From time to time, someone will ask me, “Do you believe in predestination?” or “What do you think about predestination? Sometimes I offer a quip answer and say, “I believe it the way the Bible presents it.” Of course this does nothing to satisfy another person’s curiosity. It just helps me to avoid a lengthy theological debate. My first encounter with a hard core Calvinist was while studying at a Christian college. I was waiting in a hallway for something, (I cannot remember what) and an older student asked me if I remembered becoming a Christian. When asked if it was my choice or not, I told him “yes.” Then he asked me if I truly believed if I would have made any other choice. I answered, “no.” He asked me if it felt like the circumstances surrounding my experience had anything to do with my choice. I said, “No, the circumstances were beyond my control.” He then told me that I was a Calvinist based on my answers because I believed that God had called me, saved me, that my choice was prompted by the Holy Spirit and that I could not have really refused.

     So there I was—a young, naïve Calvinist. Now I just had to look up this Calvin guy and learn more. I learned that Calvinists often preferred the title, “reformed” and that most Presbyterians, some Baptists, and some from various other groups held to this view. The more I learned, the more uncertain I was that I was truly a Calvinist. I studied more and listened intently as others debated the issue. A few years later in seminary, I became close friends with a man who was reformed in his faith. I asked him about some of the reservations I had, such as, “Does God really only love the elect and hate the non-elect?” His answer was that “hate” was a relative term to the infinite love that God has for the elect. It was not the same as human hatred in which one despises another. God’s love is so great for his children that his love for other beings is like hate. “Good answer” I thought. I also asked, “Isn’t it unfair that God created some humans for destruction and others for glory?” The answer had something to do with God’s ways being higher than ours and that all are born in condemnation. All refuse God. It is just by his grace and mercy that some are rescued from this damnation. Those of us that are elect should not question God’s plan; we should humbly accept his grace and acknowledge our unworthiness. He made the point that knowing that you are one of the elect is not a reason for pride, but for humility, since salvation was all of God and had nothing to do with our own works. I asked a few more questions until I was fairly satisfied. I no longer saw Calvinism as an evil doctrine, but as one interpretation of certain passages in the Bible. I even thought of myself as a Calvinist for a while. But then the old questions came back. I knew that I was supposed to appreciate my salvation, but the unfairness of those who were born in condemnation and really had no chance to escape this condemnation haunted me. I tried not to, but I could not help but question God’s infinite love and benevolence in light of this doctrine.

     I began to read books on both sides of the issue. Both sides often made good points. Both claimed the authority of Scripture and sound reason, though at times, it seemed the Calvinist position used a bit more Scripture and the non-Calvinist position more often appealed to reason. (To be fair and honest, I also read some things on both sides of the debate that were neither biblical, nor reasonable.) I selected a few of the “Calvinist” passages to study. I tried to apply basic hermeneutical principles. I also tried to have an open mind and separate what I was reading in the Bible from all that I had read about those same passages. Finally, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give me guidance. What I found would by no means settle the debate for all people; however, it put me on a different path that gave me more assurance in my own faith and in God.

     Though there were several passages that I studied, the one that stands out to me most was from Romans 8. I studied it multiple times over a period of several years. Later I had the opportunity to teach through the book of Romans on the high school level. Then I taught a college course on the book of Romans through Southern Evangelical Bible College. As a result, this chapter has become one of the most comforting and enlightening chapters in the entire Bible in my life. What I learned from this chapter is not going to settle any debate; nor will it reveal exactly what I believe about Calvinism. Perhaps its ambiguity about Calvinist doctrine is the very strength of this understanding of Romans 8.

Romans 8

Many people believe that the emphasis of this passage is on the idea that God only foreknew certain people and that these individuals were chosen by God, justified, and will one day be glorified. This passage is one of the “proofs” of Calvinism. However, a study of these verses within the context of all of chapter 8 and all of the book of Romans reveals a different emphasis, perhaps even an entirely different meaning. Up to this point in Romans, Paul has proven that all humans are sinners and in need of the grace of God. Paul clearly communicates that this salvation cannot be earned by keeping the law or any other set of good deeds. Salvation is entirely by the grace of God. Chapters six and seven acknowledge that the Christian life will not be without sin, but that one is no longer under its power. One can truly live free of sin in Christ!

     Chapter 8 begins with the idea that there is no condemnation for the believer. Verse 9 states that all who belong to God have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. To some extent, all those who are “saved” or “elect” or “forgiven” or “born again” or whatever term one wants to use to describe having a relationship with God, all of these individuals walk in the Spirit. People will still sin; some bear more fruit than others, but to some degree, all Christians walk in the Spirit since they all have the Spirit indwelling them. Besides indwelling, other ministries of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Romans 8 include that the Spirit gives life and peace, leads, and bears witness (assurance) that we are God’s children. Read Romans 8:1-16 with an open mind and you should agree that all Christians have at least some measure of the Holy Spirit.

     Then from verses 18-27, Paul contrasts the sufferings of this present time with the glories that await his children in heaven. He even includes the rest of the created order in this promise of physical redemption from the bondage of sin.[1] In light of the Spirit helping us in our sufferings and weaknesses, Paul writes:

 

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

 

     The terms, foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified, occur in this logical order. It is saying that those who are called were previously foreknown and predestined and are subsequently justified and glorified. There are different ways of looking at this. One of the more obvious is that the same group of people, whoever they are, can claim each of these five terms. In other words, there will not be a greater number called than will be glorified. There will not be a greater number justified than were predestined. All whom God foreknew will one day be glorified. There will not be a percentage of these lost along the way.

     There may have been some people reading this in Paul’s day who, in light of the trials or persecution they were facing, were questioning whether they belonged to God or whether God still loved them. Paul is assuring the children of God that if they belong to him, it is not accidental. It is all part of God’s plan and all of them will be glorified in the end (the end here actually referring to the beginning of eternity).

     Another obvious thing about this list is the lack of elaboration about four of the terms and the elaboration of the term, “predestined.” Predestination has little or nothing to do with choosing people for salvation. It has everything to do with determining the outcome of those who are God's children. It is about the completion, not the initiation, of salvation. The destiny of God’s children is that they will one day be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. This process begins and is completed in God’s mind before a person is born. During a person’s lifetime, this justification becomes actual rather than potential. The process is actually complete when a person is glorified.

     It is important to not make this passage say more than it does. The intended meaning is really quite simple: Those who are called, justified and glorified are those whom God foreknew and predestined. Their destiny has been determined in advance by God. Their destiny is not whether they are justified or not, but that those who are justified, that they will be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Predestination means that a person’s salvation will be completed in God’s pre-ordained time. These verses are reassuring to those who might be doubting God’s love and their own salvation in light of a world of suffering and persecution. The rest of the chapter re-enforces this simple interpretation.

    

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

 

"For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

 

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.[2]

 

     I have not found a passage in Scripture that offers greater comfort and assurance than this. Life is full of uncertainties and trials. Even without the physical persecution that first century Christians faced, and that some Christians face in different parts of the world, we can all relate to a life that hurts and disappoints at times. We can all relate to the pain of loss or loneliness or physical ailment. We suffer and we watch loved ones suffer. We are reminded on the news daily that the world is “groaning and travailing in pain” awaiting its redemption. Remember that God still loves you. Remember that nothing can separate you from this love. God will complete his work in you. You belong to him and he loves you unconditionally. Nothing, not even you, can change that!

     This passage does not answer every question about the Calvinist debate. There are several other key passages that deal with election. Furthermore, there are many passages that speak of human free will. This passage neither affirms nor denies the human element of choice regarding one’s relationship with God. However, let us take comfort in what this passage is clearly telling us about the assurance of our salvation and eternal security, rather than using it to belabor an extended debate about the intricacies of Calvinist doctrine.

     I thank God that I’m predestined, not because I am a strict Calvinist. I’m thankful because I know that I am included in this chain of promise. It promises that God knows me, that God will one day see to it that I am glorified, which implies that my sin nature will one day be eradicated. It promises that God loves me, that He will never stop loving me, and that nothing can separate me from this love. It promises that I will never be lost. God began a good work in me that will one day be complete. For this I am thankful; I choose not to reduce this passage to a level of doctrinal debate that distracts me from this promise of love.