Foreknowledge, Predestination, and Election

 by Dr. Mark G. Cambron

There are so many theories today concerning foreknowledge, predestination and election, until the mind of the normal and average Christian is so mixed up that he doesn't know what to believe.  If we do not get these three doctrines straight, our whole Christian life will be warped, and soul winning will become a lost grace. Let us turn first to the foreknowledge of God.

I. THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD

"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." (Romans 8:29)

Foreknowledge means to have knowledge of things to be. Foreknowledge is an attribute of God, while Predestination and Election are acts of God. Only God knows the future. He wouldn't be God if He didn't, but the fact that He knows who is going to be saved, and who isn't going to be saved, does NOT determine who is going to be saved and who is going to be lost. Someone may ask, "If God does know who is and who isn't going to be saved, how then, can the sinner get out of it?"

Foreknowledge, in Scripture, never determines what is to be-- foreknowledge is only the knowledge of things to be beforehand. It is the same with our scientists, they can tell when there is to be an eclipse of the sun or of the moon: on a certain day at a certain hour, minute and second; but the scientists do not bring about the eclipse. God has foreknowledge, and by this foreknowledge knows the future, but that is where it ends.

Of course God knows everything! He knows the very number of the hairs of our heads. He knows the number of stars and calleth them by name. God knows everything, including the future. And, not only that, but God knows what would have happened if things had happened that didn't happen. He knows the results of all possibilities. The same is illustrated when David inquired of the Lord concerning his enemy. If he should go to one place, would the enemy be there? God said they would. So David went in another direction. Foreknowledge simply means to possess knowledge of things to be.

II THE PREDESTINATION OF GOD

Here is where many saints falter in their witnessing. They read something or other in the Word about predestination and then they reason that God predestinates some people to be saved, and thus predestinates some people to be lost. This is not the case. To begin with, predestination is never for the lost man; but rather, predestination is for the saved men. We have only to read our Bibles, and read the context where it is speaking of predestination, to clearly understand that Salvation is, indeed, a personal matter based upon the "whosoever wills."

As stated before, Predestination is for the saved man. God knows who is going to be saved, and thus He has predestined certain blessings for those who are going to get saved by faith. In other words, God draws a circle, figuratively speaking, and says that whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will get in the circle.  So the believer, upon his faith in Jesus Christ, steps into the circle. Then God says, figuratively speaking, "Whosoever is in that circle by faith, I have predestinated that they shall receive these blessings," and here they are:

A. "TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON."

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom. 8:29a).

This one of the blessings of God has predestinated for the believer--that the believer is going to be fashioned, made, transformed, transfigured into the likeness of the image of Jesus Christ. The things you might be suffering at this moment are happening to you (Rom. 8:28) to make you more like Jesus. And at the rapture, whether we be dead or alive at His coming, we are all going to be changed and be wholly like unto Christ.

B. "UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST."

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," (Eph.1:5).

Again we want to state that predestination is the predetermined blessings for the saved man and has nothing to do with salvation. Now, in the above text, we are told that the Christian is predestined unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. It doesn't say that the sinner was predestined to become a child of God; no, but rather the saint has been predestined unto the adoption of children.

To get a better idea of this great truth, it is well to explain the meaning of adoption. In America and England, when we adopt a child, we go by legal means and take a child of another family and get into court to make it our own. But no so with the Jewish family, nor with the ancient Roman and Greek family. These adopted their own children. Adoption simply means "to declare as a son," or "son placed." The fourth chapter of Galatians clearly defines the meaning of adoption. It is the time appointed by the father when his boy ceases to be considered a child and becomes a son. According to even present day Jewish custom it is called BAR MITZVAH-- declared to be a Son of the Law, Son of Blessing. The boy becomes of age after his thirteenth birthday, on the day selected by the father. So it is with us: we are children of God, but we are waiting our BAR MITZVAH, our adoption, the time when our Heavenly Father will declare us of age and place us as Sons before the whole universe: "even we ourselves groan within ourselves, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, TO WIT, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY." (Rom. 8:23). This is one blessing that God has predestinated for the saved man, for all who are trusting the Lord Jesus Christ--that we all shall be declared to be of age and as His SONS-- at the resurrection!

C. "PREDESTINATED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM."

Here is the third blessing for the child of God-- "being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ." (Eph. 1:11,12).

You will notice that it is not salvation the Holy Spirit is speaking about, but that which is for those who are saved.

So many fail to read the 12th verse; herein is what God has predestinated -- that we should be to the praise of His glory;Nowhere do we find predestination for, or not for, salvation.

III. ELECTION

"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:" (Eph. 1:4)

The New Testament words "chosen, choose, and election" are the same. The Old Testament word is simply "chosen." From the above Scripture many have felt that God chooses some to be saved and some to be lost. Again I want to point out that predestination and election (choosing) have nothing to do with the lost, but are for the saved.

From the following Scriptures we learn what the choosing, or election, of God is about:

"For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Rom. 9:9-13).

At once we point out that election, or choosing, has to do with service; THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER. It does not say, "The younger shall be saved, and the elder shall be lost." No, but simply, "the elder shall SERVE the younger." Thus choosing, or election, has to do with service." "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" wasn't said of these two men before they were born, but hundreds of years after they died. God hated the descendants of Esau because of their unbelief, and loved the descendants of Jacob because of their faith.

In the 15th chapter of John's Gospel, the Lord Jesus said that He had chosen (elected) them disciples. For salvation? No, for service. Even Judas was chosen! For damnation? No, but like Pharaoh, who was a fit vessel unto wrath - after being given many chances to believe, refused, and thus was used for God's purpose.

The prophet Isaiah says that Israel is God's chosen people (Isaiah 41:8). Does this mean that all Jews are saved? No. It simply means that God has chosen Israel for a service. And we know what that service was: to give us the word of God and to give us the Lord Jesus Christ!

The same prophet, Isaiah, says that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Chosen Servant of God (Isaiah 42:1). Does that mean that God chose the Lord Jesus to be saved? Of course not! For He is the SAVIOR! But God did choose His Son for a service -- and that service was to be the Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the world. And He was the obedient Servant, being obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross!

Now back to the original text, as found in Ephesians 1:4. What has God elected or chosen us for? Not salvation; "but He has chosen us even before the foundation of the world" (He knew that we would believe on His Son) for service -- "that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Thus, we conclude that God does not predestinate or elect men to be saved or lost, but that salvation is on the basis of "WHOSOEVER WILL!"

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17).

 

Don't tamper with the gospel...

Author unknown...

In the final book of the Bible, in the final chapter, in the final verses, we have the final words of Jesus Christ. These words are an invitation to every member of the human race to receive His forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17)." Here eternal life is offered free to whosoever will. According to Romans 6:23, salvation is the "gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)." God's love for mankind, and the importance of the gospel message, are emphasized by the warning God gives in Revelation 22:18,19.

God says, "hands off" the gospel message. It is not to be tampered with. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18, 19)."

The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind. We read in Revelation 1:5, "...Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Every member of the human race has sinned (Romans 3:23) and needs to be washed from his sins in the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus loved us and willingly went to the cross of Calvary and shed his blood that he might wash us from our sins.

To add to or subtract from this message is, in effect, to cancel the message. We are told in I Corinthians 1:17, "...to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." We can be preaching a message that has no saving power if we tamper with the gospel message. Remember Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." We make the message which is the power of God unto salvation of no effect according to I Corinthians 1:17 by tampering with it.

Salvation is by grace and not by works. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9)." The word religion comes from two latin words "re" and "ligio." "Re" means to "go back," and "ligio" means "to bind." "Religion" then means, "to bind back." Religions cannot save. Religions are man's efforts to bind himself back to God. They are Satan-inspired. God says of all the religions of the world. "Behold ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you (Isaiah 41:24)." Therefore, religions will take you to hell.

The plan of salvation is not a religion. True Christianity is not a religion. The "Christian counterfeit" is a religion based on man's efforts to bind himself back to God. The "Christian religion" is false and to be rejected. Satan is clever and gives to man "a heavenly way to go to hell." Any religion you might choose is an abomination (Isaiah 41:24) and will take you to hell. No religion can save! Only Jesus Christ can save! (See Acts 4:12; John 14:6.)

Jesus said, "…I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me (John 14:6)." Look at Proverbs 30:4-6. "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" Here is a wonderful reference to the Son of God in the Old Testament. What is God's name? It is Jehovah! What is his Son's name? It is Jehovah-Yasha! The Greek form of Jehovah-Yasha is Jesus. Jesus, therefore, means Jehovah-salvation. Jesus is Jehovah who brings salvation.

Notice Proverbs 30:5, "Every word of God is pure: He (Jesus) is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him." This is the same as the New Testament. "... Believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved (Act 16:31)."

Notice the warning in Proverbs 30:6. "Add thou not unto His words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Again God gives a warning against tampering with the gospel message. He says, "Add thou not unto His words." And in the context it is talking about salvation!

For example, if a man says, "You are saved by faith in Jesus and by living the Christian life," God will say to him, "You are a liar, I never said that." God will say, "...he (Jesus Christ) is a shield (Savior) to them that put their trust in him (Proverbs 30:5)." If a man says, "You are saved by faith in Jesus Christ plus water baptism and church membership," then God will say to that man at the judgment, "You are a liar I never said that." As the man is cast into hell, God will say, "...he (Jesus Christ) is a shield (Savior) unto them that put their trust in Him (Proverbs 30:5)." And again, God will say, "...believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved...(Acts 16:31)."

God says to the man who changes His message, "You will not be saved!" God warns that all the plagues of the book of Revelation will come upon the person who adds to or subtracts from the message of "...whosoever will, let him take that water of life freely (Revelation 22:17)."

Yet, millions who claim that they are "Christians" have fallen for the Christian counterfeit of salvation. They have lowered Jesus from the position of Savior to simply being a part of the salvation process. This is heresy (Romans 11:6)!

What can wash away my sins? Nothing! Nothing! Nothing, but the blood of Jesus. Christ Jesus, the one who died on Calvary's cross, was buried, and rose again the third day. He alone is the Savior.

Don't tamper with the Word of God. Simply believe God. Take Him at His Word. Trust Jesus as your Savior and you will be saved!

Signs, Healing, and Tongues

1. The Jews, as a nation, began with signs.
   (Rom. 4:11; Ex. 4:8, 9, 17, 28, 30; 7:3; 8:23; 10:1-2; 13:9; 31:13, 17; Deut. 4:34; 6:22).

2. The Old Testament Jews lived by signs.
   (Deut. 11:18; Jos. 4:6; 1 Sam. 10:7; 2 Kgs. 19:29; Isa. 7:14; 38:7, 22; Ezk. 4:3; 20:12, 20). 

3. The Jews demanded signs from the Lord Jesus Christ.
   (Mat. 12:38; 16:1-4; 24:3; Jn. 2:18; 6:30).

4. The Jews require a sign, not the Gentiles.
   (1 Cor. 1:22; Jn. 4:48).

5. According to the Lord Jesus Christ, the gifts of tongues and healing are signs.
   (Mar. 16:16-20).

6. These signs were for the purpose of confirming the word of God.
   (Acts 14:3; Heb. 2:3-4).

7. These signs are spoken of in the past tense in 2 Corinthians 12:12 and in Hebrews 2:3-4, not in the present or future tense.

8. Those who still look for signs and wonders today are on dangerous ground for the Antichrist will deceive the world with signs and wonders (Rev. 13:13-14; 2 Thes. 2:8-12).

9. The Lord Jesus Christ said that an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. (Mat. 12:39).

10. The Bible speaks of various spiritual gifts to believers, but tongues and healing are never emphasized more than the other gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

11. The gifts of tongues and healing were not considered the best gifts (1 Cor. 12:28-31).

12. The gift of healing was a sign (Mar. 16:17-18; Exo. 4:6-8; 2 Kgs. 20:8-9).

13. It is not God's will for all Christians to be healed (2 Cor. 12:5-10).

14. The apostle Paul could not heal himself (2 Cor. 12:5-10).

15. Near the end of his ministry, Paul could not heal Trophimus (2 Tim. 4:20).

16. Instead of healing Timothy, Paul gave him medical advice (1 Tim. 5:23).

17. Contrary to the modern faith healers, "love gifts" and "faith offerings" were not a part of the healing ministries of the disciples (Mat. 10:8-9).

18. A Christian who hasn't confessed his sins and repented of them has no business expecting God to heal him of anything
    (Psa. 6:1-4; 41:4; 2 Chr. 7:14; Hos. 5:10-13; 1 Cor. 11:29-32; Jas. 5:14-16; 1 Jn. 1:7-10).

19. If modern faith healers really have the gift of healing, then they should prove their ministry by visiting hospitals and nursing homes and healing the sick, rather than writing books, holding healing meetings, and begging for money on television
    (2 Tim. 4:5; Mat. 10:8-16; 1 Tim. 6:5-10).

20. Satan has the power to heal and this will cause millions to be led astray in the coming Tribulation Period (Rev. 13:1-4, 12).

21. The gift of tongues was given as a sign (Mar. 16:17; 1 Cor. 14:22).

22. The gift of tongues was the supernatural ability of some Christians to speak in foreign languages in the presence of unbelieving Jews (Acts 2:7-11).

23. God has never caused or commanded Christians to speak in unknown tongues
    (Mar. 16:17; Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 14).

24. The Bible never says once that tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

25. There is no baptism of the Holy Ghost in (1 Cor. 14)

26. Paul said that all true Christians were baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:13), and all true Christians were sealed with the Holy Ghost until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30), but all Christians did not speak in tongues (1 Cor. 12:29-31).

27. The Bible never says that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is a second Christian experience or blessing.

28. The baptism of fire is the condemnation of the wicked in Hell (Mat. 3:11-12), not being "on fire for the Lord."

29. Acts 2:3 speaks of "cloven tongues LIKE AS of fire," but the Book of Acts says nothing at all about tongues of fire or a baptism of fire.

30. If a person does not have the spirit of Christ, he has no business waiting for the baptism of the Holy Ghost, because he doesn't even belong to Christ (Rom. 8:9).

31. Pentecost was never a religious movement, or a religious experience. It was a Jewish feast day which always occurred fifty days after the Passover (Lev. 23:15-22 ).

32. Jesus said that when the Holy Ghost came He (the Holy Ghost) would not speak of Himself, because He would glorify Christ (Jn. 16:13-14).

33. No Christian in the Bible is ever told to pray, preach, sing, or praise God in tongues.

34. The disciples received the Holy Ghost in John 20:22, but they did not speak in tongues when this happened.

35. The filling of the Spirit in Acts 4:31 and Eph. 5:18-20 does not include speaking in tongues.

36. When speaking of spiritual gifts in Ephesians 4:8-12, Paul does not mention tongues.

37. There were only three cases in the Book of Acts where people spoke in tongues (not unknown tongues), and these tongues were a sign to the Jews each time, because the Jews require a sign (Acts 2:1-11; 10:44-46; 19:6-8; 1 Cor. 1:22; 14:22).

38. The former and latter rain of Joel 2 has nothing to do with Acts 2 or the modern-day Charismatic Movement, because the rain of Joel 2 is literal wet rain from the sky in Israel (Joel 2:1-31).

39. Tongues are not even mentioned in the list of spiritual gifts in (Romans 12:6-8)

40. Although tongues (not unknown tongues) were permitted in 1 Cor. 14 (because there was a Jewish synagogue in Corinth - Acts 18:1-4), they were not encouraged because tongues did not edify the church (1 Cor. 14:4-5, 26). 

41. It is better to speak five words clearly than ten thousand with an unknown tongue (1 Cor. 14:19).

42. No more than three people were allowed to speak in tongues in the church assembly, and then only one could speak at a time (1 Cor. 14:27).

43. No one was permitted to speak in tongues in the church without an interpreter (1 Cor. 14:27-28).

44. Women were not allowed to speak in tongues in the church (1 Cor. 14:34-35).

45. Those who did speak in tongues (foreign languages) had power over their own spirit (1 Cor. 14:32).

46. A religious man who doesn't bridle his tongue is deceived and he has a vain religion (Jas. 1:26).

47. Many "seducing spirits" are in the world and it is every Christian's duty to "try" these spirits
    (1 Tim. 4:1; 1 Jn. 4:1; Rev. 2:2).

48. The word of God is the standard by which we are to judge all doctrines (Isa. 8:20; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

49. He that is spiritual judges all things (1 Cor. 2:15).

50. Teaching the Scriptural Truth about signs, healing, and tongues is not a matter of being mean, prejudiced, or intolerant. It is simply a matter of obeying the command to RIGHTLY DIVIDE God's word (2 Tim. 2:15).