What is Predestination?

What is this thing called "Predestination"? I think, normally, when people use the term, they intend a synonym for "Election". While there may be some truth to this version, it is certainly incomplete. Let's look at what the Bible argues for the concept of predestination.

The term is used explicitly in 5 places in the New Testament (actually 6, except everyone seems to translate 1 Cor 2:7 as something like "foreordained" or "decreed before"). In Acts 4:28 it is in regards to God predestining the crucifixion and carrying it out by sinful leadership. In Romans 8, both verses 29 and 30, it references God predetermining those who would be "conformed to the image of His Son" and the means ("called", "justified", "glorified") by which He would accomplish it. In Ephesians 1:5 it references our predetermined adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, and in verse 11 our predetermined spiritual inheritance. You will note that, although most of these could easily be tied to our Election -- God's choice of whom He would save -- this would be a sadly deficient explanation of predestination ... and it wouldn't explain how Acts 4:28's predestination fits with Election.

No, I think we are going to have to dig a little deeper. What does the Bible mean by the term? The first hint is found in my last reference.

In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory (Eph 1:11-12).

(It's always good to have at least the whole sentence in view.)

What's there? Well, we have the certainty ("have obtained") of an inheritance. That, of course, is based on our predestined adoption as sons (Eph 1:5). Makes sense. We have that inheritance based on His predestination. What more does this text tell us in regards to this predestination? First, it is "according to the purpose of Him ...". Predestination, then, is God making sure that His purposes will be achieved. How much does He predestine? He "works all things according to the counsel of His will." Oh, now, see? That is not limited to Election. It would certainly include Election, but that would only be the beginning. Predestination is God working all things according to the counsel of His will in order that His purposes might be achieved. Oh, and what is that primary purpose? "The praise of His glory."

Indeed, I think we have a more or less complete description here of the biblical doctrine of Predestination. It is God working all things according to His will in order to achieve His purposes which primarily includes the praise of His glory.

I'm not alone in this. Easton's Bible Dictionary says that the Scriptures teach that Predestination is "the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or 'determinate purpose' of God [who] governs all events." "All events" is Easton's summation. Easton warns that it is a difficult doctrine among the "secret things" of God, but it is biblical. "We must accept this doctrine with all its mysteriousness," he writes. But it is the doctrine. In fact, between Naves Topical Bible and Easton's Bible Dictionary they offer more than 85 references¹ on the topic of Predestination. Now, you can take that list and look through it and you can conclude that some of them are not about Predestination or some are not definitive or the like, but here's what you cannot do. You cannot conclude, at the end of all of these references that Predestination is either unbiblical or not considered a historically orthodox position.

As it turns out, the doctrine of Predestination is simply the shorthand version -- the outworking -- of God's Sovereignty. It argues that God works all things after the counsel of His will for the praise of His glory. That includes who gets saved. It also includes who does not. But far beyond that, it includes your calling in life, the person you marry (or don't), your health, your "success" (I put it in quotes because we have a really horrible track record on accurately measuring success), the victories, failures, and tragedies in your life, everything that occurs. It argues that, in the final analysis and by whatever means God chooses (because He is perfectly capable of using natural means to accomplish His ends), God will accomplish the praise of His glory and the rest of His purposes. That is the doctrine of Predestination.

________
¹ Gen 21:12-13; Exo 9:16; Exo 33:19; Deut 7:7-8; Deut 10:15; Deut 4:37; Deut 32:8; Jos 11:20; 1 Sam 12:22; 1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 20:42; 2 Kings 19:25; 2 Chron 6:6; Job 23:13-14; Psa 33:12; Psa 65:4; Psa 78:67-68; Psa 78:70-72; Psa 105:17-22; Psa 135:4; Prov 16:4; Isa 41:1-10; Isa 44:1-2; Isa 44:7; Jer 1:4-5; Mal 1:2-3; Matt 11:25-26; Matt 20:16; Matt 20:23; Matt 22:14; Matt 24:22; Matt 24:40-41; Matt 25:34; Matt 26:24; Mark 13:20; Mark 13:22; Mark 14:21; Luke 17:34-36; Luke 4:25-27; Luke 8:10; Luke 10:20; Luke 18:7; Luke 22:22; John 6:37; John 6:39; John 6:44-45; John 15:16; John 15:19; John 17:2; John 17:6; John 17:9; John 21:23; Act 1:7; Act 2:23; Act 2:28; Act 2:39; Act 2:47; Act 3:18; Act 4:28; Act 13:48; Act 17:26; Act 22:14; Rom 1:6; Rom 8:28-30; Rom 8:33; Rom 9:7-33; Rom 11:5; Rom 11:7-8; 1 Cor 1:26-29; 1 Cor 2:7; Gal 1:15; Eph 1:4-5; Eph 1:9-11; Eph 2:10; Eph 3:11; Col 3:12; 1 Thess 1:4; 1 Thess 2:12; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 1:1-2; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:10; Jude 1:4; Rev 13:8.