The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum double predestination

We are not considering generalities here are we? The topic is election and reprobation under the doctrine of Predestination. The issue is whether or not God decreed i.e., determined, purposed the damnation of the majority of mankind and decreed to elect a remnant unto salvation in Christ. A sub-issue is what should be considered separately and will be answered below in regard to another statement/question made. Calvinism has consistently asserted a doctrine of "Double Predestination" which is further defined as being "Positive - Negative". (see R.C. Sproul's article here: Double Predestination). As I stated above, ALL things that exist were foreordained according to God's eternal and immutable determinate council. Thus it is impossible that anyone or any thing can be posited to have been "left unto itself" „Ÿ to be, act or fulfill its end outside of or apart from God's decree and/or providence. To do so is to affirm a doctrine of "fate", i.e., to affirm that "chance" governs the affairs of some men, which is to deny the biblical definition of Omnipotence and the biblical God, Who the Scriptures teach creates, rules and governs all things for His own glory. We could ask then, was Judas Iscariot "left to himself" to disregard the person of Jesus Christ, reject His teachings and to eventually betray him? OR.. was every thought, word and deed of this man eternally foreordained and yet without violating his free-agency? I believe the latter is the teaching of God's Word.

Unfortunately this is nothing more than a caricature of that some envision the God of Heaven in His divine operations. It also presumes that the mass of mankind was pre-existent and upon which God peered and made random and/or arbitrary choses to save some and to damn others. I think there this type of description contains far too many fallacies to deal with here. What we do know, from what God has chosen to reveal to us in His inspired Word, is that He determined to create mankind and to divide it into two distinct groups; those whom He elected to be united to Christ and the remainder whom He chose to reprobate; to suffer the punishment due them for their disobedience. In the case of the former, God directly intervenes by His Holy Spirit to perform spiritual regeneration, not forcing their wills, but rather re-creating their wills so that they are free and most willing to be reconciled to God in Christ Jesus. In the case of the latter, He chose to not intervene directly, but rather to leave them in their state of guilt and depravity and judge them according to their works. In regard to both groups, God decreed BOTH the end as well as the means to fulfill that end for His glory. That determination we call "Predestination" which in total, from beginning to end, is under the direct providential control of God.