My brothers and sisters, I totally understand that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but everyone’s study has to start or begin to grow somewhere!
Regarding the topic of “predestination” based on the teachings or beliefs of John Wesley and John Calvin, I recently read an article summarizing Wesley’s view of predestination and I found myself in agreement with the following points – which I’ve always sensed as truth in my spirit:
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- Grace can be rejected (to our own destruction) and God is actively drawing all people to Himself, although His grace is not coercive;
- Predestination is based on God’s foreknowledge (conditional election through His omniscience), not His will (as it’s not the will of God for anyone to perish). This means God predestines all those who respond in faith to salvation, and by foreknowledge, He (already) knows who will respond. His foreknowledge does not CAUSE their response; and
- The assurance of salvation is given by the Holy Spirit, witnessing directly to our adoption as children of God through Christ.
If this interests you, there is so MUCH more to read on this topic(!). The article to which I refer above was written by James Pedlar and may be read HERE.
Regardless of our current opinions in the matter or study of predestination, what is undeniable is that we all have sinned and we need Jesus to save us from perdition. Only Jesus can forgive our sin and assure us of eternal life!
According to John 14:6, Jesus is the only way to come unto the Father. So if you haven’t yet done so, or if you’ve walked away from faith in Christ and want to rededicate your life to Christ, then let this be your prayerful and heartfelt response:
Tell the Father you are a sinner who needs a Savior. Confess with your mouth that you believe Jesus is Lord, that He is the Son of God who shed His blood upon the cross to wash away your sin (once and for all), that He died and rose again to be with the Father in heaven, and that you love Him and choose to serve Him to the best of your ability forevermore. Thank Him that according to the word of God, you are now born again, not in the flesh, but of the Spirit, and that you are a child of God. Amen!
Some scripture to consider:
John 3:16-17 (NKJV)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 14:6 (NKJV)
“Jesus said to [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Romans 8:8-9 (NKJV)
“So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
Romans 8:16 (NKJV)
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)
“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Ephesians 1:2-6 (NKJV)
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself [emphasis mine], according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance [emphasis mine].”
Praise Jesus forevermore!