The doctrine of predestination

1. The doctrine of predestination deals with the believer only. There is no such thing as the unbeliever being predestined to hell. The believer has a destiny, the unbeliever goes to hell by his own decision — John 3:18, 36.

2. The biblical concept of predestination does not conflict with human volition but emphasises it.

3. The purpose of the doctrine of predestination is to relate the believer permanently to the plan of God through positional truth — Ephesians 1:5.

4. There are five Greek words used to communicate the biblical doctrine of predestination.

a) Proorizw, a verb meaning to predesign — Romans 8:28,29; Ephesians 1:5, 11.

b) Protiqhmi, a verb meaning to predetermine (proorizw and protiqhmi are really synonyms with slight changes of meaning) — Romans 3:25; Ephesians 1:9. These words are occasionally used for man.

c) Proqesij, a noun meaning a predetermined plan — the subject of Ephesians 1. It is so used in Romans 8:28, “ … according to his proqesij.” Also used in Romans 9:11; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9.

d) Proginwskw, a verb meaning to foreordain or preordain when God is the subject — 1 Peter 1:20; Romans 8:29; 11:2.

e) Prognwsij, the cognate of proginwskw, which means foreknowledge or a predetermined purpose — Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2.

5. The crucifixion of Christ is related to the divine decree and predetermined purpose of God — Acts 2:23, “Him [Jesus Christ], being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” The word “counsel” is the word boulh, “decree.” The word “foreknowledge” is prognwsij but it should be predetermined purpose.” So Jesus Christ was delivered by the predetermined purpose of God the Father. Predestination inevitable involves the person of Jesus Christ, and therefore it is related to the doctrine of divine decrees, the plan of God designed in eternity past. It centres and focuses around the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It does not conflict with human volition, it anticipates human volition. It anticipates human volition involved in the first sin. It anticipates human volition in believing in Christ. It anticipates human volition in rejecting Christ. But here we have it related to the person of Christ, and prognwsij is mistranslated “foreknowledge” in Acts 2:23. It does not mean foreknowledge, it is stronger than that. It means predetermined purpose. So Jesus Christ was delivered by the thoughtful decree and the predetermined purpose of God the Father.

6. All believers’ suffering is related to the predetermined plan of God — Romans 8:28 where we have the word proqesij. “ … according to his predetermined plan.” Because of divine provision in eternity past all suffering in phase two works together with grace resulting in divine good.

7. In grace God in eternity past thought about us and predesigned provision for us. This is what predestination is all about. This includes provision for both time and eternity — Romans 8:29,30. “ … he also predesigned [proorizw].”

8. God the Father predetermined the grace concept of propitiation — Romans 3:25, “ … through the forbearance of God.” The word forbearance is protqhmi, “the predetermined plan of God.”

9. The predetermined plan of God takes care of the believer before his birth — Romans 9:11, proqesij.

10. Both proqesij and proorizw combine in Ephesians 1:11 to define the divine decrees and relate them to predestination: “In whom also we have received a destiny, having been predesigned according to a predetermined plan, from the one [God the Father] putting into operation the all things according to the decree from his will and purpose.”

11. The born again Jew of the previous dispensation is a part of the preordained plan of God under the unconditional covenants to Israel. Therefore the born again Jew of the Old Testament is not a castaway — Romans 11:2. Therefore there is a definite relationship between predestination and eternal security. Predestination gives the basis for eternal security.

12. The Father through perfect expression of His thinking predesigned His perfect plan in Christ. Predestination is related to Jesus Christ, therefore predestination inevitably is related to the only celebrity of the Christian life, Jesus Christ — Ephesians 1:9; 1 Peter 1:2, 20; 2 Timothy 1:9.