Predestined

This word, and its older form “Predestinated,” is a source of much controversy in Christendom.  Are some individuals destined to be saved, and some destined to be lost?  The answer, interestingly enough, is “Yes,” but there is a very important qualification to attach to that answer.

What the question usually means, when it is asked, is, “Are some human beings arbitrarily chosen to be saved or lost?”  The answer to that new, more specific, question becomes a very clear, “No.”  The Bible absolutely refutes the idea that Yahweh chooses certain men for destruction even before their birth.  But now, we must look at the verses that some will use to teach exactly that concept.

Here is one: “As it is written, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’” (Rom 9:13)  Some take this verse, and much of Romans 9, to mean that Yah has chosen some individuals before their birth to be saved or lost.  This is not the case at all.  Romans 9 is not speaking of individuals, but of nations.  The Almighty never said (so it is not “written”) about Jacob or Esau (the men) that he loved one or hated the other… Paul is not quoting from Genesis but from the prophet Malachi, who records a theoretical conversation between Yahweh and His people: “‘I have loved you,’ saith Yahweh. Yet ye say, ‘Wherein hast thou loved us?’  ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ saith Yahweh, ‘yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.’” (Mal 1:2, 3)

Clearly, this is speaking about the nation of Israel (named for Jacob) and the nation of Edom (named for Esau).  The heads of the nations gave their character to the people of their land to a degree, and this is the reason why one was accepted and the other rejected.  The individuals themselves were chosen or rejected based upon how they responded to the grace offered them, and we read that Esau lost his earthly inheritance, a symbol of the Heavenly, because he was a “profane person,” caring more about the comforts of this life than the dignity of the priesthood as it pertained to the next. (Heb 12:16)

The word “predestinated” itself features heavily in an epistle of Paul.  This is a long passage, so I will post it all, and let me know when you are finished:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yahshua the Messiah, 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 Yahshua the Messiah to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself:

“That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him; in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:3-14)

 Clearly, Paul is focusing strongly on the idea that salvation is initiated by Yah, and not in the mind or heart of any human.  He makes it plain that men are saved by the will of the Creator, and not by the merits of any human being.  Men are “chosen” from the foundation of the world… but the question is, “Why are some men chosen and some men rejected?”  That is the big question, and one we have in common with those who believe in an arbitrary election of grace.

Those who believe in absolute predestination in a Calvinistic sense say that God chooses based on some criteria we do not know, or on no criteria at all; He simply points His finger and says, “That one.”  This is not what the Bible teaches.  While Paul’s words are certainly profound, they are not in conflict with other passages that tell us that we may choose (by the gift of grace) to serve the Almighty.  Mankind is “totally depraved,” as the phrase goes, which is why an additional factor – grace – must be provided that men should have a hope of Heaven.  As Joshua said to the Israelites, “choose you this day whom ye will serve.” (Josh 24:15)  Every book of the Bible provides men with a moral choice, either explicitly worded or implied by the content.  Every book of the Bible affirms that men are free to choose, and Christ taught us to, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” because “no man can serve two masters.” (Mat 6:20, 24)

Yahweh is shown to “predestinate” those whom He “foreknows.” (Rom 8:9)  The Almighty knows ahead of time who will be saved and who will be lost; it does not say that He predestinates those whom he “fore-saves,” or “fore-selects.”  The selection itself (also called being “ordained before” in 1Cor 2:7) is based upon His knowledge, not His activity.  Paul Himself tells us, in Ephesians 1, that those who are selected are those who hear the word and believe.  These are the ones Yah draws to Himself but, and this is very important, He is seeking to draw all.  He is “not willing that any should perish,” (2Pet 3:9) and this is spoken in the setting of not only the saints, but also the wicked. (verse 7)  Christ intended that His sacrifice should “draw all” unto Himself; (John 12:32) and again this was not spoken in terms of only the elect, but for all who were present, even those who did not understand His ministry or work. (verse 29)

A lot more may be said on this topic, but what it boils down to is this: there IS an election of grace according to Yahweh’s purpose and pleasure, but it is not random.  It is not based on some divine principle that is higher than the human mind can grasp, or else the vast number of moral lessons and instructions to reject evil and choose righteousness would be perfectly meaningless.  While there is indeed an election, the apostle Peter tells us in no uncertain terms that the election is not based on nothing, and not based on factors over which we have no control, for he gives us clear instructions, saying, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things [described above], ye shall never fall.” (2Pet 1:10)  If this verse is seen in harmony with Paul’s statements, the matter becomes perfectly plain.