“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. “For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.'” When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region<\/em>” (Acts 13:46-49).<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe key to understanding Acts 13:48 is to understand the Greek word\u00a0tasso<\/em> which was translated as “appointed” in the above verse. It means to place, set in order, arrange, determine, appoint or direct. For example, Jesus told the disciples to meet him at a mountain that he designated (tasso<\/em>) (Matthew 28:16). The centurion stated that he was a man placed (tasso<\/em>) under authority (Luke 7:8). Foreplanning is involved but the word does not imply foreknowledge of each individual. For example, Stephanas and his household had devoted (etaxan<\/em>, a form of the base word\u00a0tasso<\/em>) themselves to the service of the saints. In other words, they were determined to serve their brethren.<\/p>\nNext, note that Paul charged the Jews with rejecting the gospel, “since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life<\/em>” (Acts 13:46). Their rejection was their own and so they determined their own verdict of being unworthy of eternal life. In contrasted, the Gentiles were determined to have eternal life, these believed instead of rejecting the gospel. In other words, how you understand this verse depends on who you assumed did the determination. Calvinists insist that it is God who did the determining, though that is not stated in the verse. However, the context shows that the more natural reading is a contrast between the Jews’ determination to be unworthy of eternal life and the Gentiles’ determination to possess eternal life. One commentary that leans toward predestination admits, “While there is a strong indication of predestination, the text may simply be trying to distinguish between those who were converts and those who were not.” [The Complete Biblical Library<\/em> on Acts 13:48]. I disagree that there is a strong indication of predestination. Nowhere else is\u00a0tasso<\/em> used to indicate predestination.<\/p>\n“Those of them who had, either through previous religious instruction, or through the influence of Paul’s preaching, heartily determined for eternal life, were in a better frame of mind to appreciate the evidence in favor of that Christ through whom alone it could be obtained, than the others who were so undetermined upon the subject that they appeared to judge themselves unworthy of such a destiny. Such was the difference between the two classes in the audience, and Luke’s object is to declare the result of the difference in the fact that the one class believed, and the other thrust the word of God from them. To say that the difference had been wrought in them exclusively by divine agency would be to rob them of responsibility” [J. W. McGarvey, The Fourfold Gospel<\/em>].<\/p><\/blockquote>\nMcGarvey’s last point is important. If God determined these Gentiles to have eternal life then He also determined these Jews to not have salvation. But this contradicts Peter’s statement: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance<\/em>” (II Peter 3:9). It also contradicts what Luke just said in Acts 13:46. It was the Jews who determined\u00a0themselves<\/em> to be unworthy of eternal life.<\/p>\nEphesians 2:10<\/h3>\n“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them<\/em>” (Ephesians 2:10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThis verse states that God prepared in advance goods works that His people should perform. It does not state that the people were prepared in advance.<\/p>\n
God’s followers are expected to follow the ways of God. “But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk<\/strong> in the same manner as He walked<\/em>” (I John 2:5-6). Sadly,\u00a0God had ways for Israel to walk, but they refused. “Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk<\/strong> in My ways!<\/em>” (Psalms 81:13). But notice that God set the expectation and it was up to people to follow Him or not.<\/p>\n\tResponse:<\/h2>\n
The point is well-understood sir. Bottom line: Each of us has a responsibility to choose, by our act of will, how we respond to God. Our choice then positions us to experience what God had already set in place. As he said in Deuteronomy 30:15-20, he has given us a choice, and how we exercise that right is up to us. But it will come with its predetermined consequences!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I just read your article on the subject of predestination and foreknowledge. I very well understood the difficulties and struggle of trying to explain subjects like these and wish to appreciate your efforts I just want you to look at Acts 13:48 and Ephesians 2:10. I will like to know how these tie into…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[866,562],"class_list":["post-14518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-foreknowledge","tag-predestination"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52372,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-we-gods-puppets\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":0},"title":"Are we God’s puppets?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: About predestination and foreknowledge: God gave us a mind of our own, but He already knows what we will choose. Therefore, He can determine His plans without taking away our own responsibility. As a child, I learned that God predestined us to believe, so we don't choose ourselves and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8196,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-already-know-everything-that-will-ever-happen\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":1},"title":"Does God Already Know Everything that Will Ever Happen?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ken Green A Reformed (Calvinist) scholar wrote: \u201cThe Scriptures clearly teach that long before we pray, God already knows everything and that He has already determined what He is going to do.\u201d It\u2019s true that God is omniscient and absolutely sovereign over all things. To think that we can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38312,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-not-exactly-know-what-we-are-going-to-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":2},"title":"Does God not exactly know what we are going to do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If everything is not predetermined, does that mean that God still doesn't know what we are exactly going to do? Answer: Not exactly. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He can and does predict what we will choose to do in most things. But some things are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17631,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-adam-and-eve-did-not-sin-would-it-have-been-only-a-matter-of-time-before-someone-else-sinned\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":3},"title":"If Adam and Eve did not sin, would it have been only a matter of time before someone else sinned?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What would the world be like if Adam and Eve had not sinned? Would it only be a matter of time before someone else after them would have sinned? Answer: It would be impossible to speculate because we don't have sufficient information. We know that God planned on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63292,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/predestined-to-glory\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":4},"title":"Predestined to Glory","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 1:3-14 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The confusion over predestination isn\u2019t due to understanding that it exists; rather, the questions is who was predestined and for what purpose. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cthe doctrine that God in consequence of his foreknowledge of all events infallibly guides those who are destined for salvation\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47301,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-struggling-with-the-ideas-of-foreknowledge-and-free-will\/","url_meta":{"origin":14518,"position":5},"title":"I’m struggling with the ideas of foreknowledge and free will","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you for all your articles and answers. They are beneficial. I have recently been struggling very much with the idea of foreknowledge and free will. I have always believed that we have free will and that God can simply use whatever our decisions are to accomplish his will.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14518\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}