Predestination is Wrong, Part 1

First, we will disprove the concept of predestination using the scriptures that are most often quoted in vain attempts to prove predestination.

To clarify, God most certainly predestinates events and certainly did predestine to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the World, so that the World, through Him, might be saved. However, God most certainly does not predestinate whom shall be saved. The notion that God determines whom shall be saved is called "unconditional election," and is a false doctrine. Those who would teach it are, by definition, false prophets. To teach false doctrine is, by definition, heresy.

In this series, I shall disprove the notion of the predestination of whom shall be saved.

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Predestination is false:
First, let me start by quoting a non-predestination verse. Understand that I do not believe there is a single verse in the Bible that indicates specific men (or women) are predestined for Heaven.But, here is a verse that sums it all up... and it happens to be from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself (John 3:16 - emphasis mine):

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life."

The late Adrian Rogers has a great sermon on this very verse and topic. 

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Claims of predestination folks:
But let's look at it specifically. Particularly, we will observe the specific verses and passages used by those who falsely believe in predestination. I searched many outlets, but the Calvinist Corner seemed to sum up the argument best, and have the most scripture references.

If you have other verses, mention them in the comments, and I'll add to this post my rebuttal.

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Verse 1: Romans 8:28-30

We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.

To be fair to the reader, I've already done a detailed explanation on this one. I could do this on every verse, but for the sake of brevity, I'll be summing up. 

"...he (God) decided in advance..."
Predestination fools have to stop here. They cannot read the rest of the verse. Why? Because the verse tells what has been decided in advance: "... they would be conformed to the image of his son..."

Simply put, what was predestined by God, according to Romans 8, is that Christians would have not only a plan of salvation, but that Christians would also be made righteous, and ultimately glorified.

Never does the passage state whom would be saved.

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Verse 2-a: Ephesians 1:5 

God destined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love. This was according to his goodwill and plan

Again, the predestination fools must stop mid-verse to accomplish their lies. "... God destined us..." But what did God have as our destination? "...to be His adopted children..."

Again, once someone has placed Faith in God, and asked His forgiveness of their sins, they are then destined to be His adopted children! As Adrian Rogers said, the "whosoever" are the "elect." God did not say whom, He again said what was predestined.

Verse 2-b: Ephesians 1:11 (same link as above)

We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design.

Same story. Same old song and dance. Let's answer the question "what did God predestinate?" and the answer for verse 11 is that we, the believers, were predestined an inheritance in Christ. This is predestination again of a plan of salvation... not whom would be saved.

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Verse 3: Ephesians 2:10

Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.

Again, ask the question "what was predestinated by God?" and the answer is clear: the good things in our lives. In this case, the fruits of the salvation He gave us through Jesus Christ. Again, no mention or indication of whom would be saved.

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Verse 4: Acts 13:48

When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the Lord’s word. Everyone who was appointed for eternal life believed.

The predestination cult would have you believe this is a "cause-and-effect" statement. Problem is, this is no such statement. This is a statement of equality. The clear meaning here is that the believers were appointed for eternal life, because of their faith.


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Verse 5:  John 1:12-13

But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God.

Here, John the Baptist is speaking prophesy. Predestination cultists stop with the phrase "...born not... from human desire or passion..." They state that this part means that we are incapable of desiring God. In fact, God placed an innate desire for Him in all of us. It is a yearning. It is the false gratification of this yearning that fills these cultists and others to seek things other than God!

So again, we have to stop with a part instead of reading the whole. Sounds like the same thing atheists must do in their vain attempts to disprove God. The clear intent of John the Baptist's words is that man cannot earn his way to God, but rather that God had to appoint a means of Salvation whereby man could be saved through simple faith.

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Verse 6: II Thessalonians 2:13-14

But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth. God called all of you through our good news so you could possess the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again we have an interjection of the question "who?" when the statement answers the question "what?" instead. God clearly chose that first crop - Christians there at the beginning. Not whom would accept Him... but that His plan included those He foreknew would accept Him through faith to have the first trials and tribulations and successes that are inherent with a fledgling church.

Again, we have a clear predestination of what... not whom.

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And that, my friends, is a recurring theme. Predestination cultists will twist a verse to answer the question "whom" was predestined, instead of  "what" was predestined by God.

Also - I may have been born in Tennessee, but I am fully capable of reading entire sentences. Seems Calvinists are not thusly able - either through ignorance or choice; I wonder which it is?

The main, root problem:
The root of the problem with Calvinistic thinking - specifically with the notion that God predetermines who goes to Heaven (and by default, whom goes to Hell) - is pride. These people feel a need to be better than other people in some way and have found no other way to be better. It is a warped way of thinking and it is founded in pride.




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