Predestination is misunderstood...

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
God enables everyone to come. He has made the gospel very easy, even a child can understand and be saved. And He has commanded that the gospel be proclaimed to every creature. Whoever has ears to hear, he is commanded to listen. So, only the deaf are possibly excluded from that command. But then they could read, which is a kind of hearing, as far as the gospel is concerned.

If God enables everyone, why don't all who hear come? Answer... They don't want/will to come.
He enables everyone..That is why He died for the sins even of those who will reject Him.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2​

Even the degenerated reprobate, as seen in Romans 1:18-30, were shown that God is real in His drawing of them.
They rejected and suppressed what they knew with lies and evil.

So be it....
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
He enables everyone..That is why He died for the sins even of those who will reject Him.
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2​

Even the degenerated reprobate, as seen in Romans 1:18-30, were shown that God is real in His drawing of them.
They rejected and suppressed what they knew with lies and evil.

So be it....
your in no position to preach, after your comment that water baptism is not required because of the thief on the cross.

Sorry but you ain't no preacher
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,505
468
83
I'm talking about "freed" will. You keep talking about free will.

There is no such thing as naturally having free will in relation to knowing God.
Apostle Paul disagrees. Romans 1:
1 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
 

JohnRH

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2018
683
330
63



"For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless in His presence."


Ephesians 1:4​

It does not say that we were simply chosen by Him.
But, specifically, that we were "chosen in Him."

What does "chosen in Him" mean?

Understanding that phrase is the key to understanding predestination.

grace and peace ..............
God didn't choose people to be "in Him"; He chose people in Him to be holy & blameless.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
5,219
2,618
113
London
christianchat.com
Anyone saved has to be in Jesus because Jesus was chosen how we can be saved before "Creation" ever began.
we were chosen to be saved at the right time, we were in Christ but consigned to the headship of Adam along with the rest of mankind. To exclude everyone else? NO but that God might have mercy upon all.

Everything with God starts with grace and mercy ... it was Calvin who put the gloomy interpretation upon it.

But then so did Arminius

Why did he throw out predestination and election which he did in effect?

Because he thought exactly the same as Calvin, he came to exactly the same conclusion that "if God has predestined and chosen some He must of necessity have passed over all others" Arminius thought that too, it's human logic, he couldn't see around it. SO he in effect demotes the doctrines of predestination and election and promotes far above the doctrines human freewill and choice [of course along with God's grace] as the means by which we are saved.

There is not a scrap of scripture to support such an idea. It is deadly poison. WHY? because it raises our human will [which is by no means free] to the level of God's will. Our will becomes sovereign, without our exercising our will [which is not free but in bondage] we cannot be saved. It makes us our own co-redeemers ... bah.

I say God saves who He wants to whether they want it or not. ... He makes them want it. He subdues the human will which is in rebellion to Him.

We are born again NOT by the will of man, NOR by the will of the flesh BUT by the will of God.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
5,219
2,618
113
London
christianchat.com
That statement needs to be clarified. And this verse makes it clear: 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. (1 Peter 1:2)

So the ones who were chosen in Christ are the ones whom God foreknew as being believers. These believers would be (1) washed in the blood of the Lamb, (2) sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and (3) made obedient to God and Christ. They would be elected and predestined to be transformed into the the likeness of Christ.
My brother you inserting into what the scripture says. You are putting the cart before the horse. YOU are saying God foreknew that they would obey the gospel and so elected them on that basis.

God put you in the womb my brother, He knitted you together, He knows the number of hairs upon your head. He knew every step you would ever take. How could He possibly predestine an unknown person or people?

This is the new one the devil has come out with by the way. It all comes from the foul stream of human freewill doctrine. The new doctrine gaining ground is that God does not know everything. It's true, this is big. It's called open view theology.

So first they have taken away God's omnipotence now they are onto His omniscience ... pretty soon we won't have God at all. These are evangelicals.

Our names were written in the Lamb's book of life before the world began ... isn't that WONDERFUL? doesn't it fill you with joy?

Because the immediate question is "what about everyone else?" THAT'S the sticking point, that's where we've been stuck for 500 years.

Because as your post kinda implies predestiny and election are unto the church not unto salvation per se.

Others can [and WILL be saved]

everybody says the last resurrection and judgement is unto damnation. Arminians say it as much as Calvins, Catholics and Protestants alike. But THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY SO. The bible says they are raised to judgement. And God is gunna judge fairly, with equity.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
First and foremost, God, before He began Creation already "chose" how His creation would be saved. Jesus Christ. Anyone saved would have to be in Him, in Jesus. The only election and chosen in Ephesians is WHO God designated to save. You cannot save me and I cannot save you. So, we are not chosen to do this job. Only Jesus is chosen and if you are saved it's because you are in Him (Jesus).
Your private interpretation is not true.

So, what is your interpretation as to when the names were written in the book of life?
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
6,339
2,465
113
I got no problem with the “in Him”.

Do you have a problem with the fact that He chose who was going to BE IN HIM?
I do.
Nowhere does scripture state God chooses throughout time some and not others to Be in HIM
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Apostle Paul disagrees. Romans 1:
1 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Here you go... A mini Greek lesson that would be helpful to expand our understanding......

For although they knew God..."

The Greek means that God made them to be knowing God must be real... "Epignosis"

But? Because of their preferring evil by choice? They suppressed what God had made them to know and resorted to lies to suppress the truth that was made known to them.

They literally defy God!!!

That is why God punishes them. Punishes them by handing the males over to uncontrollable homosexuality....
It says its "punishment!"
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,165
3,699
113
So, what is your interpretation as to when the names were written in the book of life?
Names of the living are written in the book of life. Names can be blotted out of the book of life when one denies the Lord. During the tribulation, as in Revelation 17, names can be blotted out for worshipping the beast and taking his mark. The book of life was begun from the foundation of the world and continues until the end of Revelation 20.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Names of the living are written in the book of life. Names can be blotted out of the book of life when one denies the Lord. During the tribulation, as in Revelation 17, names can be blotted out for worshipping the beast and taking his mark. The book of life was begun from the foundation of the world and continues until the end of Revelation 20.

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name [title] from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Rev 3:5​


I learned from my pastor who was a full time Greek scholar, that the word "name" could also interchanged with the meaning of "title."

Receiving our title will be our reward. One of receiving a title from the Lord that will be blotted out and denied us.
A title for us to reign with Him.

Not all will qualify for the title crown, but all will be saved just the same.... 1 Cor 3:11-15
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name [title] from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Rev 3:5​


I learned from my pastor who was a full time Greek scholar, that the word "name" could also interchanged with the meaning of "title."

Receiving our title will be our reward. One of receiving a title from the Lord that will be blotted out and denied us.
A title for us to reign with Him.

Not all will qualify for the title crown, but all will be saved just the same.... 1 Cor 3:11-15
you can't leave water baptism out of one lord one faith one baptism.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,505
468
83
God put you in the womb my brother, He knitted you together, He knows the number of hairs upon your head. He knew every step you would ever take. How could He possibly predestine an unknown person or people?
"God put you in the womb my brother, He knitted you together, He knows the number of hairs upon your head" - We all agree with that.

"He knew every step you would ever take". - There is nothing in scripture that says that. or clearly implies that.

"How could He possibly predestine an unknown person or people?" - Easily. He predestines the Son to incarnate, and defeat sin and death as a man, and he determines that all those who put their trust in and pledge allegiance to the Son are forgiven and made joint heirs with the Son of all that the Son has inherited as a faithful man.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,505
468
83
Here you go... A mini Greek lesson that would be helpful to expand our understanding......

For although they knew God..."

The Greek means that God made them to be knowing God must be real... "Epignosis"

But? Because of their preferring evil by choice? They suppressed what God had made them to know and resorted to lies to suppress the truth that was made known to them.

They literally defy God!!!

That is why God punishes them. Punishes them by handing the males over to uncontrollable homosexuality....
It says its "punishment!"
You are moving the goalposts.
I was responding to -

Genez said:
"I'm talking about "freed" will. You keep talking about free will.

There is no such thing as naturally having free will in relation to knowing God."

No. They knew God from birth because of their free will good choice. But at some point they made the evil choice to suppress that truth. Then they might freely change their mind many times back and forth before becoming stubborn in their rejection of the truth. So, your claim that "there is no such thing as naturally having free will in relation to knowing God" is wrong.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,505
468
83
Our names were written in the Lamb's book of life before the world began ... isn't that WONDERFUL? doesn't it fill you with joy?
No scripture says that our names were written before the world began.
They-were-written in-the-book of-the-Lamb-slain-from-the-foundation-of-the-world.