by Ricky Doc Sauceda
I first heard of this part of the New Testament as a freshman college student in my New Testament Survey class with Reverend Starbird, my instructor. He was a tall, lanky, thin, slightly long blonde and gray haired man who wore gold wire rim glasses. He was passionate about the bible and teaching it and I really enjoyed it. I also took an Old Testament Survey course with him.
Predestination is a belief that God chooses people for Heaven and they will end up there no matter what. This means that they can theoretically commit any sin that they wish. Reverend Starbird pointed out one very important detail: we don’t know who is predestined and won’t find out until the Lord’s Day of Judgment. If this is the case at all…which is why I am undergoing this writing. I am going to side with St. Augustine and John Calvin that there is no predestination...in that respect.
Let us begin.
In the Old Testament we see the lives of great men of God: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, a host of Judges, a host of prophets, King Saul, King David, King Solomon and a long line of kings and more prophets up unto the birth of Jesus Christ…of which John the Baptist was the last.
In the New Testament we see the line of David produce the prophesied Messiah…Jesus Christ, the twelve apostles, the institution of the Christian church and in that time we were given a warning:
1 John 4:1-3 (New International Version)
Test the Spirits
1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
In the Book of Romans, our Christian Constitution, we are given a sound and true framework of how God designed the New Way in Jesus Christ our Lord. We are informed that the Law is null and void and that Jesus Christ is the Way to the Father. This is given as the only way into Heaven…through the Son of God:
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6 (New International Version)
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Galatians 2:21 (New International Version)
21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Our Lord Jesus Christ explained this way in the most point blank terms of all in the following words:
John 10:7-10 (New International Version)
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
So, why is there all of this fixation with predestination. Simple…we are always looking for an easy way out of all things. If you read the part of scripture where this comes from, in its entirety…all the components of what I have just shared with you are around it. The only way to conclude predestination is an option is to ignore the other words:
Ephesians 1:3-10 (New International Version)
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
First we are introduced to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, who is our atonement sacrifice. We are predestined because of Jesus Christ was sacrificed for us. Our predestination is a gift of grace from God, who freely gave His only Son. In the blood of Jesus Christ we are forgiven for our sins through God’s plan. All of this to bring all things in heaven and earth together and Jesus Christ will be the head…the King of Kings. Where do we see all of this take place in the bible? The Book of Revelation:
Revelation 21:1-8 (New International Version)
Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
Do you see how Jesus Christ our Lord describes what will happen to the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Does this sound like there is an “out?” Only by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior do you receive the gift of predestination. The answer was there all along.
God bless you.