Is Predestination True?

There is a doctrine which purports that man does not make his own decisions. That those who are saved were predestined by God to be saved, not through their own freewill actions but because God wanted them saved. On the flip side, this doctrine also teaches that the wicked were created to be wicked for God’s glory. They were always going to go to hell and God just created them to show his glory to the elect. Calvin stated “that nothing happens but what [God] has knowingly and willingly decreed”. Whilst he is onto something, there are certain verses that have been oversimplified. This gives an incomplete view of how human freewill interacts with God’s sovereignty. The belief is as follows, if God is sovereign, everything that happens is what God wanted to happen. Whereas we teach, everything that happens is what God has allowed to happen. In the predestinationist mindset Adam and Eve eating of the tree was decreed by God, we believe scripture shows Adam and Eve eating of the tree is what God let them do but isn’t what he wanted them to do. 

The popular view of predestination

People who believe in predestination hold to a view known as “infralapsarian”, even within this view there are many variations. Most that hold to predestination don’t agree on every single tenant of the doctrine. Infralapsarian is where God decreed that the fall would take place, then knowing humanity would become depraved, God only saves some people. The wicked are not given the ability to be saved as this is a gift of God. God simply lets them be as they are, doing wickedness and using them for his glory.

An analogy - a man takes his five sons to the pool, he has decreed that they will start to drown. He decrees that two of his sons he will give the ability to swim and be saved. The other three sons he won’t give them the ability to swim. He has the power to give them the ability to swim and be saved, but he refuses to do it. Predestinationists also believe in eternal damnation, therefore, the three other sons are then burnt for eternity for drowning.

The reason some Christians believe this is because they imagine that they are one of the two sons that are being saved. As far as they’re concerned, they are secure, as for the other three drowning they had no power to help, it’s just God’s plan. They also reason that, if they are a Christian, then God wants them to be saved and hence they will be guaranteed heaven. It’s the original version of once saved always saved, because your salvation has been decreed. They don’t realise their desire to feel secure in their salvation creates a doctrine which is indefensible on the flip side. 

So why do people believe in predestination?

Ephesians 1:4 “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: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”. At face value predestinationists, will argue that Paul is saying they’ve received the gift of salvation. Paul can’t contradict himself. Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 3:8 “For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord”. Hence to the Thessalonians Paul says their salvation is conditional given that they stay in the Lord. This means it’s their choice to be in the Lord or depart. So what did Paul mean in Ephesians 1? This is the part which is hard to grasp, but God knows all the freewill decisions we will make, hence God has chosen to help save those who want to be saved. This is what’s known as God’s foreknowledge. The Bible teaches we are elect because God knew, before the world was created, we would choose him if given the chance. 1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied”. Suppose God is giving directions to two drivers, one he knows will follow his directions and the other he knows won’t. God will still give both of them the directions, but he knows the one who won’t listen is going to make all the wrong decisions. That’s why the Lord will judge the one who made all the wrong decisions. He knows he had the ability to make the right ones but refused. The one who will make the right decisions, the Lord calls elect because he had foreknowledge to know he would make the right decisions, hence, he planned (predestined) a path to save them. We read this from Paul, 2 Thessalonians 2:10 “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved”. Everyone gets a chance to be saved, the wicked that will perish in 2 Thessalonians, in a predestination mindset, perish because God ordained that. In the freewill mindset, it’s because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. By saying “they might be saved”. Paul teaches that the wicked could have been saved, that leaves us with the conclusion that the only reason they won’t be saved, is because they chose not be saved. This means they were not predestined to die, but they chose to die.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. This verse is very clear to the reader, the Lord is not willing that anyone should perish, however in a predestinationist mindset, it was his plan that many should perish. The Lord wants all of us to come to repentance.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. What the predestinationist will do, is that they will say “For God so loved the world [of the elect]”.

Predestinationists will quote this verse: Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified”. However, the exact verse before that tells us that Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren”. He knew us and how our character would be. He knew those who would believe, so for those who want to be saved, God will do everything to save us. However, the verse also says that “he [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brethren”. The decision will be in the hands of the human whether they want to be saved. Those who truly want to be saved; Jesus will not let them go, unless they walk away from him and his Father. John 10:29

“My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand”. Here Jesus is mentioning that if you’re following the Father and Jesus, no human can take you out of his Father’s hands. However, you can walk away from the Father. This verse is to assure us that as a Christian, a demon or man can’t come and make you go to hell, you of your own accord need to choose to go into damnation by listening to their suggestions. All they can do is tempt but they can never force you out of the Father’s hand. James 1:13-14 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed”.

Can the righteous choose to become wicked?

Ezekiel 18:26 “When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die”. If God predestined this man to be righteous, why doesn’t he save him?

Ezekiel 18:23 “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” If the wicked dying is predestined by God, why doesn’t God give the wicked the gift of repentance to live? If God has the power to stop the wicked dying, why would he question the wicked for doing what he created them to do? Which is to die.

Ezekiel 18:32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye”. If the death of the person here is the elect, then why is God powerless to stop his elect from dying? If the death of the person here is not the elect, then why is God asking the wicked to change their minds, when he needs to give them that power to change their minds?

Does God choosing you mean you were predestined to salvation?

In scripture we see that the Lord chose Jerusalem. 2 Kings 23:27 “And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there”. The Lord cast out his chosen because of sin. However, if the Lord has chosen us and we choose not to sin, then we shall be saved. The problem is (for our human understanding) the Lord will sometimes write the things which shall be, as though they are already accomplished. Romans 4:17 “…even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were”. When we then see a verse such as John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day”. We simplify it and say, this means we can’t choose God, unless we have the gift to be saved. However Jesus said this because, John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him”. Jesus knew who would believe and who wouldn’t, they all made their individual choices to accept him or deny him, therefore he spoke of their choices as though they were already complete. He even explains that he said what he said in verse 44 because he already knew the decisions of their hearts. John 6:64-65 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore [That’s why] said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father”. 

Another verse misunderstood

2Timothy 2:25-26 “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will”. Predestinationists will say this means God needs to give them the gift of repentance in order to be saved, but the verse says “that they may recover themselves”. The action to be recovered is being done by the person themself. 

An analogy - suppose someone was going to do something bad (i.e., rob a bank), If I say “he was going to do it but I changed his mind”. Did I physically change his mind? Did I reprogram his thoughts? No. I merely gave him the opportunity to change his mind through argument or reason, so he could recover himself out of the situation he put himself in. 

Paul was making a point that we should preach the gospel in meekness. 2 Tim 2:24 “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient”. This means that Paul believes all men’s minds can be changed, and if we are gentle and patient, God may be able to give them the opportunity to see the gospel in its true light. Paul clearly believed all men could be saved, because he states that God could give all men a chance of repentance. 

A hard concept

The part that predestinationists get right is that the Lord can still use the wicked for his glory. A tough concept to grasp at first. They unfortunately oversimplify it by teaching that the wicked are wicked, because God planned things that way (Any variation of predestination leads to this conclusion). 

Proverbs 16:4 “The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil”. The reason the wicked exist to the predestinationist is to be burned forever (as many believe in eternal hellfire). However, the Bible teaches that the wicked exist because they chose wickedness. Isaiah 66:4 “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not”. Proverbs 16:4 is an example of the Lord calling the end as though it already is. The Lord can sometimes use those who he knows will do wickedly as a warning for the good. 

An example - If there are two men who like to smoke. One of them will never stop smoking no matter what, but the other will only stop smoking if they saw someone die. After trying to get them both to stop, the Lord may allow the one who won’t change to die in order to save the one who would’ve changed; who only needed one bad example. This is similar to what happened with Pharaoh.

God already knew that Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. Exodus 3:19 “And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand”. Hence when the scriptures later read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it’s similar to when we as humans use indirect phrases such as “I changed his mind”. It’s not that we change the person’s brain, but we do something that causes them to change their minds. This is known as causal language. The confusion arises because if God desired, he could make us robots, hence it’s easy to think that God literally made Pharaoh disobey him. God even explains that it’s Pharaoh doing it to himself Exodus 7:14 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go”. God didn’t say “I have made Pharaoh refuse to let my people go”. We need to be able to differentiate between direct and indirect clauses in the Bible. 

Did the Lord bring evil on Job or Satan?

Indirect clause for what happened to Job: Job 42:7 “Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him…”

Direct clause: Job 1:12 “And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord”.

Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

In other words, because the Lord allowed Job to be tempted by Satan, the Bible records the Lord as the indirect cause of the situation. Satan wouldn’t be allowed to touch Job without the Lord’s permission. It shows that the Lord is in control. We go into more detail on Job’s situation in the despair study, to understand why the Lord allowed this particular situation.

We can conclude, the reason the Bible says the Lord hardened pharaoh’s heart, is due to the fact that had the Lord never sent Moses to ask Pharaoh to let his people go, Pharaoh wouldn’t have gotten angrier. It’s as if someone said today “I’m going to make him angry by doing this” or “this will upset him”. The person isn’t physically programming the other person’s brain to make him angry, but their action will influence the other person to be angry. However, is the anger of the other person (pharaoh) justified?

Romans 9

God knew that Pharaoh, no matter what, would not let the Israelites go until he took his son. Ex 3:20 “And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go”. God, knowing that Pharaoh wouldn’t repent, used Pharaoh as a bad example of what happens when you disobey. Ten chances God gave Pharaoh.

Romans 9:17 “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth”.

God’s name was declared throughout all the earth, even the Philistines were afraid of God because of the example of Pharaoh. 1 Samuel 6:6 “Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?…”

This is where people misunderstand Paul. Romans 9:18 “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth”. Paul knows this could make people think “so God doesn’t allow people to repent? Then why is he mad at them, he’s God” so Paul anticipating this reply writes, Romans 9:19 “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?” Pauls explains that technically even if that was the case, we still technically couldn’t argue against God. Romans 9:20 “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” As God is the creator, technically if God did create us to be destroyed, the creation can never complain against the creator. This is because we make some things to be dishonourable and some honourable ourselves. However, Paul then explains the reason for what happened to pharaoh. Romans 9:22-23 “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory”. Paul essentially says to the Romans, have you even considered that, God tried to give the wicked (like pharaoh) a chance, and put up with them for a long time, but knowing they would refuse him he uses them to make his power known. He ends up saving more people with them used for destruction. If you have a house, then a beam of wood becomes brittle (disobedient), you can throw it away or you can use it as firewood (pharaoh), you can warm your loved ones from this firewood. If God didn’t care about the vessels of destruction at all he would not be longsuffering. 2 Peter 1:15 “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…” Hence the Lord is trying to save them. 

Why did God use plagues for pharaoh if he was trying to save him?

God knows his children better than anyone, if God could have asked pharaoh nicely and he would obey, don’t you think God would have done that? The same reason some parents give their child a spanking is the same reason God used force on pharaoh, he knows pharaoh was a stubborn child. 

Jacob and Esau

Many conclude that Jacob and Esau were destined to life and death before they were born. Romans 9:10-11 “And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Election means choice. The plan of God according to his choice might stand (be accomplished). What did God want to accomplish? Psalm 37:27 “Depart from evil, and do good…”. Remember God promised to make a righteous nation out of Abraham’s children. The father has a great influence on the children, had the birth right remained with Esau, the chosen nation would have been the children that came from him. Hence the chosen nation may have become pagan much earlier. God wanted a child who would fulfil his purpose.

God wanted righteousness let’s call it an apple tree. If you wanted an apple tree, and you have two seeds, one you know will grow thorns and the other you know will grow apples. Before you’ve even grown any of the seeds (the children neither having done any good or evil). You pick the apple seed because you want apples (that the purpose of God according to election might stand). So then it was not because of what the seed has done (not of works), but because of what you (him that calleth) wanted, namely apples (that the purpose of God might stand). If the seed that would grow thorns, grew apples instead, then you would choose it (Esau). However, because it was going to grow thorns no matter what and you knew that, it wasn’t going to fulfil your purpose. Even though the apple tree sometimes grew thorns (Jacob sinning), he had mercy on the apple tree because the apple tree wouldn’t mind being pruned and having the thorns removed. However, the thorny tree would refuse to ever grow apples and just choose to grow more thorns. Hence, why would you water (have mercy), on a plant that just gives you more thorns?

Had God been looking for a wicked nation, then the verse would be the opposite and it would be Esau I loved and Jacob I hated. Romans 9:15 “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy”.  Who does God show mercy to? Is it an arbitrary decision? Exodus 20:6 “And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments”.

A hypothetical

For all intents and purposes, let’s say God wanted the fall to happen. Predestinationists would have to agree that God knew everything that would happen due to the fall. If you plan to set a house on fire, you must know certain things will burn. When God speaks to the Children of Israel, he says Jeremiah 19:5 “They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind”. Did God plan on the people he chose disobeying him? Why didn’t it come into God’s mind for them to do this? God is making it clear that what they are doing isn’t what he wanted. This contradicts the notion that everything that’s happening in the world is what God wanted. Whereas the Bible shows us that God has given man freewill but even in man’s freewill the Lord will play a key role. Proverbs 16:9 “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps”. The only way Jeremiah 19:5 makes sense is to conclude that God knew it would happen but it wasn’t his plan for them. God knew they would disobey him from the time of Moses in the future. As there is another verse which says God knows the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”. Hence, it’s not that it literally didn’t come into his mind, but the only reason he could be saying that phrase is because it wasn’t what he wanted. 

Why convince people after they are damned?

Jude 1:14-15 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him”. The Lord created these wicked to be destroyed, but then tries to convince them of their wickedness? Why not do this before they died? 

Ezekiel 18:31 “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? “In theory the house of Israel could reply “Because you made us this way” or “We can’t make a new heart you didn’t give us that ability”. The Lord doesn’t command this to them for fun, they can turn from their wicked ways like every sinner. 

I pray this study has blessed you and you see that the Lord has not created robots, we have the power to make our own decisions, so I pray you will choose him or continue to choose him. Ezekiel 33:11 “…turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?…”