When I began studying for the Presbyterian ministry, I was asked by a relative, "You don't believe in predestination, do you?" It was an awkward moment since the expected answer was "Of course not!" But I summoned up my courage and said, "Yes, doesn't everybody?" They laughed. I had not compromised my conscience. The moment passed. But this incident does raise the question: when almost everybody rejects predestination, why do Presbyterians believe in it?
The objections to predestination are monumental. Predestination makes us into robots. It takes away our freedom of will. Predestination is not fair. Such reasons would certainly exclude predestination from the creed of any Christian if it were not for one other thing. Predestination is in the Bible. If fact, it is in the Bible in an embarrassingly many places. Here is a sample.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace. . . (Ephesians 1:3-6)
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called . . . (Romans 8:29-30)
Often in the Bible God is said to choose, to foreknow, or to predestine his people for salvation. Likewise, God's people are called the chosen or the elect. (e.g. Deut. 14:2, 1 Peter 1:2, Colossians 3:12, Rev. 17:14) But God not only plans the salvation of his people, he plans everything.
This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? (Isaiah 14:26-27)
Furthermore, the Bible teaches that God works all things to conform to his eternal plan.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will . . . (Ephesians 1:11-12)
God plans and God works out his plan. Since he is infinite in his wisdom, his plan is total and comprehensive. And since he is almighty, he always accomplishes what he plans. This is what predestination means.
The Bible in many places teaches predestination and election. Does the Bible, therefore, teach that we are robots or that God is unfair? It certainly does not. Rather, the Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God so that we have a will as he does. We plan and we try to accomplish our plans because we are in his image. God's predestination does not annul our humanity. It established it.
Nor does God's predestination mean that he is unfair. God is always just and righteous. The problem is that we think that God's predestination must take away our freedom as those made in God's image. But God warns us about being too wise in our own eyes.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Predestination is true because the Bible says that it is true. If we cannot figure out how God's planning of the future is consistent with our status as image of God, then we need the humility to admit that God's ways are beyond our understanding.
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34)
However, rather than accept the mystery of God, we tend to suppress the truth of God by our silly efforts to interpret away the obvious meaning of the Scripture. Have you not heard it said, "God chose us because he knew that we would believe in him." God chose his people, but he chose us because he knew we would choose him.
This notion that God chose us because he knew we would choose him trivializes God. If God knows who will choose him, and therefore he chooses them, is he really choosing at all? It is man whose choosing makes the future. God just rubber stamps man's will in such an interpretation. God is not really choosing at all. Rather, he is letting us do all the choosing. On such an interpretation whatever men choose, that's OK with God. But the living God says,
I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. (Romans 9:15-16)
In a similar way, some people think that "God foreknew" merely means that God knows what the future will be. So then, knowing what will be, he predestinated the future. Doesn't this sound a bit silly? If God knows the future will be such and such, does it make any sense to say that God pre-determined that the future will be what he foreknew it would be anyway? According to the Bible, it is God's choosing that makes the future. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him
God chooses and plans the future. This is the clear witness of the Word of God. It is also the witness of our natures as image of God. We plan our future, don't we? Only our plans sometimes fail because we lack sufficient wisdom in our planning. Our plans falter because we lack the power to do what we planned. Sometimes others intervene and stay our hand. Our predestination is at best "iffy." God, however, is all wise and all powerful. He does not have our limitations. Therefore, his plans never fail. If his purposes did fail, he would not really be God. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)
Predestination is just God being God. Who do you believe determines the future? If you believe it is the will of man, then you are a secularist. If it is the will of the triune God, then you are a Christian. What believer has not found comfort and consolation in these words. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) Christian, do you have any doubt who it is who works all things for our good? If you know, then you believe in predestination.
Dr. Jack Kinneer