One of the most controversial bible topics of all time is the subject of Predestination. Every great theologian down through church history has had to address this topic. All theologians agree on the fact that this doctrine must and should be treated with extreme care and caution. It has the tendency to raise more questions than answers. There is no doctrine shrouded in misunderstanding than this one.
Whenever this doctrine is taught – formally in classrooms or informally across from lunch tables, a strong measure of grace and patience should be given. Feelings run high. It is imperative that the fruit of the Spirit be manifested.
It may surprise you, but all Christians believe in predestination. Every major denomination that exists today believes in it. Most certainly, there are various views, but nonetheless, it is believed upon. Since the Bible teaches predestination, it cannot be ignored or simply tucked away hidden from view.
Let me simply share two main passages from the Bible that teaches predestination. Now I have not yet defined what is predestination. I will come to this. Here, I simply want to show that predestination is a biblical word.
1. Ephesians 1:3-6, 11: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
"In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 11 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."
2. Romans 8:29: "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
All theologies down through the centuries regarding the nature of man and the role of the grace of God in salvation can be narrowed down to three categories of thought:
1. Pelagianism: Pelagianism derives its name from Pelagius who lived in the 5th century A.D. and was a teacher in Rome, though he was British by birth. Pelagius taught that people had the ability to fulfill the commands of God by exercising the freedom of human will apart from the grace of God. In other words, a person's free will is totally capable of choosing God and/or to do good or bad without the aid of Divine intervention. Pelagianism teaches that man's nature is basically good. Thus it denies original sin, the doctrine that we have inherited a sinful nature from Adam. He said that Adam only hurt himself when he fell, and all of his descendants were not affected by Adam's sin. Pelagius taught that a person is born with the same purity and moral abilities as Adam was when he was first made by God. He taught that people can choose God by the exercise of their free will and rational thought. God's grace, then, is merely an aid to help individuals come to Him.
Note: Pelagianism is really the father of 19th century modern liberalism today. Pelagianism is neither Christian nor a sub division of Christian thinking. It is non-Christian.
2. Semi-Pelagianism – This teaching came together during the 16th century. This view teaches that man cannot be saved apart from the grace of God, but there is still something man must do in his fallen condition in order to cooperate with God so as to be saved. Semi-Pelagius theologs believe that man cannot be saved apart from the grace of God, but man within himself in the final analysis can either receive or reject the grace of God. Semi-Pelagianism is really modern day Arminianism.
3. Augustinianism – Augustine taught that Man is so seriously fallen, he is totally dependent on the grace of God even for his initial response to the gospel, even in his cooperation with the grace of God in the first place. Augustianism is really modern day Calvinism.
The debate has its roots in man’s ability to respond to the gospel in his fallen state.
Of the three:
Pelagianism – Modern Day Liberalism
Semi-Pelagianism – Modern Day Arminianism
Augustinianism – Modern Day Calvinism
It is Calvinism or classical Augustinianism that I believe is more biblically accurate on the nature of man and his relationship to the grace of God in salvation.
More to come.
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