PREDESTINATION

Through the years, so many men have just guessed at these things; and brought up teaching which are not correct with the Word and this is why most people are in total darkness.In the Word of God, we find that when the N.T. started, the way of salvation was purely by faith in Jesus Christ. Anything else is rejected by God.

Now, that is God's CHOICE; in other words, this is what God elected. God did not elect certain people to be saved --- and certain others to be lost. If this were true, it would CONTRADICT the Word, which said, whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely.The Word also says that God is NOT WILLING that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. So, this is God's will or His choice; THAT ALL BE SAVED.

So this alone does away with the 'theory' that God chose some to be saved; and chose others to be lost. So, that is established with the Written Word.

Then what does this mean?----Romans 8:29---For whom he did FOREKNOW, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

V30--Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called them he also justified: and whom he justified them he also glorified.

Now the big question is this: WHAT DOES THE FOREKNOWING MEAN?

Many have supposed that it means God knew in the very beginning who would and who would not, therefore only those whom he knew WOULD can be saved. But, see this does not fit the thing about whosoever will may come.

So, that cannot be the true answer.Remember in Jesus parables, he said to the ones he told to go away into everlasting fire, I NEVER KNEW you----- so, what is THIS saying?

I NEVER KNEW YOU? --- When is this said? It is said AT THE JUDGMENT AT THE LAST DAY --- AFTER THE RESURRECTION.So this is when he is speaking of when he said WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW --- them he had PREDESTINATED that this group ---(those he had foreknown ---- BEFORE the day of judgment --- before the day of RESURRECTION) --- IF HE HAD KNOWN YOU BEFORE THAT DAY -- He chose or predestinated, = predetermined -- that this group of people (what group?)--- (The ones he had known before the judgment)--- would be conformed to the image of his dear Son.

God did NOT elect certain ones to be saved and others to be lost ---NO NO NO!! He elected that those who came in by FAITH IN JESUS --- that those HE KNEW BEFORE THE RESURRECTION --- would be saved and everyone else lost.

So, the predestination is not when he calls you --- the predestination is God's choice in the way we are saved. God chose that the ones who come in by FAITH in Jesus would also be conformed to the image of Jesus and therefore be saved.

Now, the next big question is HOW DOES HE KNOW YOU?The answer to this is simple --- he knows us by putting his Spirit into us ---- this is accomplished by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost --- and there is NO OTHER WAY.

That is why I stress this Baptism of the Holy Ghost so much --- for without this, you are none of his ---without this experience --- Jesus has not KNOWN you.

The 'knowing' is the same thing in the Word as when it said, Adam KNEW Eve and she CONCEIVED AND BARE CHILDREN.It uses this term many times in the Word to show the marriage relationship ---so it is the same with Jesus and us ---this is HOW he knows us --- by putting his Spirit into us--- this is how we conceive from him and bring forth a child of God = ourselves.

This is how we become conformed to the image of Jesus, by having and obeying the Holy Ghost; which is his Spirit.

Now, the answer is this: if Jesus places his Spirit into you BEFORE the day of the RESURRECTION, then he predestinated that this one would be saved.

If he did NOT place his Spirit into one BEFORE the day of the RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT, he elected that this one would be lost.It is this simple. If he FOREKNEW you (=knew you before the resurrection)--- then you will be saved.

Now, lets go into Ephesians one to finish this message.

V4--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:

V5--Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

V6--To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.Now, at first glance, one can come to the mistaken conclusion that this Scripture is saying that God CHOSE us to be saved ---- before the world began.

But, you must always interpret one Scripture by another one. You cannot find the real truth from just one Scripture. This has to fit the Scripture saying whosoever will may come.

So, WHAT WAS PREDESTINATED? Look at it again --- he said he predestinated us unto ADOPTION --- so what is ADOPTION? This is the fact that God the Father accepts us as HIS CHILDREN because we belong to Jesus, God's Son. God adopts us through Jesus. The fact that we came to Jesus by FAITH causes God the Father to adopt us as His Children.The adoption is when we come out of the grave in the IMAGE OF THE SON, JESUS.

Look at verse 6--To the praise of the glory of his GRACE, wherein he hath made us ACCEPTED in the beloved.See, this said that by his GRACE, he accepted us in Jesus. This is why it is so very important to leave LAW and come into GRACE. It is by GRACE that we receive the adoption of children --- in other words---when the predestinated election of FAITH is applied to us --- this is how we obtain the promise of salvation.

Now, v7--In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his (WHAT? LAW OR GRACE?) --- (look at it)---- it said, by his GRACE.

There is no other way. God did NOT PREDESTINATE that those who keep the LAW will find salvation --- NO, NO. He determined beforehand that we would obtain his salvation by his GRACE ---because we obtained forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus.

So it is easy to see that this is the PREDESTINATION ---- THIS IS THE PREDETERMINED will of God --- that we receive life by obtaining forgiveness of sins by faith in the blood of Jesus.

All who come in by faith, and receive this forgiveness of sins, are Baptized into the body of Jesus, the true Church of the firstborn --- and they will, at the resurrection--- come forth in the same image of the RESURRECTED SON OF GOD ---- THIS IS HOW HE IS THE FIRST BORN AMONG MANY BRETHERN------ WHEN WE ALSO ARE RESURRECTED INTO HIS SAME IMAGE.

This is the predetermined will of God--- that all, who come in by faith, are to be resurrected as born again Sons of God.

Now v11--- (the only other place in the Word that PREDESTINATION IS MENTIONED)---

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will

V12--that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

(See, this said you FIRST trusted in Christ --- so this VERY CLEARLY places this obtaining our inheritance to be AFTER we trusted in Christ: not way back yonder in the regions of past we cannot even see.V13--In whom ye also trusted, AFTER that ye HEARD the word of truth, the GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION: in whom also AFTER that ye believed, ye WERE SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE,

(See, once again this makes it very clear, that this promise of obtaining the PREDESTINATED salvation, comes AFTER one hears the gospel and AFTER one believes then, AFTER, Not when they believe, but it said AFTER YOU BELIEVED, THEN AFTER THAT, YOU ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.)

V14---Which is the earnest of our inheritance UNTIL the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Now, this shows without a doubt, that our inheritance of redemption of the body comes later = at the resurrection.So, all this proves without a doubt, that the PREDESTINATION is this: God predetermined that all who come to Jesus by faith, obtain forgiveness of sins by Jesus' blood, and later are sealed with the Holy Ghost, then at the day of redemption, which is the day of the resurrection, then, we will receive our inheritance, which is our glorified body, or the likeness of his dear Son.

Then, at the Day of Judgment, if he did all this to you, = foreknew you, by putting his Spirit into you --- then you will be conformed to his image = have a glorified body. This is the predestination of God.

See how the Word of God explains all these things?