PREDESTINATION

Romans 8:28-30

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
¶ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
Moreover, whom He predestined, those He also called; and whom He called, those He also justified; and whom He justified, those He also glorified. "

These verses show the wonderful plans God has for His people, there are some important facts given in these verses but we are only considering the word "predestined." This word is found six times in the New Testament but is not always translated "predestined." The Greek word used in the New Testament text is "proorizo," - "pro" means "beforehand" and "orizo" has the meaning "to mark out". The English word used in the translation, "predestination" therefore has the meaning "before destination." This means that God has an eternal plan for all His children, as He knows all things and is not controlled by time, then He knows who will seek his salvation even before they are born.

In the Bible the use of the word "predestination" only applies to the saved Believers. God said that Jesus died for all the world, so the unbeliever is not predestine for hell, only by choice does that happen when they reject the gift of salvation through Jesus.

In Eph 1:4

"4 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:"

We find that "we were chosen from the foundations of the earth," so confirming that the Bible teaches "Election", however, you and I do not know who these are so must give everybody a chance to know the gift of salvation through Jesus. Note Matt 25:34,41.

"34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"

God knows all things, time does not affect His knowledge so before each of us was born He knew that we would accept or reject His gift, therefore we are predestined, Romans 8:30

"Moreover, whom He predestined, those He also called; and whom He called, those He also justified; and whom He justified, those He also glorified."

Predestination has always been part of God’s plan, from the beginning of time it was His plan that those who accepted His gift will one day be like His Son. As a result of this plan we read in Romans 8:31-39

"31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

There is nothing which can be greater than God, therefore there is nothing which can separate us from Him, He has all power.
Note that the conditions of a Believer, "justified, glorified" as given in Romans 8:30 above are in the past tense, they have already happened, God is so sure that we are His that we are already glorified. God knows what He is doing so we must live in faith, trust Him, let God have His way, walk with Him.