Think about it. If God has predetermined that certain individuals be saved, how much of the Bible must now be rewritten? The most famous passage in the Bible, John 3:16, reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If God chooses beforehand who is saved, this verse should say, “For God so loved the chosen that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever He chose should not perish but have everlasting life.” The truth is that God loves the world, meaning everybody on the planet who has ever lived, that whoever, meaning any person, believes in Jesus (accepts Him as their savior) will not perish but have eternal life. If you are “in him” than you are chosen. The opposite cannot be true. Otherwise, what is the point of the Great Commission? Why would Jesus tell His followers to “make disciples of all the nations” if God had already chosen them? Ultimately, you cannot say God is a loving God if He has predetermined the eternal destiny of individuals. He is either a cosmic rapist who drags people into His presence whether they want to or not or He is a cold and heartless deity who simply creates people to destroy them in eternal fire! When you don’t understand the Gospel you end up with false teachings that rob God of His grace and mercy and remove the individual’s accountability for their choice. Remember the words of Jesus; “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing (Luke 13:34)!” The people weren’t willing to come to Him. It wasn’t that He prevented them from coming. It is a choice. A choice all of us will have to make. I pray you make the right one.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Predestination: Fate or Free Will
“What is predestination? Is predestination biblical?” This is the title to a recent article written by a ministry. The average Christian may not have even heard of the word predestination, much less engage in a conversation about it. There are many Christians who believe there is only one answer to the question, “What is predestination?” To them, in short, they believe it to mean that God determines beforehand who will be saved and who will be damned. In other words, they believe that God doesn’t allow for individuals to choose if they want to accept Jesus Christ or not as their savior; He creates some to go to heaven and others He creates to go to Hell. Sounds like a real loving and just God, right? Not at all. To support their belief they will use a passage of scripture like Ephesians 1:11; “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…” They believe that the phrase, “In him we were also chosen,” is evidence that God predetermines that certain individuals will be saved. However, this same phrase is what I say proves their belief to be wrong! Predestination is that God has chosen the criteria by which individuals are saved. Predestination is not that God has chosen which individuals to save. The key is the use of the words, "In him." If you are "in him," meaning, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior you are saved, thus chosen. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior you have not been chosen, but the offer to accept Jesus remains open to you.
Think about it. If God has predetermined that certain individuals be saved, how much of the Bible must now be rewritten? The most famous passage in the Bible, John 3:16, reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If God chooses beforehand who is saved, this verse should say, “For God so loved the chosen that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever He chose should not perish but have everlasting life.” The truth is that God loves the world, meaning everybody on the planet who has ever lived, that whoever, meaning any person, believes in Jesus (accepts Him as their savior) will not perish but have eternal life. If you are “in him” than you are chosen. The opposite cannot be true. Otherwise, what is the point of the Great Commission? Why would Jesus tell His followers to “make disciples of all the nations” if God had already chosen them? Ultimately, you cannot say God is a loving God if He has predetermined the eternal destiny of individuals. He is either a cosmic rapist who drags people into His presence whether they want to or not or He is a cold and heartless deity who simply creates people to destroy them in eternal fire! When you don’t understand the Gospel you end up with false teachings that rob God of His grace and mercy and remove the individual’s accountability for their choice. Remember the words of Jesus; “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing (Luke 13:34)!” The people weren’t willing to come to Him. It wasn’t that He prevented them from coming. It is a choice. A choice all of us will have to make. I pray you make the right one.
Think about it. If God has predetermined that certain individuals be saved, how much of the Bible must now be rewritten? The most famous passage in the Bible, John 3:16, reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If God chooses beforehand who is saved, this verse should say, “For God so loved the chosen that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever He chose should not perish but have everlasting life.” The truth is that God loves the world, meaning everybody on the planet who has ever lived, that whoever, meaning any person, believes in Jesus (accepts Him as their savior) will not perish but have eternal life. If you are “in him” than you are chosen. The opposite cannot be true. Otherwise, what is the point of the Great Commission? Why would Jesus tell His followers to “make disciples of all the nations” if God had already chosen them? Ultimately, you cannot say God is a loving God if He has predetermined the eternal destiny of individuals. He is either a cosmic rapist who drags people into His presence whether they want to or not or He is a cold and heartless deity who simply creates people to destroy them in eternal fire! When you don’t understand the Gospel you end up with false teachings that rob God of His grace and mercy and remove the individual’s accountability for their choice. Remember the words of Jesus; “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing (Luke 13:34)!” The people weren’t willing to come to Him. It wasn’t that He prevented them from coming. It is a choice. A choice all of us will have to make. I pray you make the right one.
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