Since the writing of the New Testament in the first century, the word, concept, and doctrine of predestination has proven to be very challenging. Unbelievers misrepresent and mock it. Pelagian and Arminian theologians put their own spin on what it entails. Catholics virtually ignore it.
General Confusion
The ill-informed popular notion typically equates predestination with fatalism or universal determinism. And this wrong meaning is misconstrued by both opponents of predestination (from unbelievers to Wesleyans) as well as by extremist adherents (including Muslims and hyper-Calvinists). In effect, they turn the doctrine of predestination into a caricature, thus applying it to every act, word, and thought that a person does, reducing humans to mere robots who can only do, and must do, what God has pre-programmed them to do in eternity past. Acting as mindless, hard-wired robots, human volition, liberty, and responsibility is eviscerated. These people misapply predestination to the most mundane acts: “I ate Cheerios this morning because God predestined me to eat Cheerios; I could do no other.” But this is a gross distortion of what the Bible actually says about predestination.
Unbelievers, libertarians, and Catholics are not the only ones misled or confused about what predestination means. Countless Christian theologians throughout Church history have not fared much better, and as a result, the average Christian in the congregation is just as confused. Evangelicals are all over the map on what it means. Even many Reformed Protestants (the self-ascribed guardians of the doctrine) can’t seem to agree on a unified definition. A cursory survey of Protestant systematic theologies as well as evangelical theological dictionaries will render several different, and even conflicting, definitions trying to explain predestination. Here are some of the main, misguided definitions proffered:
Wrong Views
1) Predestination is an umbrella term entailing election and reprobation
This popular Reformed view says predestination is two-fold, entailing the election of those who will be saved on one hand, and the reprobation of those who will be damned on the other. Or, in other words, election is one element of predestination—the positive side—and reprobation—the negative side.1 But the Bible teaches otherwise—the very opposite, in fact.
Election is not an element of predestination. Rather, predestination is an element of election. Election is more general and broad,2 and is replete in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Predestination is more narrow and specific, and is mentioned only six times in the New Testament and flows from God’s foreknowledge and issues in calling which transpires in this life. In Romans 8, Paul shows that predestination is an element of election (cf. Rom 8:33), along with four other elements of election which he calls foreknowledge, calling, justification, and glorification (Rom 8:29-30).
2) Predestination is synonymous with election
This clumsy, imprecise view conflates election and predestination, whereas the Bible keeps them distinct (although they overlap). Peter Toon best represents this popular view as he defines predestination under the heading of “Election” in the E section of The New international Dictionary of the Bible and he treats the two words as completely interchangeable.3 Reid, and countless others, also say predestination is synonymous with election.4
3) Predestination is synonymous with providence
This is a common, mistaken view among the Reformed which says predestination is the working out of all God’s predetermined plans in history through second causes.5 Providence is a truth taught all throughout Scripture, but it should not be confused with predestination. Predestination occurred in eternity past; providence happens in time. The word predestination is used in the Bible in a more specific and narrow sense than God’s providence.
4) Predestination refers to God’s determination of all things that come to pass
This error occurs frequently with those who base their definition of predestination on Proverbs 16:4, or similar verses, that do not directly speak of or explicitly mention predestination. R. C. Sproul and a host of others do this in their writings and as a result end up defining predestination to mean “God’s determination of all things,”6 a definition that goes way beyond what Scripture warrants. God is completely sovereign and does work all things out according to His eternal will (cf. Ps 115:3; Rom 8:28), but predestination is not the biblical term used to describe that truth. This camp also relies heavily on the latter part of Ephesians 1:11 which speaks of God’s general sovereignty over all things, not his specific work of predestining the elect to salvation. The first part of Ephesians 1:11 does in fact speak to the narrower idea of predestination. This extreme view of God’s sovereignty lacks nuance and typically leads to forms of hyper-Calvinism. Gordon Clark was one such hyper-Calvinist who concluded that predestination means that God is directly responsible for everything that happens to the point that he says God controls the choices of all people and that “God creates sin.”7 R. C. Sproul advocated the same extreme view, concluding that God “created sin.”8
5) Predestination is based on God’s ability to foresee who will accept the gospel
This errant view is one of the most popular, for it seeks to preserve basic biblical concepts such as election, foreknowledge, predestination, human volition, human responsibility, and God’s love. But it does so at a cost of distorting Scripture’s clear teaching on soteriology. This is appropriately called the Arminian view as it comes from James Arminius (1560-1609) who taught that election was based on God’s prescience in eternity past of a person’s choice of Christ in history. In this case, human volition is the ultimate cause of salvation, not God’s sovereign will. So, in the Arminian view, humans are the direct catalysts of salvation whereas Scripture says God is the immediate author of salvation (cf. Jonah 2:9).
Biblical Usage
After reviewing the top five popular wrong definitions of predestination, we now turn to a strictly biblical definition and understanding. It was noted earlier that many have been confused about how to properly define predestination. At the same time, not all are confused. There are many who are quite clear, precise, and accurate in defining this doctrine. The ones who do get it right, do so in large measure by practicing good, consistent hermeneutics and they base the doctrine on the relevant texts as understood in context. As mentioned previously, there are six occurrences of the word predestination, and they should be the starting point and foundation for explicating the doctrine.9 The six verses can be assigned to two basic categories: two are related to Christ’s saving work on the cross and the gospel, and the remaining four occurrences are related to the salvation of the elect.
First, the word predestination needs to be defined. The Greek word is a compound term composed of the prefix, pro-, (meaning “before”), plus the root, horizō (thus, proorizō), which means “boundary, mark, region, to delimit, fix”10 and referred to setting a boundary, a line of clear demarcation, or to determine. It is where we get our English word “horizon,” the clear line of demarcation between the land and the sky at sunset.11 The addition of the temporal pro- intensifies the word and also emphasizes the time element of when the “determining” happened;12 in this case it was before creation, in eternity past. Hence, predestined means predetermined, or a sovereign decision God made before creation. And in all six biblical usages, God is the active agent who predetermines.
The first category of texts include Acts 4:28 and 1 Corinthians 2:7. Acts 4:28 has the first use of proorizō in the New Testament and is included in the disciples’ prayer immediately after being released from prison. The passage reads as follows:
For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
vv. 27-28
This verse applies the act of God’s predestination to the death of Christ. God predetermined before the foundation of the world that Christ would suffer and die for sin. This event was a sovereignly fixed event before creation. This complements what Peter said about Christ’s sacrificial death being planned by God before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:19-20; cf. John 17:24). Through Christ’s predestined, atoning death, salvation was made available for fallen humanity.
Related to this pre-planned, gracious act of Christ’s substitutionary death is Paul’s use of proorizō in 1 Corinthians 2 which says,
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
vv. 6-8
In this passage Paul says God predestined the gospel message: the good news and message of judgment and salvation that came through the work of the Suffering Servant. The full details of this saving message were hidden in times past as a divinely concealed “mystery,” but now have been revealed in fullness through Paul and the apostles.
After Acts 4:28 and 1 Corinthians 2:7 are the four other verses that constitute the second grouping of the word predestination. They all pertain to the salvation of the elect, and they are all penned by Paul.13 Two are in Ephesians 1 as Paul expounds on the glories of God’s gracious display of mercy and love toward undeserving sinners through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1 reads as follows:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
vv. 3-12
Paul’s two specific usages of “predestined” here are details of the more general work of election that occurred in eternity past as evidenced by Paul’s phrase “He chose us” (v. 4) which began this passage. Election here refers to God choosing us for salvation. Predestination gives further details of that election, namely, some its benefits which include “adoption” (v. 5) and an “inheritance” (v. 11). In this passage predestination describes two elements of election. And also in this passage, predestination is only used in reference to those who will be saved; there is no reference to the eternally damned.
Finally, we examine the last two usages of predestination, both of which occur in Romans 8. This text is the most specific in rendering a thorough definition of predestination. The context of the passage is again God’s gracious election of those who will be eternally saved (vv. 28-39), as it was in Ephesians 1. Paul describes the recipients of God’s saving grace mentioned in this passage as those who are “God’s elect” (v. 33). “God’s elect” is referring to those previously mentioned in vv. 28-30 whom God has set His eternal, saving love upon. Paul reveals God’s eternal, saving love has five specific components from beginning to end, theologically and chronologically speaking. God’s saving election begins with “foreknowledge” and culminates with “glorification.”14 The passage reads as follows:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified;15 and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Rom 8:28-30
Sovereign, eternal, election of those who will be saved begins with God’s foreknowledge of them in eternity past (v. 29). Foreknowledge here means “foreloved,” or “to love beforehand.” The Old Testament Hebrew word for “know,” as well as the Greek New Testament word for the same, often means “to love” or “to have an intimate relationship with.” For example, Genesis 4:1 literally reads, “Adam knew his wife Eve and she became pregnant.” The verb “know” is a euphemism for love or intimacy. In the New Testament, Jesus will say to false believers on the last day, “I never knew you” (Matt 7:23) and then they will be cast into eternal hell. The Greek verb for “to know” here means personal intimacy or relationship, not just knowing factual data. So, the first step or element in God’s divine order of salvation is that He set His love on select individuals before they were ever born. It was a definitive decision in made in eternity past. Foreknowing or foreloving is God’s first deliberation in the act of election.
Flowing from foreknowing is the act of predestination, for Paul says, “those whom He foreknew, He also predestined” (v.29). In eternity past God “marked out” or made a deliberate line of demarcation around those He chose to love. He branded those whom He would save. And He did it in eternity past before they were born, and before all creation. A stunning and incomprehensible reality. And these special elect ones were predestined specifically for the purpose that they might be conformed to the image of His Son,” which will ultimately be fulfilled in the resurrection (cf. Rom 8:23), which Paul here calls the time they are “glorified” (v. 30). All those predestined in eternity past will be “called” in this life (v. 30). The verb for “calling” used here refers to the work of the Holy Spirit as He uses the gospel to soften, prepare and draw the sinner unto salvation. Calling also is the supernatural work of the Spirit which enables a dead spiritual soul to believe. Calling happens in this life in contrast to foreknowing and predestining which happen in eternity past.
The calling of the elect sinner during the course of this life will inevitably result in justification, for Paul says, “these whom He called, He also justified” (v. 30). Justified refers to the moment the sinner is enabled to believe the gospel which results in salvation. Justification happens when the unbeliever is born again, a supernatural work wrought by the Holy Spirit. Justification is the state and status of the born-again Christian for the duration of their life on earth, until they die or until Christ returns to earth before death.
Finally, the order of salvation ends or culminates with glorification which follows justification. Paul says every soul that is justified God “glorified,” speaking of it in the past tense as though it already happened. He does that on purpose to show that future glorification is God’s guaranteed promise. In fact, all of Paul’s five key verbs in this golden chain of eternal salvation are stated in the past tense: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified, showing that every phase is sure to happen with every elect soul. None will be lost during the process. If God foreloved you before the foundation of the world then you are guaranteed to be glorified in eternity future. This amazing truth is meant to comfort believers and assure them of their security in Christ’s love (cf. John 10:28-30).
Summary
Based on the above discussion and the six usages of predestination in their biblical context, some summary points can be established:
- The word predestination is a compound word, pro- + horizo, meaning “to mark out beforehand.”
- Luke uses the word once and Paul five of the six times.
- The word is used exclusively in a soteriological context in two respects: once in reference to Christ’s atoning death, the act and the message; and secondly in reference to those who would be saved.
- In all six instances God is the active agent; He is the one who predestines. And He does so in eternity past.
- When applied to humans, predestination is used only in reference to those who will be saved. Predestination is never used in reference to those who will be eternally damned.
- Predestination is distinct from election, providence, reprobation, foreknowledge, foreordination, and calling. These terms are interrelated and complimentary, but they should not be conflated or confused.
- Predestination is the second of five elements that constitute God’s program of sovereign election of the saved. Predestination is a sub-category of election, not vice versa.
- Predestination flows from God’s foreknowledge which takes place in eternity past and issues in calling which takes place in history.
- The elect are predestined to salvation and glorification because of God’s divine love.
- Predestination guarantees the believer’s spiritual adoption, future inheritance, and ultimate conforming to the image of Christ.
- Predestination is not used in reference to God’s general sovereign will over every event in the universe, including the fate of the damned. Other words and phrases are used to describe those realities.
The preceding eleven points flow explicitly from Scripture and are a good reminder that we are not to go beyond what is written in Scripture when expounding doctrine (1 Cor 4:6). Many violate this biblical hermeneutical mandate when discussing predestination. It is common for Christians to lose precision in theology by using biblical words in the wrong way. Predestination is Exhibit A. But I stated earlier that not everyone is confused on the matter. For example, The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), which affirms God’s sovereignty and election, does not use the term predestination to describe those who are eternally damned (III: III). And various Bible dictionaries and theologies maintain proper precision when defining the term, such as this one:
Biblically, predestination is limited to the elect people and assures their present position and future destiny. Theologically, the term has been used to include all things, that is, as a synonym for the total plan of God. From this theological definition it is an easy step for some forms of Calvinism to use predestination in relation to the destiny of the nonelect. Thus there arises a doctrine of double predestination. However, this is a logical assumption, not based on biblical texts. The Bible is clear that the elect are predestined, but it never suggests that there is a similar decree to elect some to damnation. The Scriptures seem content to leave that matter as a mystery, and so should we.16
Predestination is a specific word used in Scripture to describe one of the most blessed doctrines in the Bible with respect to the glories of salvation that God has entrusted to His elect. God has predestined believers before the foundation of the world guaranteeing their eternal salvation as well as their spiritual adoption, eternal heavenly inheritance, and their ultimate transformation into the glorious image of Jesus, God’s perfect Son. Feed your faith with this great truth on a regular basis and it will enhance your assurance and confidence in Christ your Savior.
Notes
1Cf. Beeke and Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology, 979, 989; and Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 870; also, R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths, 169; and Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 670.
2Although it is a broader term than predestination, Culver is correct when he asserts “election” is delimited to positive soteriology; cf. Robert D. Culver, Systematic Theology (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2005), 672-673.
3Peter Toon, “Election and Predestination” in The New international Dictionary of the Bible, ed. by J. D. Douglas (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987), 301.
4Reid, Evangelical Dictionary, 870; also, K. Sonderegger, The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 105-106.
5Cf. G. E. Mendenhall’s article, “Predestination” in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, K-Q, ed. by George Arthur Buttrick (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985), 869.
6Cf. R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), 169-170; Henry W. Hollomon, Kregel Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel 2005), 412.
7Gordon H. Clark, Predestination (The Trinity Foundation, 2006), 18, 113; Peter Sammons errantly argues for the same in Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty: Recovering a Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2022), 120, 135, 188.
8R. C. Sproul, Almighty over All: Understanding the Sovereignty of God (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 54.
9I propose that the doctrine of predestination as delineated by Paul can be thoroughly explained and understood when limiting ourselves to its six biblical occurrences. Ironically, there are those who adamantly disagree. Reid avers, “there is not one term in…the Greek which encompasses the term ‘predestination’…the doctrine does not depend upon the use of a few words”; Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 870. In contrast, I argue that the doctrine of predestination is based on just six words in a mere four passages…and that suffices. The late eminent Bible scholar, George Zemek said the same; see his excellent work on this doctrine in A Biblical Theology of the Doctrines of Sovereign Grace (Little Rock, AR, 2002), 148-150.
10Xavier Léon-Dufour, Dictionary of the New Testament (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1980), 332. The major English translations render the following renditions of its 8 usages: “appoint, declare, decide beforehand, designate, determine, definite plan, fixed, limiteth, marked out, predetermined, set, shown to be, specify, in God’s plan, God’s deliberate plan.”
11Horizō is used 8 times in the NT without the temporal prefix, and simply means “to decide” in all 8 cases. When the decision was made depends on the context of each passage and cannot be deduced from the word itself. Acts 11:29 says the disciples “determined” (horizō) on the spot, in history as the need arose, to send an offering to others in need. Cf. the 7 other usages of this verb in Lk 22:22; Acts 2:23; 10:42; 17:26, 31: Rom 1:4; Heb 4:7. Note that Acts 2:23 is translated as “predetermined” by many English translations which is strictly illegitimate.
12George J. Zemek, A Biblical Theology, 149.
13So, Paul is directly responsible for the biblical term predestination in five of the six usages. Luke used the word in Acts 4:28, and since he was Paul’s associate, it may be that he got the word from Paul. If Paul is Luke’s source, this is not the only important biblical term or concept unique to Paul. He is the only New Testament writer to call the Church “the Body.” Peter acknowledged that Paul added many novel and fresh doctrines to the total deposit of truth delivered to the saints (cf. 2 Pet 3:15-16) since he learned his doctrine directly from the resurrected Christ (Gal 1:1, 11-19) rather than from any human person.
14Theologians make much of the ordo salutis, or God’s “order of salvation.” Complicated, fabricated proposals filled with speculation and conjecture abound in countless systematic theologies on this topic, but this passage gives God’s actual and only divinely inspired complete “order of salvation.”
15“Justified” means “to be declared righteous” and sometimes is synonymous with being saved as in Luke 18:14.
16Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 361. Harwood also has a precise, biblical delineation of the doctrine of predestination; cf. Adam Harwood, Christian Theology (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2022), 579-590.
