It is hard to form an opinion or take on a doctrinal belief of a concept that is often touchy and complex to understanding. The argument concerning foreknowledge and predestination is nothing new, yet when the topic arises, it seems unavoidable disputes are close at hand. The purpose of this manuscript is to attempt to define and explain the difference, if there is one, between foreknowledge and predestination. The easiest way to understand the meaning of any word is to relate back to the original meaning of a word or words that make up a whole.
Looking back into the original Greek vocabulary, the word "foreknowledge" is a combination of the words "pro" (before) and "ginosko" (to know). Combined, these syllables form "proginosko", which when translated means, "to know beforehand". This word is used approximately five times in the New Testament (Acts 26:5, Romans 8:29; 11:2, 1 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 3:17). A literal translation of "foreknowledge" is found in Acts 2:23 and 1 Peter 1:2. In these passages, the Greek word "prognosis" ("pro"" + "gnosis") is used. .
Foreknowledge is a function of the divine characteristic of omniscience, w hereby God anticipates in advance all things that will occur (Isaiah 46:10). In the application of foreknowledge to God, it shows that he has always foreknown everything and does not need to actively acquire information. Romans 8:29 of the New Living Translation states, "For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters." This exemplifies God's eternal foresight by which He anticipated all who would believe in Christ. God knew from the very beginning of time who would and would not believe because of their own decision made at the presentation of the Gospel or God's calling. Because of His foreknowledge, God initiates perfect plans for the lives of His children (believers).
Calvinism and Its Predestination Theory vs. Armenianism When one hears the term Calvinism, he or she might be puzzled as to what this term means. After finding out what Calvinism means, he or she might also begin to ask themselves "Where did the word Calvinist come from? Where does Calvinism fit in...
Finally, Jonathan Edwards believed in predestination or theistic determinism, where humans do have a will, but their will is determined by God. ... He believed in Predestination, where God is in control of everything. ... That will is what enables us to make choices, and in predestination, God makes all those decisions. ... When determinism and predestination come into the picture, freedom is no longer a part of it. ... When put in the concepts of determinism and predestination, freedom is limited, and is no longer free. ...
Understanding the Christian Doctrines of Divine Sovereignty, Predestination, And Free Will for Counseling "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." ... No Christian can study God=s Word for very long without coming face-to-face with the dilemma concerning predestination and free will. ... No debate on predestination and free will can occur without the vital and preliminary discussion about the sovereignty of God. ...
Ellen Foster vs. The Puritans This novel Ellen Foster is a very unique piece of literature that conveys meaning and peace to people's hearts. It is a very tasteful novel, if you like the sentimental way of life, and all the trials that this little girl went through. The author, Kaye Gibbons, is a ...
The doctrine of sin unequivocally permeates the Holy Scriptures. Copious declarations about the sin include, "all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God," "your iniquities have separated between you and your God," "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2, 1 John 3:9 KJV) However, probably the most notorious of passages in the New Testament must be Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12 has bee...
The whole mechanics behind the movie take a bit to unpack and understand, but once these things are laid out, the philosophical underpinnings and how the arguments of free will vs determinism become very relevant. ... This is a clear demonstration of predestination in action. ... These are just a few examples, and the movie itself is replete with many more that could fill out a 10 page paper easily with examples of free will vs predestination. ...
Predestination has long been a staple of many religious sects, and it has long been known that personality traits and decisions are largely determined by one's upbringing, and furthermore things like alcoholism have been all but totally proven to be genetically determined (Johnson). ... If one is to believe the content of the Bible (taken literally), then one believes at least in part in predestination. ... One must either give up their particular interpretation of the Bible or give up their beliefs about predestination. ... In this instance the actual definition of free will gets clo...
PART ONE Calvinism "The theological system of John Calvin and his followers marked by strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination.... PART TWO Arminianism "Relating to Jacobus Arminius and his doctrines opposing the absolute predestination of strict Calvinism and maintaining the possibility of salvation for all.... " (Tenth) Scriptural basis - 1 Peter 1:2 "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprink...
Although Martin Luther and John Calvin both agreed that one's fate or destiny was predestined, Luther's interpretation of predestination varied slightly from Calvin's. Martin Luther was brought up to believe in basic predestination, the "doctrine that God has elected certain souls to eternal salvation" and Luther, along with several others, assumed that the people not predestined to bliss were damned. ... On the other hand, John Calvin believed that predestination was the final word; God did not create all in equal condition, in fact there was "eternal life for some, eternal dam...