The words "predestinate" "predestinated" only appear in the New Testament 4 times. None of the 4 words are associated with anyone being predestinated to heaven or to hell. The 4 words do not appear in the Old Testament at all.
We know that God chose the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. We also know that God chose patriarchs, prophets, apostles and most of all Jesus Christ. Whenever God chose some one it was for a purpose. We must conclude that there is no predestination without a purpose. The reason that God chose certain people was because God was bringing forth a nation and a people from whom the savior of the world would come. This was God's program. Some of the people that God elected to be in the line from which Christ was to come through can be found in Matthew 1:1-17.
All of God's elected people in the Bible were instrumental in being part of the line from which Christ was to come. The emphasis in the Old Testament was not that they had been chosen. The emphasis was that they had faith and believed in God's promise of a savior. If you would like to know what some of these elected people did by faith, read Hebrews chapter 11. The word "Faith" appears in the 11th chapter of Hebrews 22 times. There is no boasting that they were the elected or chosen ones.
God was very protective over the line from which Christ was to come. I believe that was the reason for the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was preserving the line from which Christ was to come. The law was also a keeper of the Jews until Christ should come. After Jesus arrived the law had served its purpose and was abolished.
The whole purpose of predestination and election of some certain individuals has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. There is no purpose in anyone being elected today. The elect today are those that have come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live By Faith" Romans 1:17. Faith in what? Faith that you have been predestinated? I hardly think so. Saving faith is always faith in the doing and the dying of Jesus for your sins and your justification.
If you want to prove that you are one of God's chosen ones then your emphasis should be on Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The apostles did not try to impress people that they had been chosen. Their message was... "Whosoever that shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" Romans 10:13.
We know that God chose the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. We also know that God chose patriarchs, prophets, apostles and most of all Jesus Christ. Whenever God chose some one it was for a purpose. We must conclude that there is no predestination without a purpose. The reason that God chose certain people was because God was bringing forth a nation and a people from whom the savior of the world would come. This was God's program. Some of the people that God elected to be in the line from which Christ was to come through can be found in Matthew 1:1-17.
All of God's elected people in the Bible were instrumental in being part of the line from which Christ was to come. The emphasis in the Old Testament was not that they had been chosen. The emphasis was that they had faith and believed in God's promise of a savior. If you would like to know what some of these elected people did by faith, read Hebrews chapter 11. The word "Faith" appears in the 11th chapter of Hebrews 22 times. There is no boasting that they were the elected or chosen ones.
God was very protective over the line from which Christ was to come. I believe that was the reason for the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was preserving the line from which Christ was to come. The law was also a keeper of the Jews until Christ should come. After Jesus arrived the law had served its purpose and was abolished.
The whole purpose of predestination and election of some certain individuals has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. There is no purpose in anyone being elected today. The elect today are those that have come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live By Faith" Romans 1:17. Faith in what? Faith that you have been predestinated? I hardly think so. Saving faith is always faith in the doing and the dying of Jesus for your sins and your justification.
If you want to prove that you are one of God's chosen ones then your emphasis should be on Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The apostles did not try to impress people that they had been chosen. Their message was... "Whosoever that shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" Romans 10:13.
