PREDESTINTON OR HOPE

 

KEY VERSES:

²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it… 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. ³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Rom 8:24-25,28-30)

  Unfortunately, Paul knew Jesus so well that he knew what he was writing, but honestly, I did quite well with all other scripture until I read the Letter to the Romans. Commencing with chapter seven, Paul’s words became confusing. Certainly, he was not confused, but most readers are, even me. Not to brag but I excelled in reading comprehension in school, and to be an engineer requires great comprehension. I am not the “sharpest knife in the drawer,” but am quick to sharpen the dull places.

  The key verses are confusing. I grant the reader that. Paul says that, “We are saved by hope,” then explained that hope is not what meets the eye but what is hoped is better. Not only that, but “we with patience wait for it.” On the other hand, he seems to indicate that we are helpless because our salvation was predetermined beforehand. It cannot be both ways unless we are missing something!

  “Hope” is something in the future which is better than what is seen. Paul is writing of heaven. “Salvation” is not here in earth but in heaven, and Christians must patiently wait for it. In the interim hope satisfies that longing. Hoping for the unseen is what faith is, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Paul was very clear when he wrote to the Hebrews but not as clear when he wrote to the Romans. What Paul meant is that “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephes 2:8).

  Hope and faith are equivalents. It is not, I hope I shall be saved, but I am as if saved so long as I trust in the blood of Jesus for salvation. Paul is clear in one thing; Christians “patiently wait for it” and that “it” is salvation. It lies ahead sometime in the future. Where translators render the Greek “sosos” as “saved” could as easily have been rendered “safe” (Strong’s Dictionary). Indeed, rebirth makes one safe from Satan but Satan still tempts as even Jesus was. Job is an example of that, and Job could have failed although he was a perfect and righteous man.

  “Hope is “to expect with confidence” or “trust” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

  Having confidence in salvation is the assurance of salvation. It is not already obtained but lies in the future. Salvation has three aspects and Paul goes to great length to explain to the Romans that for Christians, sin is not accounted to them as sin if there “will” is to do good whether their flesh interferes or not (Rom 6-8). Hence, immediately, Christians are saved from sins which are past (Rom 3:25) and as a Christian sin again and repents, those sins are in the past because of repentance.

  Thus, the first step in salvation is saved from sin. That is not something hoped for but already redeemed and is available to those who are born again (John 3:7). Rebirth is seeing Satan as dead already (John 3:14) and realizing that sin can no longer be blamed on him but it is a choice, albeit grace is realized as virtue from Jesus (John 3:16)

  The second step in salvation is a future event. Upon death the soul is saved because Satan can no longer test any dead person. It seems the mind resides with the soul, albeit the brain stays with the dead. Paul wrote that for Christians, “To die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Why is that? The soul has been safe from further tribulation by the testing of Satan. Therefore, upon death, the soul is saved, and keep in mind that death is in the future; maybe the next instant or likely years later.

  The final step in salvation is the “rapture” when the body is snatched up from the grave, regenerated in the original image like Adam and has the immortal soul breathed back unto the lifeless body.

  “Regeneration” is not “rebirth” as theologians and Calvinists say, but when the Christian is “glorified.” That raises the question; what is glorification?

  We look to Jesus for that: “The hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee” (John 17:1). If Jesus had only died, that would not have glorification (elevation) of God. However, because Jesus died but became alive again did glorify God. He was able to do that! Hence, “glorification” is a resurrected dead body that has life breathed back unto it. Once that is done, the human being is totally alive again and back to the same state that Adam was generated.

  Adam’s flesh was corrupted when he sinned, but when the dead in Christ rise, including Adam, he and all Christians who have died will be restored back to the way Adam was made — in the image of Elohim (plural of El) – the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

  In only one of the steps can the salvation process be interrupted and that is the safety provided by faith. The whole armor of God is that safe condition, to wit: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephes 2:11). Faith is the shield that protects, as is written, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephes 6:16). Faith is a gift from God. It is His shield that He alone provides. As a “shield” it can be used or left behind. Those who trust themselves to fight the Devil delude themselves. They must pick up the shield and use it. Those who do not will die! That is the message in Romans 3:14, seeing Satan as if already dead on his pole because Jesus died to finish off the “brazen” Serpent.

  Those who accept Satan as if already dead because of the blood and water of Jesus, shall be saved, having the “hope of salvation” (1 Thes 5:8), or confidence that they shall be saved. That is a future event.

  Salvation is under protection of God. The ultimate protection is before God on His Throne in Paradise. God will not tolerate Satan’s presence. Satan, even to be in paradise on earth, had to manifest himself as a serpent. What is it hoped for? A glorified, incorruptible body imbued with the Holy Ghost of Jesus in the Presence of the Lord. Salvation is culminated when those dead in Christ stand on the sea of glass and see God face-to-face as Jesus!

  The Big Lie — the biggest lie — is that once you are saved from sin, then you are safe from Satan. The testing has yet to begin! You will need the whole armor of God for without it you just might fail, even with Jesus in you, because rejection of the Holy Ghost is blasphemy (Mark 3:29). How can anyone “blaspheme the Holy Ghost” unless he resides within? That is apostasy — defection and abandonment of God (ibid). It is throwing down the protective seal and living without God. Many have done that; why is it so unbelievable?  How long is a Christian vulnerable? Until he or she dies. That is the “gain” from death.

  Now for predestination: Scripture offers two translations — predetermined or ordained. The former indicates that God decided who would be saved when their immortal soul was created back in Genesis 1:1) – before the foundation of the world, but read that more closely: “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” (Ephes 1:4). Yes, everyone “should be saved” because to die forever is foolishness!

  First off, the “chosen” people were at first only the Jews (Deut 14:2), but later on the Gentiles were “chosen” (1 Pet 2:9). Others are chosen as those before them reject God as the Jews did. That is true, but God did not cause that; He gave the chosen ones the chance to be redeemed. He knew in advance that all but a few Jews would reject Him, and that Gentiles would accept Him as God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and themselves. God did not cause that but knew the answer beforehand. That is “foreknowledge.”

  He designed unto his first man, free will. Paul spoke often about the “will” of the Spirit in battle with the “will” of the flesh. Jacob wrestled with Jesus and so will Christians. Like Jacob, if the faithful person is willing to win the contest, just as Paul spoke of the “race,” Jesus lets them win. Jacob could have lost but he understood that he was wrestling God, and that God Willed for him to win.

  Jacob could have said, “I cannot defeat you,” but instead he fought the good fight, and came out the winner! He was humbled in victory, that it was not his strenght but God’s, and hence, the withered thigh.

  Jacob was not predestined to win but God ordained that because he wrestled with faith that God provided. He knew that he was wrestling Jesus and fought to win.

  The other word translated from the Greek, proorizo, instead of “predestined” is “ordained.” “Ordination” is “decreed” (ibid). What has God decreed? “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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 3:15-16). “Whosoever” is anyone that will believe. Not just believe that God exists but that He can save. That is trusting by faith.

  Faith therefore is the key to salvation. God provides the shield, but the Christian must trust God to go out against all the “Goliath’s” without a shield made by hands, but the shield that God provided to David. That was the Holy Spirit on him. How did David obtain God’s shield? God didn’t just hand it to him, but David was a man after God’s own heart (Act 13:22). David trusted the shield of God for protection, but first he had to reject the shield of Saul. David had only to do one thing: as he rejected a shield made by hands and picked up God’s shield, God did all the rest as He was gracious as David glorified Him.

  God still killed Goliath, but David’s hand took off Saul’s armor and aimed the stone. God chose David, not by random, but because he knew David’s heart at the time before he sinned wit Bathsheba.David repented (Psalm 51) but if he had not, his heart would no longer belong to God.

  Saul was anointed and ordained to be King but he failed God. On the other hand, David was ordained to be King. Both were ordained, or predestined, but one failed God and the other did not!

  Calvinistic predestination and irresistible grace are the Serpent’s cunning all over again. He wants sinners to feel secure and chosen. That is arrogance; that God would choose individuals and make them special without regard to the humble ones who are peculiar. The Church is divided between Calvinism and Arminianism and the only being content with that is Satan! Satan smiles again while “Adam” and “Eve” consider the merits of the doctrines from the two trees.

(picture credit: "Great White Throne;" Pinterest)