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Predestination?

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a.d.ivNonasNovembres

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Before various things happened to me that made me realise I believed in God (it's so embarresing to realise that I didn't stop being an atheist because I never really was one in the first place, except in a "functional" sense, and even then not really) and that Christ became man and all that jazz and decided that I would be a hypocrite not to become Catholic, I kind of dug the whole "predetermination" thing in Calvinism. I was an agnostic and my attitude was that "God might exist but since I am unable to seriously believe that, I must not be one of His elect - if He exists, so then I will definately go to hell if He exists, so I might as well just resign myself to it rather than railing against it or struggling or freaking out, since all that is useless in the face of God's almighty power.)

Anyway, I was wondering if predetermination actually implies that, is it possible for someone to find out they are not one of God's chosen and if someone did, what response to that should they have?
 

gennaoanothen

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Romans 10:8-13
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ........... ​
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ​
​
​
​
 
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xapis

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gennaoanothen,
This is the "Ask a Calvinist" forum. If you want to debate, you need to move over to the "Debate a Calvinist" forum.

a.d.ivNonasNovembres,
You need to understand what we actually believe in regards to predestination before you make a judgment as to whether or not what we believe is true. I would urge you to start by reading ch. III of the Westminster Confession of Faith: http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/ch_III.html

Please note the Scripture prooftext links throughout. People get very emotional about this topic, especially if they do not understand it well. Predestination is clearly a biblical doctrine. If you take the Bible seriously, as the Word of God, it would behoove you to come to grips with it.

Grace and peace to you...
 
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edie19

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UnderHisWings1979

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Apparently, you were one of God's elect all along, and you didn't even know it. As I understand predestination (though I am certainly no definitive source), it is not so much that there are followers of Christ who are not chosen, but rather that you can never make the choice to become a follower of Christ under your own free will. So, if you have chosen to follow Christ, it is only because God has chosen you and has called you to Him.
 
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Phileoeklogos

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a.d.ivNonasNovembres said:
Anyway, I was wondering if predetermination actually implies that, is it possible for someone to find out they are not one of God's chosen and if someone did, what response to that should they have?
Click to expand...


No, the doctrine of election does not imply that someone could know of their non-election, nor are we to assume that someone is not elect, no one is given that information. We are to "make our" calling and election sure", and also to "examine ourselves whether we be in the faith", we are not to be election checkers but Gospel preachers.

If someone could find out they were not elect, the correct response would be Terror, but even that would not cause the non-elect to move from their unbelief.
 
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heymikey80

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a.d.ivNonasNovembres said:
Anyway, I was wondering if predetermination actually implies that, is it possible for someone to find out they are not one of God's chosen and if someone did, what response to that should they have?
Click to expand...
The problem is that someone who does find that they're not one of God's chosen, really doesn't care. They're not doing what they should, they don't want to do any differently, there's no spiritual foothold on which to persuade them.

The response is always and invariably submission to God, turning to Him in faith and repentance from evil. "now he commands all people everywhere to repent" Ac 17:30 The reprobate either know now, or will learn, that they defy God. Their hearts are not swayed to turn to God by this realization. "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked." Ac 17:32

Predestination is a determination of our wills, and so our wills are what's responsibly acting.
 
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