term proorizo ('to foreordain') appears in Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:5, 1:11, Acts 4:28, and 1 Corinthians 2:7. The related term horizo ('to determine') occurs with similar meaning in Luke 22:22 and Acts 2:23. Election and predestination are closely related: election has in view the persons who are objects of divine blessing; predestination concerns the privileges and blessings destined to be their portion. Foreknowledge (prognosis) belongs to the same purpose of grace, representing, in Paul's sequence, the first step in the divine plan (Romans 8:29).
☩Scriptural Foundation
The doctrine of election by grace pervades both letter and spirit of Scripture. Paul sets forth the idea with power and clarity in Romans 8:29-30, articulating its elements: 'Whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son... whom He predestinated, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.' Ephesians 1:4-5 declares that God 'chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world,' having 'predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ.' This eternal purpose is 'according to the good pleasure of His will' (Ephesians 1:9), worked out by Him 'who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will' (Ephesians 1:11). Christ Himself taught: 'No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him' (John 6:44), and 'All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me' (John 6:37).
☩The Sovereignty of God
It belongs to the very nature of God that He should have a counsel or purpose embracing all things from beginning to end, and that this counsel shall assuredly be accomplished. 'The Lord hath made all things for Himself; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil' (Proverbs 16:4). 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure' (Isaiah 46:10). Not only good but evil comes under the divine predestinating purpose, for evil as well as good is foreknown by the Omniscient. God used the hatred of the Jews, the baseness of Judas, and the weakness of Pilate to accomplish Christ's death—the central element in the divine plan of redemption. The first Christians acknowledged this: 'Both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel foreordained to come to pass' (Acts 4:27-28).
☩Historic Controversy
The central question in predestination controversy has always been: Are the divine decrees absolute or conditional—based upon God's foreknowledge of how individuals would use their moral agency, or not? The Arminian affirms the former; the Calvinist the latter. Augustine gave the doctrine its first full exposition, opposing Pelagius by making divine grace the only ground of salvation—an irresistible power working faith within the heart. Calvin carried the Augustinian theory to its logical conclusion, making predestination the cardinal principle of his theological system. The Lutheran Formula of Concord helpfully viewed predestination as 'in Christ'—never outside Him—intended not to perplex but to encourage and reassure all who trust in His grace. Both supralapsarianism (which places election logically before the decree permitting the fall) and infralapsarianism (which places it after) have been held within Reformed theology.
☩Election and Reprobation
Scripture clearly teaches personal election to salvation: God has foreordained particular persons from eternity to eternal life, provided the means in Christ's work and the Spirit's ministry, and bestows grace to persevere. Yet nothing in Scripture points to personal, inexorable predestination to reprobation in any sense corresponding to personal election to salvation. A non-election there may be, but not in any sense annulling full personal responsibility for coming short of eternal life. The appeal of Scripture from first to last is to men as free moral agents. Calvin stated, 'Man falls, God's providence so ordaining, but he falls by his own fault.' God who predestinated believers to salvation as the end, predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His Son as the means. Those having not the Spirit of Christ are none of His, yet the believer's character results from God's predestination rather than founding it.
☩Practical Application
Predestination, properly understood, secures God's glory and the believer's salvation unchangeably. All pride is excluded; all is of God's unmerited grace. Yet fatalism is excluded, for God predestinated believers not only to the end but to the means—holiness and conformity to Christ. The sovereignty in which Paul reposes such confidence is the sovereignty of a gracious and faithful God; he is confident that 'He who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ' (Philippians 1:6). The doctrine should produce not proud presumption but humble gratitude and diligent obedience. We must make as sure of the means as of the end. 'Whom He predestinated, them He also called'—the effectual call of the gospel goes forth, and those who respond in faith demonstrate their election.
Related Verses78 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Predestination," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VIII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Predestination," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Predestination," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Predestination," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).