Ultimate Security: Finding a Refuge in Difficult Times by Derek Prince
Authors: Derek Prince
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eternity.
9
THIRD STAGE: PREDESTINED
The third stage of God’s plan for us—which also takes place in eternity—is “He predestined us.” The noun predestination was formed from the verb predestined . As I said earlier, predestined is a rather frightening word to many people because they relegate it to some tremendous theological issue about salvation. Consequently, they tend to shy away from it. Actually, its meaning is rather simple: being “predestined” simply means that God has arranged in advance the course your life is to follow . The New Testament lays great emphasis on the fact that God has predestined us. In this chapter, we will explore four examples of this truth.
Scriptural Teachings on Predestination
Our first two examples of the fact that God has predestined us are found in Romans 8, where Paul wrote,
For those whom [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son…; and these whom He predestined , He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:29–30 nasb)
In this passage, Paul twice stated that God predestined those whom He called. Please notice to what we are predestined, because that is very important. Many people tend to talk about being predestined to heaven or to hell, an approach that often confuses or offends those who listen to them. But Paul said we are predestined “to become conformed to the image of [God’s] Son,” Jesus Christ.
If somebody tells me he is predestined to heaven, yet I see no fruit is his life and no trace of godliness, I might well question the validity of what he is saying. However, if I see somebody who is becoming truly conformed in his life and character to the person and nature of Jesus Christ, then I must conclude that there is only one explanation for it—he must have been predestined. It could not have come about in any other way.
Many people talk about being predestined to heaven or to hell. But Paul said we are predestined “to become conformed to the image of [ God’s ] Son.”
Then, in Ephesians, Paul provided the third example of the fact that God has predestined us:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [Jesus]. (Ephesians 1:3–6 nasb)
Not only did God predestine us to be conformed to the image of Christ, but He also predestined us to be adopted to Himself as His children through Jesus Christ. This was His “kind intention,” which He settled in eternity. For what purpose are we so predestined? Paul added that all of this is designed to work out “to the praise of the glory of His grace.”
So, in the above passage, Paul stated three characteristics of our predestination. First, we are predestined to be sons of God by being adopted into His family. Second, our predestination is intended to bring glory to God. And, third, it all happens by His grace.
The ultimate purpose of everything in the universe is to glorify God. In that regard, then, the essence of sin is the failure to glorify God. Paul wrote, “All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23). How have all sinned? By “ [falling] short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, God’s purpose in predestination is to retrieve His glory, which our sin had robbed Him of. He accomplishes all this through His grace—not through our works. He brings us into His family in such a way that our lives bring glory to Him. You and I are realistic enough about ourselves to acknowledge that if something positive does not happen in our lives by God’s grace, it is never going to
9
THIRD STAGE: PREDESTINED
The third stage of God’s plan for us—which also takes place in eternity—is “He predestined us.” The noun predestination was formed from the verb predestined . As I said earlier, predestined is a rather frightening word to many people because they relegate it to some tremendous theological issue about salvation. Consequently, they tend to shy away from it. Actually, its meaning is rather simple: being “predestined” simply means that God has arranged in advance the course your life is to follow . The New Testament lays great emphasis on the fact that God has predestined us. In this chapter, we will explore four examples of this truth.
Scriptural Teachings on Predestination
Our first two examples of the fact that God has predestined us are found in Romans 8, where Paul wrote,
For those whom [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son…; and these whom He predestined , He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:29–30 nasb)
In this passage, Paul twice stated that God predestined those whom He called. Please notice to what we are predestined, because that is very important. Many people tend to talk about being predestined to heaven or to hell, an approach that often confuses or offends those who listen to them. But Paul said we are predestined “to become conformed to the image of [God’s] Son,” Jesus Christ.
If somebody tells me he is predestined to heaven, yet I see no fruit is his life and no trace of godliness, I might well question the validity of what he is saying. However, if I see somebody who is becoming truly conformed in his life and character to the person and nature of Jesus Christ, then I must conclude that there is only one explanation for it—he must have been predestined. It could not have come about in any other way.
Many people talk about being predestined to heaven or to hell. But Paul said we are predestined “to become conformed to the image of [ God’s ] Son.”
Then, in Ephesians, Paul provided the third example of the fact that God has predestined us:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [Jesus]. (Ephesians 1:3–6 nasb)
Not only did God predestine us to be conformed to the image of Christ, but He also predestined us to be adopted to Himself as His children through Jesus Christ. This was His “kind intention,” which He settled in eternity. For what purpose are we so predestined? Paul added that all of this is designed to work out “to the praise of the glory of His grace.”
So, in the above passage, Paul stated three characteristics of our predestination. First, we are predestined to be sons of God by being adopted into His family. Second, our predestination is intended to bring glory to God. And, third, it all happens by His grace.
The ultimate purpose of everything in the universe is to glorify God. In that regard, then, the essence of sin is the failure to glorify God. Paul wrote, “All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23). How have all sinned? By “ [falling] short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, God’s purpose in predestination is to retrieve His glory, which our sin had robbed Him of. He accomplishes all this through His grace—not through our works. He brings us into His family in such a way that our lives bring glory to Him. You and I are realistic enough about ourselves to acknowledge that if something positive does not happen in our lives by God’s grace, it is never going to
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