Get links to my best stuff in your inbox
 

Predestined For Eternal Life Or Eternal Death?

By
Categories: Bible Questions and Answers

A querist asks, “From Ephesians 1:4-5, Are certain people predestined for eternal life by God and certain people for eternal damnation?”

The text of Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV reads:

“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, according to the good pleasure of His will.“

We are not predestined for eternal life by God and others for eternal damnation, for that would make Him a respecter of persons, which He is not (Acts 10:34 NKJV; Ephesians 6:9 NKJV; Colossians 3:25 NKJV; 1 Peter 1:17 NKJV). Rather, He desires “all men” to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV; Titus 2:11 NKJV).

Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV plainly teaches that God has chosen a certain “class” of folks to be saved — not just select individuals arbitrarily chosen. That “class” being made up of individuals who willingly submit to the saving gospel of Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NKJV) through the gospel “call” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NKJV; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV; 1 Corinthians 1:24 NKJV), resulting in a relationship “in Christ” where all spiritual blessings reside (Gal. 3:26-27 NKJV; cf. Ephesians 1:3 NKJV). Note the similarity and correlation between the phrase “in Christ” in Ephesians 1:3 NKJV and the phrase “in Him” in Ephesians 1:4 NKJV.

In other words, God “elected” or “chose” a class of people who would willingly render obedience to the teachings of Christ — i.e., the gospel (Hebrews 5:8-9 NKJV; Romans 1:16 NKJV; 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 NKJV; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NKJV) — the core of that gospel being the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NKJV).

Although we as Christians (those who are “in Christ Jesus” – Romans 8:1 NKJV; Gal. 3:26-27 NKJV; Ephesians 1:3 NKJV) have been “elected” or “chosen” through the saving gospel of Christ (see above Scriptures), we are still required to “give diligence to make our calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10 NKJV), by adding to our lives the Christian graces or attributes found in 2 Peter 1:3-7 NKJV). Otherwise, we can fall from the grace of God (Gal. 5:4 NKJV; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:22-27 NKJV; Hebrews 3:12 NKJV; Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV).

Related Articles:

Related posts: