I've been doing a study in Ephesians recently...trying to memorize the whole book...it's slowly coming. I know a lot of people who don't believe in predestination. On one hand I can see why, but after reading scripture and praying and struggling about it, there's no way around it. I'm convicted it's true. You may not agree, but that is for you to work out in fear and trembling. Some other words for ''predestination'' are "chosen" or "elect". The more I study scripture, the more it is obvious to me.
It's not just an Ephesians 2:8-9 passage or Romans 8 passage, but it's the whole Bible. God chose Abraham, he chose Israel as a nation (whether they choose him in return is a different question), and he chose his disciples. I don't see any difference between my God in the OT and my God in the NT. There's no difference. When I first heard about predestination, I thought it was crazy...
And I'll admit that it doesn't have a definite line between some things...there will always be more questions! But one of our flaws as humans is we feel we have to know EVERY LITTLE DETAIL. Unfortunately, that's not how God works (but really it's not that unfortunate).
As I looked closer at scripture and talked to some people who I think are very theologically sound, I was even more convinced. I read over Romans 9 (which is a greattt place to start if you're not sure where you stand) and starting reading my Spanish version Bible in Ephesians 2. Verses 8-9 say, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
In Spanish the word "grace" and "faith" are both feminine words. However when it says "this [is not your own doing]", the word for "this" is neutral. Hmmm...that's strange isn't it? This verse is talking about salvation. So I concluded that the "this" must mean the process of being saved. Yes, yes, we know it's through grace and faith, but it says that the process is "a gift of God". (Not to say that I'm an insanely awesome theologian all of a sudden--my theology isn't perfected).
Like I said I will never fully convince someone. This is a tough topic. However, the rest of scripture seems to point that God didn't just give this gift to anyone. (Even we don't do that--but let's not get our ways confused with how God is). Ephesians also says that, "he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we may be holy and blameless before him". And there are multiple other passages to look at about God choosing us first, and then we respond.
The point I'm trying to make is this: God chose us first. (We can't choose him first if he knew us before we were even existent). It is our choice that is our gift back to him (kinda used the wording from my pastor, Ben Roby). However, He already knows who will choose him and who won't. Israel won't be saved just because he chose them as a nation; likewise with the Jews. Christ is the only way, the truth, and the life. It is our choice to sin or not to, because God doesn't and can't live with sin. That was the purpose of his son coming for us.
Like stated (many, many times) there are many angels to predestination that I can't cover in a blog. You just need to read it for yourself, pray, and decide. (And by the way, I'm not saying that you have to believe in predestination to be saved, because I can't decide for you if you're going or not--that will be God's choice--once again).
I hope you found this helpful. If not, it helped me sort out some of my thoughts! haha.
"Porque por gracia son salvos por medio de la fe; y esto no de ustedes, pues es don de Dios; no por obras, para que nadie se glorÃe." Efesios 2:8-9
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