Subject: What do you mean by predestined? |
Bible Note: Please forgive me... mia culpa... your position is not necessarily, Open Theistic. It is actually what is called "Foreseen Faith" or "Conditional Election." "The belief that election to salvation is not a supernatiural act of God's grace alone; rather, God's choice is based upon the decision of unspiritual man... God chose to salvation those whom He foresaw believed on Him of their autonomous, fallen will. It follows that God's choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His outward call. Election therefore was determined by or conditioned upon what natural man would do. The faith which God foresaw and upon which He based His choice was not given to the sinner by God (i.e. it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) but resulted solely from man's will. It was left entirely up to autonomous man as to who would believe and therefore as to who would be elected unto salvation. God didn't save anyone in particular in Christ but left the destiny of each individual entirely up to corrupt man. Thus, according to those who hold this position, the sinner's choice of Christ, not God's choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation. In this scheme, then, salvation is by grace PLUS nature, not by grace alone." --John Hendryx |