Doctrine of Predestination?

Doctrine of Predestination?

One of the long-standing debates in Christianity is the doctrine of predestination. Predestination is defined, according to Oxford Dictionary (as a doctrine in Christian theology), the divine foreordaining of all that will happen, especially with regard to the salvation of some and not others. It has been particularly associated with the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo and of Calvin. Do you believe that God predestined who will be saved and who will be sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity? If you believe that, you don’t understand the heart of the God of love, who loves so dynamically that He would sentence His own Son to excruciating torture and suffering to save you.

Job 36:5 “Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

Let’s start from the beginning; no not the Garden of Eden, but the very beginning when Satan fell. Did God predestine Satan to rebel against God so that he could corrupt heaven and lead one-third of the angels away? That sounds silly, doesn’t it? Do you think God got bored with perfect harmony and wanted to shake things up in heaven? Of course not, but God did not want to be surrounded by an innumerable number of programmed beings that were programmed to worship Him with no voluntary will to do so. That is why God gave the angels and later men, free will.

The idea of predestination paints God to be an unloving, sadistic Creator. If God was going to determine who gets saved and who doesn’t get saved, why would He send His Son to suffer and die? Predestination doctrine implies that Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering are futile. Think about it. Would you send your son to the cross if it had no bearing on who gets saved? Would a loving God subject His Son to suffer and die for nothing? If you think about it, predestination is an absurdity and teaches that Christ died for nothing. Predestination teaches that God, in His infinite wisdom, decided to program people to receive His Son’s sacrifice but still made His Son go through the suffering. Why not just program people to love Him without Christ having to suffer, if the end result is the same? Saying that God determines who will be saved and who will be sentenced to the lake of fire apart from any will of their own is painting God as an unjust tyrant who just wants to be worshipped by created beings who are incapable of choosing not to do so. And that would make Jesus’ suffering the greatest atrocity of all time. If God was going to program into every individual who would receive His Son, then why not just program them not to sin so that His Son would not have to suffer? Why plant the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden, if you were going to demand Adam not to eat of it, but program Adam to eat of it?

Let’s examine some passages that proponents of the doctrine of predestination tout as evidence that God predetermined from the beginning who would be saved and who would be condemned. The two main passages are found in the eighth chapter of Romans and the other is the first chapter of Ephesians. This is a highly controversial topic, and it warrants a deep study of the Word, so we are going to dissect a lot of verses. Let’s look at what The WORD Says.

Romans 8:1-39; 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The first part of this passage tells us that those who are in Christ cannot be condemned because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ freed us from the law of sin and death. So, it took Jesus’ suffering to free us from eternal damnation. Could God have gotten around that? He is omniscient. Of course He could. All He had to do was not create the law of sin and death. So why did He create it if He was going to have to subject His Son to suffering, if it was going to have no bearing on who gets into heaven? After all, those that believe God predetermined who was going to get into heaven are touting that we are programmed to receive Jesus. It seems like a long way around to get to a destination that you could reach by simply creating programmed beings to surround yourself with. Meditate on that question for a bit.

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

This verse says that those who live according to the flesh “…set their minds…” on the things of the flesh. Can God lie? Of course not. The WORD Says:

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

But Romans 8:5 states that the ones that live according to the flesh set their own minds to do so. If God programmed or predestined who would be saved, then He is lying in this verse where He states that men set their own minds to do something. No, He does not program our minds to chase fleshly desires.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Now let’s move on.

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Why would God make someone carnally minded if the carnal mind is in opposition to Him? Do you think God just likes a challenge or a good fight? That is pretty ridiculous I know, but those that promote the doctrine of predestination are actually making that claim. They are stating that God programmed into the minds of men who will choose Christ. But that would mean that He also programmed into the minds of everyone else that they would reject His Son. To carry it a step further, they are saying that God programmed people to steal, assault, murder, and commit every other sin. And if He did that, is it justice to condemn sinners to eternal damnation? Absolutely not. He would be an unjust God.

Job 8:3 Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?

How could He fault someone for simply doing what He programmed that person to do? Wouldn’t that be obedience? And why would He create someone who could not please Him like verse 8 states? Do you think God just likes a good fight or that He wants to be disappointed in His creation? That is not consistent with the rest of the Scriptures. Do you remember why God flooded the earth in Noah’s days?

Genesis 6:5-6; 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Why would God be grieved in His heart or sorry if man was just doing what He programmed them to do? Do you feel grieved when everything works out according to the way that you planned? Did God put into the hearts of man to do evil and then regret His decision? That is essentially what the doctrine of predestination teaches, that God is the creator and supplier of evil because He determines who will commit it and who will not.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Why use the word “if?” A preprogrammed instrument does not have a choice, it just does what it is programmed to do. Verse 13 is placing the onus on the individual to make the decision, not God.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Could God have created men to cry out “Abba, Father” without His Son having to suffer?

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Do you understand how sadistic God would be if He taunted people with the hope of salvation but then said, “Sorry, I did not predestine you to receive My Son, so you’re sentenced to eternal damnation.” Does that sound like a loving God to you? How could God set the requirement of salvation at "faith to believe" and then program who believes? That's like saying, "Only people with green eyes can get into heaven." Who determines the color of your eyes? The Creator! I know that sounds ridiculous, but that is what the doctrine of predestination implies.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Why would God need to search the hearts of man, if He programmed the hearts of man to believe a certain way? Do you think He forgot what He put in there? Are you starting to see how ridiculous the doctrine of predestination is? Let me give you another example using the New Living Translation:

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Why is God searching the earth for those whose hearts are fully committed to Him, if He made their hearts fully committed to Him? Did God take a nap and lose track of those that He predestined to have hearts for Him, or did He lose His list of those that He predetermined to spend eternity with Him, so now He is having to search everyone’s heart because He forgot who they are? I know that sounds silly, but that is exactly what predestination proposes when you put it up against the entirety of the Scriptures. Let’s now dive into the controversial verses.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Verse 28 is a follow up of verse 26. It is a verse of encouragement that tells believers that God knows exactly what you are going through and He promises that He will work everything out for the good of “the called” or “the elect.” Who are the elect? Those that heed the call.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

What happens first? Does God predestine first or does He “foreknow” first? If He predestined first, then it is pointless to say He foreknew. He would have just said, “those He predestined.” The verse suggests that, due to omniscience, there is a foreknowledge of who would accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. And the ones He knew would receive Jesus, He PREDETERMINED or PREDESTINED them to be conformed to the image of His Son. He did not predetermine man's will, He predetermined the recompense of their will. God predetermined that those that choose Jesus, He will make to be just like Jesus. But just because God knew from the beginning who would be saved, does not mean He decided for them. But He predetermined that the ones that did receive Jesus would be rewarded by being conformed to the image of His Son. If God was going to predetermine on His own fruition who they would be, then why not just make the chosen in the image of His Son to begin with, and save Jesus the pain and heartache?

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Here the Holy Spirit is saying that the ones that God predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son because of their own volition, He called them. And those that heeded the call, He justified. Did God call just them? No. His invitation is to all men.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Do you know how foolish it would be of God to create men to be condemned to eternal damnation, but also say that He was not willing to do so and that He “wished” everyone would be saved? If His will was for everyone to be saved and He was predestinating those who receive salvation, then why not predestinate everyone to salvation? The Bible cannot contradict the Bible, and the doctrine of predestination is a contradiction to the words of God and the nature of a just God.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

This passage again reminds us of how great God’s love is for man. He gave His Son for man. If He loves man that much, why would He predestine man to eternal damnation? And why would He make Jesus suffer if He was determining the end from the beginning? Wouldn’t He just skip to the ending and save everyone, including Himself, a lot of pain and heartache? And look intentionally at verse 32. It says Jesus was delivered for "us all." All means all.

33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

God determined how man would be justified, not who would be justified. The “who” is man’s decision.

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Why would Christ need to be at the right hand of God making intercession for us if God predestined who gets to heaven? Wouldn’t God be like, “I know already Jesus. You don’t have to intercede for them. I made the decision for them already. You don’t need to intercede for the one’s I programmed to be saved.” And how does Christ condemn? The condemnation comes from providing the sacrifice that saves men, that men reject on their own. He does not make that decision for them. Neither did God predetermine who would reject Jesus.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

Again, this speaks of the suffering that men go through. Would a loving God subject His children to such persecution if He had already predetermined the outcome? No, He would not. Propagation of the Gospel is futile if God pre-planted it in the ones He chose to receive it.

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you a conqueror if the game is rigged? No, you have accomplished nothing if you were predestined to be the victor and nothing you did or did not do could change the outcome. This last passage speaks of the love of God. A loving God would not create a person to suffer, die, and spend eternity in the lake of fire and not give that person a choice. The WORD Says that place was made for the devil and his angels, not for men that God created and programmed to reject Jesus.

Matthew 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:”

The first chapter of Ephesians is another passage that promoters of predestination doctrine tout, but dissecting that passage will achieve the same result; evidence that a loving God would not subject His Son or any man to suffering if that person has no say so in the outcome. That would make God sadistic and cruel. And that is not our God. The doctrine of predestination is just another tool of the enemy to lead men away from the wide-open loving arms of our Savior who allowed Himself to be beaten, tortured, spat upon, cursed at, and crucified. The doctrine of predestination teaches that He did that for nothing because God had already decided who He wanted to spend eternity with. That is not our God. Our God said all are welcome. His Son’s suffering was for all men.

Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

John 3:16 "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.”

The WORD Says whoever calls and whoever believes. It does not say, whoever God chose to call and whoever God determined would believe. That would not be a loving and just God. No, my friend. If you find your eternal destination in the lake of fire, it is of your own doing, not God’s. What more could you ask of Him? He loved you so much that He sent His Son to die on your behalf. But He will not make you love Him. And if He did, then Christ died for nothing.

I hope this helps. Jesus loves you!