This debate has gone round and round the church for millennia and there has ben all kinds of infighting in the church – even murder. I have some thoughts on this. My first question to the freewill or predestination’ question would be; why one or the other? After all, we know God knows the beginning from the end – otherwise He wouldn’t be God right? He would be a quasi-‘God’ at best – just another being in the cosmos that was seeing history unfold from our human stand point and not from both ends – and seeing history from both ends, or ‘knowing the beginning from the end’ as the Bible describes it, is something any God would have to be capable of to have the title of ‘God’.
So He already knows who’s names are in the book of life and who’s are not regardless of wether we have free will or not (which we clearly have in my humble opinion. For example I chose to write this article, and I can choose to turn my back on God away from his life-giving spiritual water any time I want and not without consequences).
But the other thing is, is that The Bible clearly states that both freewill and predestination are facts. So if we believe the Bible we have to believe both. And again, that makes perfect sense. God allows free will – real freedom to choose Him or not – the fruit of real love and yet being outside ‘time’ (matter) He must know the outcome – being God, He must know the end from the beginning.
The Bible itself clears the matter up for us in one line; “For we were elect according to the foreknowledge of God” – their names and everything about them are already in the book. In other words – the elect are not elect according to nothing – just being elect for elects sake. The elected ones in heaven will be those who’s names were written in the book knowing what they would chose beforehand and nothing else.
The problem as ever is that Christians and people in general always try to rationalise an infinite God – capable of anything physically and materially, with our small, human and finite minds. To our small minds God is like a man. He can” give us free will and know who’s going to be in heaven ahead of time?! But that’s exactly what the verse says = “elect according to the foreknowledge.” We are both free to choose and those who are elect will be those that chose God.
One more thought; one can be predestined to get to a destination and for one reason or another never reach that destination. So yes, all are predestined to go to heaven, and God wants all people to go to there, but not all will chose Him and get there. So really what those who say that predestination is not true mean is, that our salvation is not predetermined – and that is true. However, all are predestined for heaven. The question is will we make it?
I love God, Christ, The Bible. art, painting, playing music, improvising music, guitar (first instrument), drumming (not very good at it:), and anything musical or art related. Quick note – my articles are usually spun off in minutes so forgive any errors – hopefully you get the essence of the article and I’ll pick up mistakes later. If you want to write of 101ChristianMagazine and inspire and edify Christians with articles on faith, general news, hobbies or anything that interests you email me at: epgb101@gmail.com:)
