What is predestination?

[Acceptance]

I'm not really sure what the belief in predestination means. I think it means that it is already decided who will go to heaven and who won't, because everything has already been decided. Is this correct?
Thanks

 

[Lotar]

Sort of. It is not only that God has chosen who will be saved, but that we cannot be saved without Him first choosing us.

 

[Acceptance]

So... ...then does it only have to do with the salvation aspect? Or does it carryover into other things like, does predestination say that everything that happens has already been predetermined, or does it strictly refer to who will be saved?

 

[Lotar]

It matters who you ask. It's also a matter of forknowledge versus predetermined. It seems to me that the bible supports God's predestination of everything.

 

[endure]

yeah like lotar said, if you ask diffrent people you get very diffrent answers.
as you must know, this is a widely disagreed on subject.

personally, i believe in predestination.
but to me that only means he has a plan for our lives, not that he controls us to make it happen regardless of our own wills or actions.
i think every person is predestined to go to heavon, but it doesnt come to pass becuase its in our hands.
i dont think God knows who will and wont because i belief scripture bears out that there are things God doesnt know.
but the biggest point of it is that i do not beleive God has chosen before hand will be saved and who will not be able to be saved.
though i think we are all predestined, predestined to be saved.
though its up to us whether or not it comes to pass.

 

[II Paradox II]

So... ...then does it only have to do with the salvation aspect? Or does it carryover into other things like, does predestination say that everything that happens has already been predetermined, or does it strictly refer to who will be saved?

As other people said, it depends on whom you ask.

Personally, I take the view that "predestination" should be used only in the sense of God's election of individuals for salvation. The broader terms "providence" or "sovereignty" should be used for His control over events and groups of people in non-saving ways.

ken

 

[Higgaion]

I would basically agree with what Paradox said, as far as use of terms. Generally, from the Reformed or Calvinistic perspective, Predestination refers to God's "foreordaining" everything that comes to pass. Election unto salvation and reprobation are sub-categories of Predestination and included in it, as is all else.

 

[Breetai]

I believe that ALL are predestined to go to heaven. God wants all to be saved, not only some. Unfortunately, some reject Christ.

God gave us free will. Why else would Adam and Eve have sinned? That wasn't God's will, but He knew it would happen. God, knowing what would happen, created a plan of salvation(Jesus' victory over sin) for the humans which He would create. Some would accept God and His plan and some wouldn't.

does predestination say that everything that happens has already been predetermined...?

No.

Since we have free will, everything has NOT been determined. We choose what we do, how we treat people, what we believe, etc. Yes, God knows what will happen, but is it us who choose.


Not everyone will agree with what I've said. It is the Lutheran teaching of predestination and the one which I subscribe to.

 

[Acceptance]

Thank you all! I am still a bit foggy on the idea (because of the way's it's definded differently by different denominations), but I guess it's pretty hard to pick up a whole theological concept from a few posts

Thanks again for helping me understand!
Blessings to you all