Predestination DOES go against free will, but there are scriptures that do back it up that other denominations have built their faith on...It's really quite sad because if one is not predestined, then it wouldn't matter what they did, because they were not intended to really be saved. And how would a person prove it? Predestination is an evil doctrine.
One verse that would combat it is "Jesus came to die for everyone especially the unbelievers" meaning that people can choose ie..freewill.
Originally posted by debbiejo
Predestination DOES go against free will, but there are scriptures that do back it up that other denominations have built their faith on...It's really quite sad because if one is not predestined, then it wouldn't matter what they did, because they were not intended to really be saved. And how would a person prove it? Predestination is an evil doctrine.One verse that would combat it is "Jesus came to die for everyone especially the unbelievers" meaning that people can choose ie..freewill.
I have two lines of thinking about predestination.
1. God has only offered salvation to certain people. However, these people also happen to be the ones God knows will accept salvation.
2. God offers salvation to everyone but has elected certain people to become saved. Others outside this may become saved, but God has not "predestined" them to salvation.
Either way, God isn't "withholding" salvation from people.
Originally posted by Nellinator
I'm along the lines of 2. I believe that one reason predestination exists is to ensure that the faith survives and continues to be preached. I think that God probably uses it very little in Western countries nowadays, but that it is very present in third world countries that are being evangelized.
That makes quite a bit of sense. From that standpoint then, prophets and peoples such as Noah, Mary, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Moses, King David and the like would probably be predestined, since their lives played very significant roles in God's plans.
Many of these peoples make references within the scripture to God forming them in the womb, for these specific purposes.
None of this of course would represent favortism on God's part for these people, nor would it take away their free will...but God elected and purposed them to be used as special instruments in fulfilling his purpose, which generally entailed informing others of his true loving nature.
These predistined people were probably held to much higher standards of abiding by God's will then the common man. And rightfully so, seeing as how God had already instilled them with a great knowledge of his true loving character from the womb.