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Foreordination

Foreordination

Foreordination is the same as predestination which means that God ordains what will happen in history and in salvation. It means to appoint beforehand. The word ‘foreordained” is used in the KJV in 1 Pet 1:20. See the following verses regarding predestination:

  • Rom. 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
  • Eph. 1:11, “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”‘

But God does not cause people to sin when he foreordains/predestines that they sin.  All that occurs because God wills that it occurs either by his direct will or His permissive will.  Nothing can occur apart from the counsel of God’s will.  Please consider the following two verses:

  • Acts 4:27–28, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 8 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.”
  • Acts 2:23, “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”

Notice that God predestined that they crucify Jesus (Acts 4:27-28), but it was the people who were responsible (Acts 2:23)

From Dictionaries: Foreordaination

  • “Activity of God by which he establishes events and outcomes before they occur. In common usage, “foreordination” and the term “predestination” are synonymous.” (Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988.)
  • “foreordination (Gr. proorizein, Lat. praedestinare, “to predestine, to foreordain”) God’s ordaining or predestining what will happen in history and in relation to human salvation (Acts 4:28; Rom. 8: 29– 30; Eph. 1: 5, 11).” (McKim, Donald K.. The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition: Revised and Expanded (Kindle Locations 5561-5563). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

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