Is Your Eternity Predetermined?

The Greek word for predestinate is "proorizo", which means to "determine before"; ordain; predestinate. So what about those scriptures that mention predestination? Do they prove that your eternity is determined by God and there is nothing you can do to change it?

That line of reasoning goes contrary to the entire Word of God and is completely out of bounds with the very nature of the God of Abraham that we read about in the Bible. People who believe this may be sincere - but they are sincerely wrong.

It is God's PLAN - the plan of salvation - that He has foreknown and predestinated, and NOT the individual conformity of free will to the plan.

Does God predestinate, or determine beforehand who will and will not go to heaven? Predestination is certainly found in the Bible:

Romans 8: 28-30:

²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Ephesians 1: 5-11:

⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

⁸Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

¹¹In 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:

God has called ALL men and ALL are free to accept or reject the call.

John 3:16:

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 Timothy 2:4:

⁴Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9:

⁹The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Revelation 22:17:

¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Predestined To Be Conformed To His Image

All who accept the plan of salvation, He has foreknown and predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that His Son might be the firstborn among many brethern.

Those who reject the plan of salvation, He has foreknown and presdestinated to be consigned to eternal hell as an everlasting monument of His wrath on rebels.

Isaiah 66: 22-24:

²³And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

²⁴And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Revelation 14: 9-11:

⁹And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

¹⁰The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Matthew 25:41, 46:

⁴¹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

What God Has Foreknown & Predestinated

What God has foreknown and predestinated is that all who conform to the gospel - that the resurrected body will be made like His glorious body (Rom. 8:29).

God has foreordained, determined and predestinated that ALL MEN be called to salvation, but that only the ones who accept become genuine 'CALLED ONES" to be justified and glorified. None are glorified, but those who, according to His purpose, meet the terms of the gospel. Who that will be is left up to the individual. (John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Rev. 22: 17; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 3:19)

All things depend upon meeting the conditions of the gospel. (Romans 8:1-13, 28).

God has predestinated all children of God to be adopted into His family, but who becomes a child of God is left up to each individual ( Eph. 1: 5, 11; John 3:15-20; Rev. 22:17; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

The sum of foreknowledge and predestination.

Note, predestination is not for just certain people, but for all mankind. It is God's desire that we be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:5 tells us God predestined, from the moment he determined to create the earth, that man would populate it, and no other beings but mankind should become his children.

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: 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: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

We are also told it was predestined that those who believe and obey the eternal God should be adopted by Jesus Christ himself, through whom we have an inheritance according to God's will (verse 11).

Predestination has nothing to do with our future having been set out for us, as our future is dependent on our decisions in life.

As John Didymus Pope stated,

"If God predestined just one person to die an eternal death, we would have to throw out John 3:16."