Dear editor:
Lately, I have heard some Christians say they believe that in the beginning God chose who would become His people and who would be damned to spend their eternity in hell. They quote Romans 8:28-30:
"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those that love God, to those who are called for His particular purpose. Those He knew at the beginning He predestinated to become like His Son so that His Son would be the firstborn among those called. Also, those whom He called were made righteous and are promised to share His glory."
The Bible tells us that God is omniscient, or all-knowing. This perfect knowledge of God is exclusively His, that includes all things actual and those which are possible (Psalm 33:13-15; Acts 15:18; 1 John 3:20).
The word "predestination" is also known as election (Isaiah 45:46). There is no reference in the Scriptures as to God's election of those He has chosen to be saved and those who are to be damned. Nor is there any teaching that a person is saved because of God's choice alone; there must also be the choice of the person to meet God's terms of salvation.
God's plan is the elected, chosen, foreknown and predestined invitation to all people to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. The whole program of salvation is simply that of becoming a born-again new creation through God's only Son (Matthew 18:3; John 3:1-8, 14:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18), and living soberly, righteously and godly in this life (Galatians 5:18-21, 24; 1 John 1:7, 2:29).
Truly, God is just and the Justifier of those who believe and the Judge of those who choose to believe (Matthew 16:15-16; Luke 13:15; John 3:16-18; Revelation 22:17).
Donald Cunningham
Hot Springs
Editorial on 09/09/2018