Predestination, why bother?

[ViaCrucis]

For a pretty solid Lutheran take on the Doctrine of Election this link to the Epitome of the Formula of Concord should do a pretty fantastic job.

The TL;DR version:

God has predestined us in Christ to salvation from before the foundation of the world.
It is God's will and desire that none perish but that all be saved.
God has chosen no one to be damned.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone on Christ's account alone. Man is powerless, in his sin, to turn toward God or seek God for his salvation, it is therefore only by the mercy and kindness of God in Christ that God has turned toward us to freely justify us and save us by sending His Son.

Damnation is solely by the work, effort, and will of man himself. As, it has already been noted, God desires that none perish but that all be saved.

For Christ did not die only for some, but for the whole world--that means everybody. Nevertheless, there will be those who will refuse and reject the God of all mercies and, by their own efforts and will, seek out their own destruction--acting not in accordance with God's will, but against God's will, which is that they be saved.

The glaring paradox seen in this is what is known as the Crux Theologorum, or the Theologian's Cross. That is to say, the burden which a theologian must bear, not knowing the hidden counsel of God only confessing that which is the revealed word of God.

Predestination is, therefore, a matter of the Gospel, not of the Law. To teach that God's predestining means damnation for any would be to teach predestination as Law which condemns instead of Gospel that brings comfort to the weary and downtrodden sinner. Predestination is never about condemnation, but is always about the comfort of God's mercy which is universal and boundless toward sinners on account of Christ, the God-Man, who took on sin and made reconciliation for the whole world in order that the world be saved.

This view is often known as Single Predestination, in contradistinction to the Reformed teaching termed Double Predestination. As for Lutherans predestination only ever refers to the predestination of the elect in Christ and has nothing to do with the damned; and Lutheranism further rejects the notion that God refuses any or would have any be damned for Scripture clearly teaches the universal love and grace of God in Christ by His universal work of dying and rising for the salvation of all. There is no one who is outside of the love of God and the scope of the Holy Gospel.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[hedrick]

The OP seemed to ask why predestination matters, not whether it’s true. There are a couple of reasons it matters:

* Martin Luther found that he couldn’t trust his salvation. That was because he thought he could never be sure he had done enough to qualify. The idea that salvation came from God’s own decision, and didn’t depend upon his own actions was very comforting to him.

* Calvin saw predestination as part of the larger pattern that God is in control. For him, everything, even things that seem bad, comes from God and is intended for our good.

 

[Monsoon]

Surely a loving God would not ordain anyone to eternal damnation? Denies all logic imo

Why die on the cross for all sins for everyone if you know your going to eternally damnate some. It eliminates hope! It actually eliminates and undermines scripture and the promises of God.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I don't really see predestination as very relevant. The fact of the matter is that there is such a teeny, tiny group of Christians that even believes in this doctrine. It's really an unorthodox teaching and not believed by 85% of Christians.

I think we give it way too much significance here on CF. God has written over and over in the world that ALL who believe upon Him shall have eternal life. That Jesus desires that ALL should come to Him. That God so loved the world, not the predestined, but the world.