The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Double Predestination

Tom,

As previously explained, it is utterly impossible to hold that God 'actively' predestinates some to eternal life but contrariwise, God is totally passive in regard to those who are not predestinated. To limit predestination to only salvation is not only illogical, it is simply unbiblical and contrary to many passages that speak of God's omnipotence and omniscience.

1. Did God foreordain ALL THINGS or did He not? (Ps 33:11; 135:6; Isa 41:22,23; 43:11-13; 44:7; 46:9,10; Dan 4:35; Rom 11:33-36; Eph 1:9-11.)
2. Did not God foredain the Fall and the end of each individual who would be effected by that Fall? Thus, God ordained, predestined, appointed some to eternal life in Christ Jesus to the praise of His glory in mercy and grace and some to eternal damnation for the glory of His justice. (Rom 9:21,22; 1Peter 2:8; 2Peter 2:3,17; Jude 1:4,6,13; cf. Acts 2:22,23; 3:18; 4:28; 1Thess 5:9; Rev 13:8)
   *There is no escaping either the biblical teaching concerning God's direct predestinating the end (pre-determine according to His divine will) of each and every individual. It was according to God's eternal counsel (foreordination) that the entire human race should be liable to judgment in conjunction with the federal head of the human race; Adam (Rom 5:12-18; 1Cor 15:21,22). Thus, all men are by nature under the wrath and just condemnation of God who ordained ALL THINGS. There is no 'Deism' to be found with the God of the Bible, i.e., God created the 'basic plan and parts' and then sits back and observes how things 'work out'. In short, since God ordained the Fall, thus consigning all men to condemnation, it cannot be maintained that God did not predestinate any to reprobation.
3. Election, a subset of predestination, is God's display of love, mercy and grace to save a remnant from the Fall and its consequences in Christ. Yes, God changes the nature of the elect in order to bring about their salvation and the end to which they have been predestinated. But God does not change the nature of those whom He has predestined to perdition; thus "positive/negative" predestination. There is no need for God to 'intervene' in the same manner as is done with the elect, for God has previously ordained the Fall and their end.

So, in short and once again, there is no logical nor biblical escaping from the fact that God predestinates (pre-determines, appoints, decrees, foreordains) the damnation of the wicked no less than He predestinates (pre-determines, appoints, decrees, foreordains) the election to salvation of those whom He has set His infinite love in Christ.