MORE ON PREDESTINATION

MORE ON PREDESTINATION (CAUSE AND EFFECT)

Isa. 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

Men cherish the fact that they have freedom to make choices. And some thoughts on predestination produce road blocks to what they feel concerning the freedom of those choices. Predestination is a term which God uses on a couple of occasions but is connected and used with 3 other terms which also touch upon choices. God uses it in a certain sense which is entirely different from some abuses of the thought connected with its use. Predestination always has a context. The abuse enters into the train of thought when men by their nature try to make God be solely concerned with causing an act when He predetermines (causation). But God does not think or act according to human nature but thinks and acts according to His Godly nature which Isa 55:8 forewarns. God's main concern is with the effect produced as well as the cause. That is where men stumble on this doctrine. To see what this is saying look at Rom 8:28 where it says He causes (Rom. 8:29) when He predestines...and the effect produced is "....to be conformed to the image of His Son." Now that is a pretty good production as well as outcome based on forethought.
Rom. 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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.
Obviously, many more will conform to that perfect Man. I am glad I was in His thoughts. Are you?

See previous article PREDESTINATION; PREDESTINATION -1; HIS PLAN, HIS PLAN.