Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Predestination, More Indepth


 

PREDESTINATION, MORE INDEPTH

March 5, 2001  

Now the doctrine on predestination is in no wise contrary to the Scripture that reads: “Who-so-ever-will.”  

We begin where the LORD GOD set the mode for this study on predestination where He said: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Yea the Holy Scripture presents the ALMIGHTY GOD as:
He is Omnipresence:  meaning He is everywhere-present
He is Omnipotence:  meaning that He is all powerful
He is Omnisapience: meaning He is All-wise
He is Omniscience:  meaning He is All-knowing

Infinite God is not subject to any limitations.

The doctrine on Predestination serves to show the greatness and splendor of our wonderful GOD, the FATHER and GOD of our LORD JESUS CHRIST while at the same time it sets the stage for our Doctrine on Predestination.

When speaking of the all-knowing, all seeing and God without limitations,
The Psalmist said:  “Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Psalm 139:2  That’s not all the psalmist said:  “There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” Psalm 139:4

Now we’ve been made to know that there is nothing that our GOD can’t do.  This includes knowing how the sinner would respond after hearing the truth of the Gospel, whether they would embrace it or spurn it and that He was aware of this before He created the world.

And on that basis Paul told the saints at Ephesus: “Accordingly 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: Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."  Ephesians 1:4 and 5a

The Apostle also said: “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.  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. Romans 8:29-30

While those whom He foreknew would refuse His offer, said Jude.  There were those “…who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4

To those who have a problem with the doctrine on Predestination consider this: What if GOD knew before He created man in His own image, that he (the sinner would) after hearing the truth of the Gospel would not repent and be saved.  (This He knew before He created the worlds.)

For said Jude: “There are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4  

According to Peter the responsibility of being predestinated before the creation of the world deepened on his or her response to the Gospel, therefore he told them that whether he or she is predestinated before the world was depended on whether they accepted on what they would do with the LORD JESUS CHRIST.   Peter wrote: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…” 2 Peter 1:10

Although I did not take issue that the sinner must first meet GOD’S demands of repenting and believing on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and be saved prior to his being predestinated.  Thus Peter said: “… brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…”

Paul gave us a classic example of the predestination of God.  He wrote:  "God, who quickened the dead, and calleth those things that, be not, as though they were."   Romans 4:17

Yet, another example is where the GREAT I AM said of Himself: "I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly and they came to pass." Isaiah 48:3

Hopefully this presentation has shown that Predestination and who-so-ever-will complement each other rather than being at odds, one with the other.

May God be blessed forever, Amen!

 

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