God's Purpose in Predestining Believers in Salvation
God's Purpose in Predestining Believers in Salvation
The concept of predestination is rooted in biblical teachings, particularly in the writings of the Apostle Paul. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, predestination refers to "God's plan or purpose of salvation" [1]. This doctrine is closely tied to the idea of election, where individuals are chosen by God for salvation and a specific role or purpose.
The biblical basis for predestination is found in several passages, including Romans 8:29-30 and Ephesians 1:4-5, 11. In Ephesians 1:4-5, it is written that God "chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ" [4]. This predestination is not based on human merit but on God's sovereign will and purpose.
The purpose of predestination is multifaceted. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, it is part of God's overall plan of salvation, which includes the appointment of Christ as Savior and the calling of believers to faith [2]. In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, it is stated that God "chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth" [7]. This highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in the process of salvation, working to sanctify believers and bring them to faith.
Different Christian traditions interpret predestination in varying ways. The Reformed tradition, represented by John Gill's commentary on Ephesians, emphasizes the sovereignty of God in predestination, seeing it as part of His eternal purpose [6]. In contrast, the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, as represented by Adam Clarke's commentary on 2 Thessalonians, highlights the importance of human response to God's call, emphasizing that predestination is to salvation through faith and the sanctifying work of the Spirit [7].
The doctrine of predestination is closely linked to the concept of assurance. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, assurance is produced by faith, made full by hope, and confirmed by love [3]. Believers can have confidence in their salvation because it is grounded in God's purpose and secured by His work.
The ultimate goal of God's predestination is the salvation and glorification of believers. As stated in Ephesians 2:10, believers are "God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" [5]. This underscores the idea that predestination is not merely about individual salvation but also about the life and works that follow.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Salvation — Is of God -- Ps 3:8; 37:39; Jer 3:23. Is of the purpose of God -- 2Ti 1:9. Is of the appointment of God -- 1Th 5:9. God is willing to give -- 1Ti 2:4. Is by Christ -- Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23. Is by Christ alone -- Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12. Announced after the fall -- Ge 3:15. Of Israel, predicted -- Isa 35:4; 45:17; Zec 9:16; Ro 11:26. Of the Gentiles, predicted -- Isa 45:22; 49:6; 52:10. Revealed in the gospel -- Eph 1:13; 2Ti 1:10. Came to the Gentiles through the fall of the Jews -- Ro 11:11. Christ The Captain of. -- Heb 2:10. The Author of. -- Heb 5:9”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Assurance — Produced by faith -- Eph 3:12; 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. Made full by hope -- Heb 6:11,19. Confirmed by love -- 1Jo 3:14,19; 4:18. Is the effect of righteousness -- Isa 32:17. Is abundant in the understanding of the gospel -- Col 2:2; 1Th 1:5. Saints privileged to have, of Their election. -- Ps 4:3; 1Th 1:4. Their redemption. -- Job 19:25. Their adoption. -- Ro 8:16; 1Jo 3:2. Their salvation. -- Isa 12:2. Eternal life. -- 1Jo 5:13. The unalienable love of God. -- Ro 8:38,39. Union with God and Christ. -- 1Co 6:15; 2Co 13:5; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:5; 4:13. Peace with ”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:11: According to the eternal purpose,.... The whole of salvation, in which is displayed the great wisdom of God, is according to a purpose of his; the scheme of it is fixed in the council of peace; the thing itself is effected in pursuance of it; Christ, the Redeemer, was set forth in it; his incarnation, the time of his coming into the world, his sufferings and death, with all their circumstances, were decreed by God; and the persons for whom Christ became incarnate, suffered, and died, were appointed unto salvation by him; and the application of it to them is accordi”
- 2 Thessalonians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Thessalonians 2:13: God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, etc. - In your calling, God has shown the purpose that he had formed from the beginning, to call the Gentiles to the same privileges with the Jews, not through circumcision, and the observance of the Mosaic law, but by faith in Christ Jesus; but this simple way of salvation referred to the same end - holiness, without which no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can see the Lord. Let us observe the order of Divine grace in this business: 1. They were to hear the truth - the doctrines of the Gospel. 2. They were ”