YouthPOINT

Salvation

By Adam Portal • AnswerQuest • 2 Apr 2016

Question: Is Salvation Predestination?

If the questions being asked is if both these things are one and the same then the answer is no, they are two separate but related ideas.

But it seems the the question is actually: What is Predestination and how does it relate to Salvation?

To answer this question let me (1) answer the question outright and (2) then provide a brief background to this question, which requires a lot more inductive study and meditation on God’s word. And finally, (3) provide some resources (Links) that will help you begin to comprehend more fully this subject.

And finally, (4) provide additional links that provide background for this Doctrine of Predestination within its greater context of The Doctrines of Grace.

But before answering this question – let us all agree that God’s word must provide the answer. We are not looking for opinions of men or human logic to come to the conclusion. We are seeking God’s divine Word to provide the conclusive answer to such important questions. For this we will need to truly study the word of God in depth and with a willingness to bend to God’s Word.

Answer:

What is Predestination? Predestination is a doctrine found in scripture that indicated that God as sovereign creator of all things determined, from before the creation of the world, to save whom He would save and that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. (Rom 8:29-30, Eph 1:5, 11, Romans 9 to mention only a few)

How does it relate to Salvation? This truth of predestination must be expounded on and the scripture does so very clearly. It implies both mans complete and utter lostness, and Gods sovereign and electing power to save the lost, without any possible and or imagined concept of man saving himself by some decision or step.

Salvation is by faith alone (Rom. 3:23-30, Rom 4:5, Rom 5:1, Rom 11:6 and so on)

This truth of predestination has to bee seen within the context of Election. God chooses those whom he will save. This truth is found in all of scripture and goes directly in contradiction to the idea than man chooses God. God is an electing God. He chose His people (Deut 7:6-8) according to His own good pleasure and will (Eph 1:5.) Man does not choose God (Psalm 14:2, Rom 3:11, Jonh 6:44) and is unable to choose God because man in dead in His sins unto God (Rom 6:23). Man is not sick or almost dead, He is fully dead spiritually. This condition is worse that we may at first think because it declares man totally unable to choose good. His choices are always and forever for evil and not for good, unless God makes Him alive.

As in the story of Lazarus being resurrected, we see that Lazerus was dead and could not possible respond to the call to “Come forth” out of the grace because dead men do not hear. It is by the power of Christ that Lazarus is brought to life, and then is able to respond to the call to “Come forth.” The implication is clear for anyone to see: Salvation is fully a work of God. He give life and then we are able to respond to His call. That is the basis by which man is saved. By grace alone apart from any work at all.

To keep this brief – let me provide some useful SHORT links that help expound this topic to get your feet wet in your study of Predestination and Election as part of the Doctrines of Grace.