Devotional 12-28-10

Ephesians 1: 3 – 14

In verses 4 and 5 of today’s Lectionary Reading, the Apostle Paul raises the issue of predestination in his letter to the church at Ephesus. Verse 4 states as follows: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world….

Although I have a rudimentary idea about the concept of predestination I was by no means confident that I really understood the import of the above scripture. So, I decided to do some research. Unger’s Bible Dictionary referred me to the term “election” when I looked up “predestination.” I discovered that the subject was more complex than can be dealt with in a daily meditation, but I decided to give it a try. Apparently there are two differing views of the concept.

The first view is the Calvinistic View of unconditional election, which regards the election of salvation as absolute and unconditional by virtue of an eternal divine decree. Augustine first taught this doctrine, and it was formally accepted by the church in A.D. 529 in the Canons of the Council of Orange, approved by Pope Boniface II. The doctrine was later promoted in the Protestant Church by John Calvin and adopted by The Westminster Confession, the standard of the Church of Scotland.

The second view is known as The Arminian View which regards election to salvation as conditional based upon repentance and faith. This view grounds itself, in opposition to Calvinism, upon the universality of atonement and the restoration of freedom of human will. Grace is therefore contingent and not an absolute. We can attain salvation by acceptance of God’s grace. John Wesley and his followers were largely responsible for the development and practice of The Arminian View.

I suspect that Paul was more of an adherent to the Calvinistic view of salvation. (See also Romans 8: 29 – 30.) However, I was happy to see that we as Methodists adhere to the view promoted by John Wesley. It appears to me that it would be difficult to reconcile the strict Calvinistic view of predetermination with the New Testament gospel of forgiveness through repentance and grace. If your fate is already predetermined what would be the point of evangelism? I really believe, as one author pointed out, that predestination might be better explained by stating that God in His wisdom knows who will attain salvation and who will not. But the number is not really predetermined. It is still up to each of us to determine our own salvation.

Lee Oxley