Predestination

Why is it that we struggle with this doctrine of predestination?

Here are some thoughts I have on this issue:

1. First, and most likely the key reason: we want to be in charge of our destiny — and not God. This explains our uncomfortable feeling of not being in charge of the salvation that Christ provides. This is the primary sin of mankind from Adam onwards and none of us are exempt from this issue since all have fallen in Adam.

2. We misunderstand what the gospel is. Many understand that the gospel is your get out of hell free card. This is a reduction of the gospel message. The gospel is the proclamation that the King of the Universe (the King of Glory) has condescended his heavenly throne to join himself to humanity- living among his people, dying a sinner’s death and through his death, defeating the powers of sin, death, and the devil; then raising from the dead opening the way to life for all of those who are and would be in Him; And finally, ascending to the throne at the right hand of the Father to take his proper place as judge of all mankind — establishing the kingdom that will last forever. This is the gospel message. The point is- the gospel is all about Jesus and not about me. Jesus is the center of the story and therefore, our eternal place is a consequence of his work, not ours. Given that what we do has no role in who Jesus is or his work, then it follows that we have no role in who Jesus is to us, or what Jesus does for us (including those thing prepared ahead of time). read more