EPHESIANS 1:3–14
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will
(Eph. 1:11).
Because the doctrine of predestination is so central to Scripture and so controversial, we will spend the next few weeks studying this doctrine using R. C. Sproul’s Predestination series. Let us begin by defining predestination. It contains the prefix “pre,” which means “before.” “Destination” is the place we are ultimately trying to reach. Another word that we can use in this context is destiny. When we use this word, we are not talking about where we are going, but what happens to us.
Predestination, therefore, is the doctrine that “from all eternity, God some how and in some way predetermines who goes to heaven and who does not.” Predestination means to choose beforehand. In this sense, God makes decisions in advance, which means He has perfect foreknowledge of what will happen in the future.
Most Christians will agree on the above definition of predestination. Where they differ is how God makes His decision regarding our individual destinies. There are many different views that try to answer this question, but we will examine only the two most common. First, the most common view of predestination is called the prescience (foreknowledge) view of predestination. According to this view, God from all eternity has the ability to look down the corridors of time and know in advance who will respond positively to the Gospel and who will not. For every person who says “yes,” God then ordains from eternity that they will indeed reach the destination of heaven. In other words, He predestines believers to heaven.
The second view is called the Reformation view, which says that God from all eternity not only predestines those who will believe to be saved but He also predestines those who will believe to actually believe. In other words, from the foundation of the world God decided whether or not you would come to faith. If He did not make that decision, you would never come to faith. According to the former, the crucial decision rests with man. According to the latter, the crucial decision rests with God. While the Reformation view has to answer questions regarding God’s fairness, the prescience view must answer questions regarding man’s ability to come to faith on his own.
CORAM DEO
1 Samuel 1–3
Luke 12:1–34
Examine the two views in today’s study. How does the prescience view make God’s will dependent on man’s? What does the prescience view assume regarding man’s ability to come to faith? What does the Reformed view assume about man’s ability? If God had not enabled you, would you have ever come to faith (Eph. 2)?
For further study: Rom. 8:28–39 • 2 Tim. 2:14–19
thursday
april