Predestined
by Terry Wane Benton
"He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (Ephesians 1:5).
Jesus was predestined to die for the sins of the world, and a church was predestined to form around the call of the gospel to come into His grace. So, if you are “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27), it is because you have heard that predestined call of the gospel and have entered into union with Him.
Predestined events do not affirm the Calvinistic concept that every thought, every moment, and every decision I make is already predetermined. This concept means we have no real ability to make a choice. It basically says that we are merely pre-programmed robots and that God arbitrarily pre-programmed me to come to him, and others are not so fortunate. That would mean that God programmed the majority to sin and go to hell, and there is nothing they can do about it. Such an extended predestination of all thoughts and actions is not taught in the scriptures.
But some things were predestined. The free will and moral accountability of all capable people have been predetermined. The payment for sin in Jesus was predetermined. The fact that the gospel of Jesus would call some people to these precious benefits was predestined to take place. Leaving that decision up to you was also predestined. Those who obeyed the gospel were predestined to be adopted as God’s children. The call to be holy and blameless before Him in love was predetermined in God’s plan. That only those who would enter into Christ would be His adopted children was part of the plan.
To be in Christ is to be a part of the predestined. These are predestined for very important and special spiritual blessings that are only in Christ (Ephesians 1:3, 7). Forgiveness of sins, chosen to be holy, adopted as His children, with eternal benefits. Indeed, we are guided in this plan and equipped for great things here and for eternity. Don’t miss out on these predestined things in Jesus Christ.
