ELECTION & PREDESTINATION
Presented by Marvin Griffin
October 30, 2019

“Even before I was born God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace” Gal. 1:15  (NLT)

 

Opening remarks:

FOREKNOWLEDGE: “ A knowledge of persons and events before they exist. It is one of the divine attributes of God, by which persons were foreknown and events determined. It is a capacity altogether beyond the mind of man to grasp.” (Concise Bible Dictionary)

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst….Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up”

Romans 8:28-30.  God foreknew us, predestined us, called us, justified us, and glorified us.  Five is the number of man’s weakness and God worked in marvelous grace through these five steps to bless us anyways! We also see that the Foreknowledge of God is a necessary link in the chain of blessing.

FOREORDAINED: ( same root word in the Greek as foreknowledge) 1 Peter 1:20  “HE (CHRIST) was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times FOR YOU”!

ELECTION: (choice)  is spoken of:

  • The Lord Jesus in Isaiah 42:1. “Behold my servant, my elect one, in whom my soul delights”
  • Israel in Isaiah 45:4. “Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name”
  • A remnant of Israel in Matthew 24:22,24,31. Jesus spoke of them being returned to blessing at the end of the tribulation period.
  • Elect angels in 1 Timothy 5:21. Timothy was charged by Paul before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels not to be prejudiced and partial in discipline. Elect angels are those who have not been involved in sin or rebellion, but have kept their first estate. (observers…)
  • Election of persons to eternal life.  Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as the elect of God ,holy and beloved”.
  • Thessalonians 1:4 “knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God”.
  • 2 Timothy 2:10. Read together. Discussion re:motivation.
  • 1 Peter 1:2 “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”.
  • 2 Peter 1:10 “make your calling and election sure”. This word ‘sure’ has the idea of feet planted  ( the Greek word is ‘basis’). The idea I suggest is to stay on the path for which one is chosen by God.

There are at least two difficulties in the minds of many concerning the doctrine of election to eternal life. I will quote from the New  And Concise Bible Dictionary printed by Bible Truth Publishers to help us overcome these difficulties. “It is because they do not see the extent of the fall of man, and his utterly lost condition.  Were it not for election and the prevailing grace that follows it, not one would be saved.  Christ died for all and the gospel is proclaimed to all, Romans 3:22; Hebrews 2:9 but alas, except for the election and grace of God none would respond.  Luke 14:18.  God must have all the glory.

Another error that has caused a difficulty as to ‘election’ is the idea which some maintain that as some are ordained to eternal life, others likewise are fore-ordained by God to perdition, called ‘reprobation’. But this is not taught in scripture.  God desires that ALL men should be saved, 1Timothy 2:4 and His election to life ensures that SOME will be.  It was not before Esau was born nor until long after he was dead that it was said that he was hated of God. Malachi 1:3.  Some even judge that it refers not to Esau  personally but to his descendants after their deeds had been fully manifested.  Obadiah 10;  Ezekiel 35”

John 6:37,40,44

PREDESTINATION – to mark out beforehand –to predetermine

The Bible Dictionary states: “ In Romans 8:29-30 it forms a link in the chain that connects the foreknowledge of God in the past with the glory in the future.  Election is God’s choice of individuals;

Predestination is a blessing, as in Ephesians 1:5

Ephesians 1:4-5 reads “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (election)   “that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will” (predestination).

So we see that believers have been predestined to:

  • holiness and blamelessness V4
  • enjoy His love in His presence V4
  • adoption as sons of the Father V5
  • an inheritance in Him (Christ) V11
  • be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29) Although there will be millions of us, we will all have that family resemblance. We will be very near Christ, the Firstborn, and we will all be like Him!

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