Acts 15:18 *Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world*.
*THE STREAMS IN REFORMATION: REFORMED/ CALVINIST TRADITION*(h)
Aside the cessation of spiritual gifts, the Calvinists emphasizes the doctrine of predestination in a way that has caused several arguments. Is the doctrine of predestination biblical? Yes it is, but the Calvinist view is not generally accepted.
*What is predestination*? Calvinism believes that God has ordained the eternal destiny of every individual before the creation of the world in his sovereignty. That is, God has predestined some (the elect) to everlasting life and some to eternal destruction. Some of the scriptures used to support these include:
Romans 8:29-30 says, *"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified*".
Ephesians 1:4-5 says, *"according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will*"( KJV).
The doctrine of predestination is not in doubt by bible scholars because it is clearly stated in scriptures but where contention arises is on the several interpretations given to it especially by the Calvinists. We cannot understand predestination properly If we don't understand the nature of God and man.
For instance, saying some have been predestined to eternal destruction and cannot be saved because salvation is limited to a chosen few is an affront against the loving and merciful nature of God and a denial of the capacity God gave man to decide the course of his life.
The bible says, *"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH, but everyone to come to repentance*" (2 Pet 3:9 NIV).
By nature, God cannot and will never predestine anyone to perish. That will make Him look wicked. Wickedness will make Him and Satan operate in the same pattern. That can never be God. If some are predestined to perish, that means the death of Christ is not for all. If so, why are we telling all sinners Jesus died for them.
Ezekiel 33:11 says, *"...‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?*"( NIV)?
When Jesus came, he came to reveal the mind of the father to us. From what he taught, we can deduce that eternal destruction was never God's plan for any man. If any man perishes, it is his choice not by God's predestination. The lake of fire is primarily for Satan and his demons not humans.
In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, *"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the ETERNAL FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS*" (NIV)
Did you see that hell was not prepared for man originally? If God did not intend for mankind to go to hell nor take pleasure in the death of the wicked and is willing that all come to repentance instead of perishing, how safe it is to conclude that he has predestined some to eternal destruction?
Such conclusion will make our theology incoherent and present God as wicked. It will also make our evangelistic drive weak because some are predestinated for destruction, so we won't bother. In my opinion, this will damage the framework of evangelism and missions. Thank God it is not so.
The salvific plan of God for all sinners is not in doubt neither should anyone question it but will they accept His offer? That is the question