The popular, Calvinistic understanding of predestination is not biblical. I'll explain.
First Point: Biblical Interpretation
The two main passages from which a doctrine of predestination is obtained are Romans 8 and Ephesians 1. Since Rom 8 begins in the middle of a long train of Paul’s thought and Eph 1 is the start of a train of thought, I'll focus on Eph 1.
The basic mistake that readers make is to identify themselves in the 1st person plural references (we, us) in Chapt. 1:
· has blessed us in the heavenly realms (3)
· he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (4)
· predestined us for adoption to sonship (5)
· he made known to us the mystery of his will … which he purposed in Christ, (9)
·
In him we were also chosen, having been
predestined according to the plan of him (11)
But, a close reader should note that Paul
switches from 1st person plural at verse 12 to verse 13: “in order
that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the
praise of his glory” (12) to 2nd person plural (you – Greek has a
plural form whereas English does not), “and you also were included in
Christ” (13). One needs to stop and ask:
Who, then, are the “we” and who are the “you”?
As one reads further, it becomes quite clear that the “you” are Gentiles
who have accepted Christ and that the “we,” therefore referred to Jewish
Christians. In fact, from 1:13 through
Chapt 3, Paul basically explains how Gentiles in Christ have been included in
the promises to Israel and how the two people have become one in Christ.
Therefore, in the preceding “we” passages Paul is recognizing that the calling and promises to Israel belong to Jewish Christians, “the first to put our hope in Christ” (1:12). One should note that the divine choosing and predestination here do NOT refer to individuals being chosen for salvation. Rather, the community of Israel was chosen collectively for the purpose of being holy as God’s children. That calling belongs to Christians. There is nothing here about individuals being predestined for salvation or damnation. (In Romans 8, although the train of thought is more complex, Paul is again reflecting on how Israel was elected and predestined to a calling of being God’s holy people.)
Second Point: Logical Problem
Calvinists basically start with an abstract definition of the “sovereignty” of God that anything that happens must somehow be the will of God, and then logically deduce that some people must be predestined for salvation and others not. The problem is that the language of Bible that attempts to describe God is metaphorical. The only language that we can use to describe the metaphysical (beyond-physical), divine dimension comes from our physical dimension. Therefore, when the biblical authors used the terminology of king/sovereign, rule/sovereignty, etc., they were using the language of their experience, not an abstract definition. In their culture, a king was not RESPONSIBLE FOR everything that happened within his realm; rather, he was RESPONSIBLE TO what happened. A righteous king did not cause the actions of evil doers; however, righteous king was to address those actions and bring about peace, justice, and righteousness. That is what they were saying about the nature of God. One should not build doctrines from abstract definitions rather than from understanding the biblical language in context.
Devotional point: My “salvation” was not predestined as if I were an automaton. I am saved in Christ when I receive his offer of relationship, when I to entrust myself to him. But, having done so, I accept his call to be holy, to be for the praise of his glory, and to be a blessing to the peoples as Israel was to be (Gen 12:1-3).
Lord, thank you that I have included in the calling and promises to Israel. I realize that I am called to be holy for your glory. Work into me your character. Sanctify me. Amen.
