Time is a physical property.
God is outside of the constraints of time: “He alone
knows the end from the beginning.”
The paradox exists only when viewed from within the
time domain
(Rom 8:28-30 NIV)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to
his purpose. {29} For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers. {30} And those he
predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he
justified, he also glorified.
foreknew: 4267. proginosko, prog-in-oce'-ko; from G4253
and G1097; to know beforehand, i.e. foresee:--foreknow (ordain), know (before).
predestined: 4309.
proorizo, pro-or-id'-zo; from G4253 and G3724; to limit in advance, i.e. (fig.)
predetermine:--determine before, ordain, predestinate.
(Eph 1:4-5 NIV)
For he chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love {5} he predestined us to be adopted as his sons
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
(Eph 1:4-5 KJV)
According as he hath chosen us in
him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: {5} Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will,
chose: 1586. eklegomai,
ek-leg'-om-ahee; mid. from G1537 and G3004 (in its prim. sense); to
select:--make choice, choose (out), chosen.
He has chosen us...
When? “...before the foundation or creation of the world!” before Gen 1:1?
(Gen 1:1 NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth.
God chose us in Christ
God predestinated us to
the place of Sonship.
“Having predestinated”
= Gr. aorist: definite past act; done. This term is only used referring to
God’s purposes for His people. Predestination has to do with God’s purpose with
His people; it refers only to those who
are saved.
(Isa 46:10 NIV)
I make known the end from the
beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose
will stand, and I will do all that I please.
(Eph 1:11-12 NIV)
In him we were also chosen,
having been predestined according to the
plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his
will, {12} in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for
the praise of his glory.
(Eph 1:11-12 KJV)
In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: {12} That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Predestination includes
the salvation of the elect and also all other acts and events in the universe,
both good and evil.
(Acts 4:27-28 NIV)
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the
people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom
you anointed. {28} They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Two classes: Divinely
caused – Jesus directed to be done; Divinely permitted – Jesus allowed to be
done, according the commands and principles from the Scriptures.
(Jer 1:4-5 NIV)
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, {5} "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a
prophet to the nations."
(Rev 19:6 KJV)
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice
of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
omnipotent:3841.
pantokrator, pan-tok-rat'-ore; from G3956 and G2904; the all-ruling, i.e. God
(as absolute and universal sovereign):--Almighty, Omnipotent.
Your eyes looked upon my embryo,
and everything was recorded in your book. The
days scheduled for my formation were inscribed, even though not one of them had come yet. (Psa 139:16 ISV)
(Psa 139:16 NIV)
your eyes saw my unformed body. All
the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to
be.
Did God know before the creation who he was going to
call to be part of the first fruits,
yes, in my opinion, but we are given a choice.
(Jer 21:8 NIV)
"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and
the way of death.
(Rom 6:23 NIV)
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Prov 16:9 NIV)
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
(John 7:17 NIV)
If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching
comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
(Josh 24:15 NIV)
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for
yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers
served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are
living. But as for me and my household,
we will serve the LORD."
(Deu 30:15-20 NIV)
See, I set before you today life
and prosperity, death and destruction. {16} For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and
to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase,
and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
{17} But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are
drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, {18} I declare to you
this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the
land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. {19} This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses
against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.
Now choose life, so that you and your children may live {20} and that you
may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the
LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give
to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
When a person turns to Christ, he does
so not because of his own "free will", but because God through the
Holy Spirit has enabled and moved him to do so through a new heart. God never coerces man's will, rather God
gives the ability to believe through the work of the Holy Spirit.
(1 Th 4:7 NIV)
For God did not call us to be
impure, but to live a holy life.
(2 Pet 1:10-11 NIV)
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things,
you will never fall, {11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
(John 6:44 NIV)
"No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the
last day.
These are just a few verses, maybe not in order, to
think about your question. Yes, we have
free will to make choices. The Father
draws us to make a decision, life or death, and He says to choose life. We know from Scriptures we know he chose us
in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
And those he predestined, he also called, that is you and me that has the Holy
Spirit dwelling in us, as the Temple of the Holy Spirit, which will lead us in
all things. Predestination when you look
at Scriptures is only for those who are called to be part of the first
resurrection. Yes, The Father chose us before the creation of the world. If we look at it from a time period, it is
almost impossible to understand, but if we look at God outside of time, looking
at any time period of our history, then He knows. How far before the creation of the world and
anything that has “time” associated with it, who knows. That to me is a question we can ask our Elder
Brother when we see him. Do keep up your
study of the Scriptures is only way we will grow in grace and knowledge.
Blessings,
Steve
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