Rev James Ritter, ‘Predestination’ Part 1 of 3
God is GOD. There are some things about Him that are always going to be “beyond” our finite, human minds. Astronomers estimate that there may be as many as 10 thousand galaxies just in a small region. We cannot, fully comprehend that and what all that means. (Read Isaiah 55:8-9) God is bigger and greater than what our finite, human minds can comprehend.
The term “Predestination” simply means God has a goal, a purpose, a destination in mind that He wants to get to before He acts – before He takes action and does it. Usually, the subject of predestination comes up when we’re talking about salvation. (Read Eph. 1:4-5) God chose us. He picked us out for Himself before the world was even created.
Does the Bible teach predestination? Yes, it does. Those who are saved are seen as being “chosen”/predestined to be saved by God. (Read Ezek. 33:11) God here is plainly speaking to people’s freedom and ability to choose and their responsibility for their choice. (Read John 7:37) This is an invitation that presupposes that the people listening had the freedom and power to choose to come or not come. (Read Romans 1:13) God’s responsibility here is to save. What’s our responsibility? To call upon Him. That’s a choice we make. It’s a decision of our free will. (Read Matt. 11:28 and Matt. 23:37) Again, we see human freedom, the power to choose, and that the people were responsible for the choice they made.
When it comes down to the whole area of God’s sovereignty and predestination and human will and choice to solve this problem is to believe both and let God be God and let the resolving/reconciling of all this be up to Him. All we need to do is be concerned about our responsibility –
which is to respond to His invitation to “come!”