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The
purpose of this study is to come to an understanding of what the Bible
has to say concerning the Foreknowledge of
God. This is one of the more controversial doctrines that has separated
and divided Christians throughout the history of Christianity. I
believe it is very important that we know what we believe in these
areas as it affects the way we carry out our Christianity. In this
study we will see that both predestination and election flow out of
God's foreknowledge.
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This is Just a Sample, Abbreviated
Outline.
You can download the entire Outline by clicking on the links below in
either
PDF or Word formats:
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The Foreknowledge of
God.
"Fore" or before simply means that God knows before hand what the
future holds. Because of His omniscience, He knows the end from
the beginning. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Nothing is hid
from Him, Who knows what things we have need of before we ask Him. (Quote from Herbert Lockyer)
Predestination.
Predestination is to foreordain or determine an act or event. It
is not simply foreknowledge of a future event, but rather making that
event take place. It is predetermined to happen and nothing can
change it.
The Election of God.
There is no question concerning God's elect. The Bible very
clearly states that there is a select group of people, a peculiar
people different than the others of the earth because of their new
spiritual birth that is according to God's grace.
Henry Clarence Thiessen defines election as a sovereign act of God's
grace whereby He chose in Christ Jesus for salvation all those who He
foreknew would accept Him. This is redemption in its elective
aspect. In its simplest meaning, election refers to the intention,
process and result of making a choice. It refers to an act of the
will but more specifically in the Scriptures to an act of the divine
will.
Election Defined.
The Unconditional
View: The Calvinistic view teaches unconditional election
which says that certain individuals are unconditionally elected or
predestined to become believers in Jesus Christ and thus be
saved. This view teaches that from among the total mass of sinful
humanity, even before it has been created, God chooses which
individuals He wants to respond to the Gospel call. When the call
is issued, those who have been chosen are irresistibly enabled to
answer it. These are saved, while the rest of mankind is condemned
to hell forever. (Quote from Jack W.
Cottrell)
The Conditional View: The
correct and more Biblical view is the idea that God predestines to
salvation those individuals who meet the gracious conditions which He
has set forth. In other words, election to salvation is
conditional and particular. (Quote
from Jack W. Cottrell)
Like Christ, Grace does not force its way, it stands at the door and
knocks. The Bible teaches very plainly that the gifts of grace are
appropriated by faith. If by works, then grace is no longer
grace. Likewise, if it is by sovereign imposition, the grace is
also no longer grace. (Quote
from Jack W. Cottrell)
Can God's Grace Be
Resisted?
When considering the aspect of God's grace in relationship to election,
we must consider whether or not God's grace is irresistible. Can
it be resisted? Or is it as the Calvinist’s say,
"irresistible?" Again, we must look to the Scriptures.
If God's sovereignty meant that His will is always done
and performed down to the smallest detail, it would
mean that His will is also accomplished in the lostness
of the lost. But that is not the case. God
holds out his hands to those who will not listen to
Him. He gives His Holy Spirit to those who resist the
gift and Jesus desired to gather the Jews to Himself,
but they refused Him. (Quote from Jack W. Cottrell)
The Universality of
God's Grace and Call.
We must determine whether the atonement of Jesus Christ is a limited
atonement or an unlimited atonement. Those who believe in the
unconditional view of election believe that some are destined to be
saved and others are destined for eternal damnation.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
It is because He died for all that we can claim for ourselves and
confidently extend to others the right and title to sonship and
salvation through Christ, and live in a state of blessed
assurance. The following scriptures make it very clear that Christ
died for every person.
"If these scriptures are so clear, how is it possible to come to a
limited view of atonement?"
John Calvin's point is to deny the universality of the atonement by
making the word (all) refer to worldwide distribution of the church,
rather than the universally potential redemptive work of Christ. (Quote from Jack W. Cottrell)
The problem with this thinking is that there are Scriptures such as 1John 4:14-15 that personalize the atonement by using the word, "whoever."
Man's
Free Will.
According to God's
foreknowledge some will be lost to eternal damnation
because they chose not to receive Him. Mankind has always had a
choice since the creation of the world.
- Choice Was Available For Adam And Eve.
- Choice Was Available Under The Law.
- Choice is available under the New Covenant.
Man is a free-will
agent and must respond to the convicting and
soul-saving power of the Holy Spirit in order to receive the salvation
provided at infinite cost. Although salvation is free, it is
costly as it cost God His Son. Man is free to accept or reject the
salvation which he in no way deserves nor could ever merit. (Quote by Kevin
Conner)
(c) Ken Birks
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