For some reason predestination has become a doctrine that most do not understand. Yet, it is one of the simplest doctrines in all of Scripture. It is only when people ignore the plain teachings of Scripture in order to continue the doctrines and traditions of men that this doctrine becomes obscured and confusing.

Predestination simply means "to appoint, to determine, or to design beforehand." As we shall see the plan and purpose of God was predestined and those that align themselves with that plan and purpose become part of the called, elect, and predestined children of God.

Religionists have for years made the doctrine of predestination into a doctrine of favoritism. They have taught this:

"Predestination is the doctrine that God alone chooses (elects) who is saved. He makes His choice independent of any quality or condition in sinful man. He does not look into a person and recognize something good nor does He look into the future to see who would choose Him. He elects people to salvation purely on the basis of His good pleasure. Those not elected are not saved. He does this because He is sovereign; that is, He has the absolute authority, right, and ability to do with His creation as He pleases. He has the right to elect some to salvation and let all the rest go their natural way: to hell. This is predestination."

Some even teach that God not only predetines who will be saved, but also who will be damned. In both teachings some people have no hope of ever attaining eternal salvation regardless of how much they want it, and others who hate God and do not want salvation have it freely forced upon them and they are saved.

This teaching is common among the once saved, always saved teachers. It is based on a misunderstanding of God's Omniscience. It places God in the place of all responsibility, and places man in a passive role of no ability to choose Christ through repentance. God supposedly saves a person who He favors, and then they believe on Christ.

There are five Greek words used in the Bible that teach the doctrine of predestination.

proorizo - a verb meaning "to predesign; to determine beforehand; to predetermine." It occurs six times in the New Testament and is translated "determined before" (Acts 4:28); "predestinate" (Romans 8:29, 30); "ordained" (1 Corinthians 2:7); and "predestinated" (Ephesians 1:5, 11).

proginosko, a verb meaning "to know before; foreknow; to foreordain." It occurs five times in the New Testament and is translated "knew" (Acts 26:5); "foreknow" (Romans 8:29); "foreknew" (Romans 11:2); "foreordained" (1 Peter 1:20); and "know before" (2 Peter 3:17).

prognosis, a noun meaning "foreknowldge; pre-arragned; foretelling" It occurs twice in the New Testament and is translated "foreknowledge" both times (Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2). This is the word from which we get out English word prognosis.

protithemi, a verb meaning "to set forth; to purpose; to plan." It occurs three times in the New Testament and is translated "purposed" (Romans 1:13; Ephesians 1:9) and "set forth" (Romans 3:25). Protithemia is a synonym of proorizo.

prothesis, a noun meaning "a setting before; a purpose; a shewing forth; a predetermined plan." It occurs twelve times in the New Testament. When translated separately it occurs eight times in the New Testament and is translated "purpose" (Acts 11:23; 27:13; Romans 8:28; 9:11; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; 3:10). When translated with "artos" it occurs four times and is translated in combination with artos as "shewbread" (Matthew 12:4; Mark 2:26; Luke 6:4; Hebrews 9:2).

Just from looking at the underlying words of our Bible we can see that the plan or purpose of God is that which is predetermined. The individuals who conform to this plan are rightfully said to be "the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). They are the ones that were predestined and foreknew when God made the plan. The Lord foreknew and predestined the plan that the called would align themselves with and follow. All those that conform to this plan are of that holy class of people that God foreknew and predestined when He originally made the plan. The individual identities were not foreknown or predestined, rather the plan was and the class and type of people who would conform to the plan was.

The Scriptures are clear that anyone can believe on Christ and be saved, and such would be impossible if God predestined and foreknew the the individual and elected some and damned the rest:

Each person is called to salvation, but few positively respond to this calling, thus becoming chosen. Why would God call many if He had already decided who would be saved, and who would be damned? That would be a cruel joke at the expense of the unsaved, and is totally unlike the Almighty! Yet, it is exactly what many today teach, like the Calivinist, Reformed teachers, and others teaching the doctrines of men at the expense of the justice and mercy of God!

Ephesians 1:4-5
4   According 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:
5   Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God chose before the foundation of the world that those who would accept His salvation would be holy and without blame before Him in love. He predestinated [Greek proorizo, predestined; predesigned] that the chosen would be adopted into the family of God. This shows that he predestined the character of those who would be saved, and not the personal identity.

Ephesians 2:10
10   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God has before ordained or foreordained that the chosen should walk in good works! Once again it is the character of those that would be saved God has foreordained and not their personal identity. Other verses similarly proving that God predestined and foreordained the character of the saved and not the individual who would be saved are: 1 Corinthians 2:7; Romans 8:29-30; etc.

2 Thessalonians 2:13
13   But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

From the beginning God had it planned that all who are chosen would become the chosen through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth. It is only through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth that anyone can truly become a part of the elect (chosen).

2 Peter 1:10
10   Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things [the things of 2 Peter 1:4-8], ye shall never fall:

This verse also proves that we must make our calling and election sure. It is not God Who does it for us, but we who must decide to get saved (chosen) and stay saved (chosen). One cannot expect God to make them become a chosen one, nor can the elect expect God to keep them saved if they do not do the things that will keep them from falling from this calling and election (2 Peter 1:4-10).

1 Peter 1:1-2
1   Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2   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.

God's foreknowledge saw that He would need to redeem man from sin through a Saviour. Those who accept that redemption through the sanctification of the Spirit, obedience of the gospel, and sprinkling of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ are saved. Anyone who is truly born-again has experienced these three things at the reception of salvation.

Ephesians 1:11
11   In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

This is the second verse that we have read so far that mentions the plan or purpose of God in predestination (see Romans 8:28-30).

Revelation 17:14
14   These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The saints of the Lord are not only called, but have accepted that calling and become chosen and faithful.

Overall, the concept of predestination, foreordination, foreknowledge, and election are seen in the fact that God foreknew that some would accept His plan of salvation and that some would reject His plan of salvation, and that He had predestinated, foreordained, and chosen (elected) that those who with their free wills choose to accept His plan of salvation will make up this great and glorious company. This does not mean God knew the individual identities of those who would reject His plan and those who would accept it.

It is up to man to repent and become one of the chosen, or to continue in sin and stay one of the damned (Mark 16:16). If you have not accepted God's plan of salvation, then call on Him, ask Him to forgive you, confess your sins, and quit the sin business once and for all.

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