Questions About Predestination (Part One)

This week I will address a question submitted by a member of the congregation. This member asks, "Please explain how we are predestined (chosen) before the foundations of the world (cf. Eph 1:4-5,11).” Ephesians 1:3-5 reads,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (emphasis mine).

From the emphasized portions we gave the basis of the question. First, how is it that we are chosen before the foundation of the world? You may have heard a preacher mention that the Bible teaches that we have freewill and that our salvation or damnation is not determined before our birth. Why must this be repeated often? There is a group of men who teach that God has selected each one that is saved, and by sheer consequence of that choice, He has condemned all others. This is one of Satan’s tools to detract from the character of God and drive more away from salvation in Christ. So one must ask, does this first statement say that God selected each individual to be saved before the beginning of the world? No, it does not. What it does state is that the Godhead selected us (a group) in Him (Jesus).

Moreover, this group, classified as being in Christ was chosen to be holy and without blemish before Him in love.  Thus, we could conclude this body of Christ, the church, was chosen to be holy, and without blemish before the God of Heaven. Does this ever mean each person individually or a collective of the saved? We would contend this is the entire body of Christ.

Next, let us turn our attention to the second part and also add in verse 11 looking at the word foreordained. Verse 11 reads: "in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.”. Some translations including the NKJV use the word predestined. The ASV renders it as foreordained. The word foreordained is from the Koine Greek word “proorizo” means to set out boundaries in advance. God has set out boundaries for those who will be saved. Not individuals that were willed unconditionally before the dawn of time. Rather, the church is composed of many members, from many nations, that have chosen to meet the conditions that God has set forth. When God set forth to adopt us as His children, He sent His Son to come forth and buy each of us through His blood. God set the boundaries for how one becomes saved.  God worked all things after the counsel of His will to redeem the church. This is exactly who Paul states he is writing to in Eph 1:1. All of these things apply to the church composed of those who have obeyed the Gospel.

God providentially worked to bring salvation to all men (cf. John 3:16). For instance, He preserved the seed of Abraham that was promised to bless all nations (Gen 22:18). God restored a remnant to the land of Israel so that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah as prophesied (cf. Micah 5:2). There are so many examples within the law and the prophets that point to God's working all things after the counsel of His will. If God sets the boundaries, this tells us how we are predestined. God predestined everyone saved to be saved in the same way through their willful obedience to the Gospel of Christ.

What About Jacob and Esau?

I received another question revolving around Romans 9:11-18. This question revolves around how God chose Jacob over Esau. Let's first consider verse 11, "for the children not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works, but of him that calleth. God gives His intent in the last part of this verse. He intended to negate the argument of the Jews which equated a right standing with God through merit and law-keeping. The Jews might argue that Esau, the rightful owner of his birthright, was rejected because he sold it. The inspired Apostle says no, Jacob was chosen to be the heir while both were in the womb. This is exactly what he mentions in Romans 9:12 calling back to Genesis 25:23, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples, born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the others, the elder shall serve the younger." This was done before any child had done good or bad. Why would God say all this? The context of Chapter 9 tells us plainly. The subject matter is that the fleshly descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have no ground to stand on before Jehovah based on their genealogy alone. Romans 9:6 declares, "But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel." There were many Jews who still rejected Jesus as Savior.

Nations, not Individuals

In Genesis 25:23 we do not see a Calvinist-deterministic situation. What we do see is that God is speaking of Jacob and Esau not as individual persons, but as nations. There was a choice made between individuals, but God regarded it as a choice between nations. There was not a time when I could see the elder brother serving the younger. Rather, the evidence shows individually the opposite.  Jacob fled to Laban because he feared Esau in Genesis 27. Jacob is scared of Esau and sends his family ahead to soften his heart in Genesis 32. Genesis 33 tells of how Jacob bowed to the ground seven times when Esau approached. I would conclude this must be speaking nationally of Israel and Edom.

Why does Paul then quote Malachi 1:2-3, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. The context of Malachi 1 points also to nations, not the individuals. Should we interpret this passage as a proof text for the unconditional election of Jacob and the unconditional damnation of Esau? Absolutely not! Hebrews 11:20 teaches us, "By faith, Isaac, blessed  Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come." You may say a lot about Esau, but you cannot say he was predestined to damnation and hated by God before his birth.

Grace and Peace,

R.D. Beavers