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God's Redemptive Plan in Election and Predestination

The concepts of election and predestination within God's redemptive plan are subjects of significant theological debate across Christian traditions. While all traditions acknowledge God's sovereignty and purpose in salvation, the precise nature, scope, and implications of election and predestination are interpreted differently [1].

One prominent perspective, often associated with Reformed theology, emphasizes God's sovereign and unconditional choice of individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world. This view holds that God, according to His own purpose, elects a specific number of people to receive salvation, and this election is not based on any foreseen merit or faith in them [6]. John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed thought, argued that it seems "most incongruous that of the great body of mankind some should be predestinated to salvation, and others to destruction," yet he maintained that this doctrine, though perplexing to many, reveals God's utility and pleasant fruits [13]. Charles Hodge, representing Old Princeton Reformed theology, stated that the idea of God foreseeing an end that could not be attained and then electing a part of humanity for efficacious grace is not Scriptural. Instead, he argued that Christ's work is certainly efficacious and intended to save His people, not merely to make salvation possible for all [9]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed theologian, interprets election as God's eternal choice of individuals to everlasting salvation, which is evidenced by the effectual calling [15]. This election is understood to be "in Christ" and "according to the purpose of God" and "foreknowledge of God," being eternal and sovereign [6]. The redemption accomplished by Christ was "foreordained" by God [5, 11, 14].

In contrast, other traditions, such as Wesleyan-Arminianism and some Patristic and Eastern Orthodox views, emphasize God's foreknowledge and human free will in the process of salvation. While acknowledging God's eternal plan, they typically understand election as conditional upon God's foreknowledge of who will freely choose to believe. The patristic writer Hippolytus, for instance, affirmed that "the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice," citing Deuteronomy 30:19 and Isaiah 1:19-20 as evidence that humans are presented with life and death, good and evil, and are called to choose [16]. Augustine, while a significant influence on later Reformed thought, also defined predestination as God's ordering of future works in His foreknowledge, which cannot be deceived or changed [12]. The Augsburg Confession, a foundational Lutheran document, addresses free will, indicating a different emphasis than the strict unconditional election of some Reformed positions [8].

The Catholic scholastic tradition, as exemplified by Thomas Aquinas, views predestination as presupposing election, and election as presupposing love. Aquinas explained that predestination is a part of providence, which is the plan existing in the intellect directing things towards an end. Nothing is directed towards an end unless the will for that end already exists [10]. This framework integrates God's will and intellect in the process of predestination.

Despite these differences, there is common ground. All traditions affirm that God has a redemptive plan [2, 3]. The atonement, for example, is understood as foreordained by God and effected by Christ alone, demonstrating God's grace, mercy, and love [5]. The concept of "election" is also applied broadly in scripture to various contexts, such as the election of Christ as Messiah, of good angels, of Israel, of ministers, and of churches, indicating God's purposeful selection in different spheres [6]. God's "judgments" can refer to the secret decisions of His will, the revelations of His will, and the infliction of punishment [4]. Furthermore, God's "selection and his mercies may not be changed" [7].

The divergence in understanding often stems from different hermeneutical commitments regarding the interplay between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Some traditions prioritize texts emphasizing God's absolute control and eternal decrees, while others prioritize texts that highlight human choice and accountability. The "secret decisions of God's will" are acknowledged as difficult to fully comprehend [1, 4].

Sources

  1. 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”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Geuel — God's redemption”
  3. Psalms “Psalms 111:9 (YLT) — Redemption He hath sent to His people, He hath appointed to the age His covenant, Holy and fearful <FI>is<Fi> His name.”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgments of God — (1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Ps. 110:5; 36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Ex. 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Ps. 119:7-175). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Ex. 6:6; 12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7; 19:24, 25; Judg. 1:6, 7; Acts 5:1-10, etc.”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Atonement, The — Explained -- Ro 5:8-11; 2Co 5:18,19; Ga 1:4; 1Jo 2:2; 4:10. Foreordained -- Ro 3:25; 1Pe 1:11,20; Re 13:8. Foretold -- Isa 53:4-6,8-12; Da 9:24-27; Zec 13:1,7; Joh 11:50,51. Effected by Christ alone -- Joh 1:29,36; Ac 4:10,12; 1Th 1:10; 1Ti 2:5,6; Heb 2:9; 1Pe 2:24. Was voluntary -- Ps 40:6-8; Heb 10:5-9; Joh 10:11,15,17,18. Exhibits the Grace and mercy of God. -- Ro 8:32; Eph 2:4,5,7; 1Ti 2:4; Heb 2:9. Love of God. -- Ro 5:8; 1Jo 4:9,10. Love of Christ. -- Joh 15:13; Ga 2:20; Eph 5:2,25; Re 1:5. Reconciles the justice and mercy of God -- Isa 45:21; ”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Election — Of Christ, as Messiah -- Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. Of good angels -- 1Ti 5:21. Of Israel -- De 7:6; Isa 45:5. Of ministers -- Lu 6:13; Ac 9:15. Of churches -- 1Pe 5:13. Of saints, is Of God. -- 1Th 1:4; Tit 1:1. By Christ. -- Joh 13:18; 15:16. In Christ. -- Eph 1:4. Personal. -- Mt 20:16; Joh 6:44; Ac 22:14; 2Jo 1:13. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 9:11; Eph 1:11. According to the foreknowledge of God. -- Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1:2. Eternal. -- Eph 1:4. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:15,16; 1Co 1:27; Eph 1:11. Irrespective of merit. -- Ro 9:11. Of grace. -- Ro 11:5. Recorded i”
  7. Romans “Romans 11:29 (BBE) — Because God's selection and his mercies may not be changed.”
  8. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article XVIII. Of Free Will.: Article XVIII. Of Free Will.”
  9. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 62: then seeing, or foreseeing that such end could not or would not be attained, elected a part of the race to be the subjects of efficacious grace, cannot be admitted as Scriptural. 2. The Bible clearly teaches that the work of Christ is certainly efficacious. It renders certain the attainment of the end it was designed to accomplish. It was intended to save his people, and not merely to make the salvation of all men possible. It was a real satisfaction to justice, and therefore necessarily frees from condemnation. It was a ransom paid and a”
  10. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of Predestination, Art. 4: Article: Whether the predestined are chosen by God? [*"Eligantur."] I answer that, Predestination presupposes election in the order of reason; and election presupposes love. The reason of this is that predestination, as stated above (Article [1]), is a part of providence. Now providence, as also prudence, is the plan existing in the intellect directing the ordering of some things towards an end; as was proved above (Question [22], Article [2]). But nothing is directed towards an end unless the will for that end alre”
  11. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:20: God's eternal foreordination of Christ's redeeming sacrifice, and completion of it in these last times for us, are an additional obligation on us to our maintaining a holy walk, considering how great things have been thus done for us. Peter's language in the history corresponds with this here: an undesigned coincidence and mark of genuineness. Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising. God's foreordaining of the Redeemer refutes the slander that, on the Christian theory, there is a period of fo”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 41.--PREDESTINATION DEFINED AS ONLY GOD'S DISPOSING OF EVENTS IN HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE. (part 2): on them, and in His foreknowledge He has prepared them for them. Therefore, those whom He predestinated, them He also called with that calling which I am not reluctant often to make mention of, of which it is said, "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance."[2] For the ordering of His future works in His foreknowledge, which cannot be deceived and changed, is absolute, and is nothing but, predestination. But, as he whom God has foreknown to be ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 76: immediately arise, questions which are inexplicable, when just views are not entertained concerning election and predestination. To many this seems a perplexing subject, because they deem it most incongruous that of the great body of mankind some should be predestinated to salvation, and others to destruction. How ceaselessly they entangle themselves will appear as we proceed. We may add, that in the very obscurity 2203 which deters them, we may see not only the utility of this doctrine, but also its most pleasant fruits. We shall ”
  14. 1 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Peter 1:20: Who verily was foreordained,.... Or "foreknown"; that is, by God; and which intends, not barely his prescience of Christ, of what he should be, do, and suffer; but such a previous knowledge of him, which is joined with love and affection to him; not merely as his own Son, and the express image of his person, but as Mediator; and whom he loved before the world was, and with a love of complacency and delight, and which will last for ever. It includes the choice of him as the head of the election, and the pre-ordination of his human nature, to the grace of union to his ”
  15. 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 1:4: Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gospel, the outward means of grace, since this was common to them with others, and might be known without the evidence after given; nor does it design the effectual calling, sometimes so called for this is expressed in the following verse as a fruit, effect, and evidence of the election here spoken of, which is no other than the eternal choice of, them to everlasting”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — TESTIMONIES. (part 36): the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy: "Lo, I have set before thy face life and death, good and evil. Choose for thyself life, that thou mayest live."(4) Also in Isaiah: "And if ye be willing, and hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things."(5) Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "The kingdom of God is within you."(6) 53. That he secrets of God ca”
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