Predestination
(Romans 8:29,30; Ephesians 1:4-6)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath” (John 3:36). Note also John 3:16.
By accepting or rejecting God, we thereby choose our destiny,
For God hasn’t made us robots — we have a mind of our own, you see.
Yes, because God has given us free choice — we — determine our own fate,
And possibly may well change our mind just in time, or perhaps too late.
No, God never predetermined that some would be lost and others saved,
For such would remove free will, and prove that He had unfairly behaved.
Thus, God simply predetermined that all those who “believe” will be saved,
And that those who don’t believe will be lost — a path that they’ve thereby paved.
When talking biblically, the latter is called predestination,
Which is very easily confirmed via biblical exploration.
Thus, only in this sense, the destiny of all was settled pre-Fall
When the plan of salvation was lovingly first laid — hence it’s our call.
Though God can read the future, and clearly knows each person’s destiny,
He leaves us to make that choice — yes, we decide, individually.
Divine foreknowledge certainly doesn’t exclude human liberty;
And hence why we determine our own fate — it’s our choice, effectively.
No, God hasn’t programmed our fate, and hence why we can thus void His grace,
For we are free at any time to reject Him, or to Him embrace.
God certainly didn’t set our destiny in concrete — such is clear,
Thus, we can accept, reject, or void grace — yes, at the Spirit sneer.
Can anyone who believes — remain saved — while continuing to sin?
No, for we're to die daily to sin, and such proves that we’re genuine.
Hence why the book of Hebrews tells us that continual wilful sin
Makes null and void Christ’s sacrifice, as rebellion’s still clearly within.
Yes, Christians can void God’s grace, for Scripture says so, emphatically,
And in fact, one day very soon, Christ will say to some, “Depart from Me.”
For although they may have prophesied, and cast out devils in His name,
Or done many wondrous works, and so on, He’ll destroy them just the same.
Yes, somewhere they went astray, or sometime foolishly wandered away.
By Lance Landall
“Many
will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy
name? and in Thy name cast out devils? and in Thy name done many
wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never
knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity’ ” (Matt 7:22,23, KJV).
“For if we willingly persist in sin after having received the knowledge
of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a
fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume
the adversaries” (Heb 10:26,27).
“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that
the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath
done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath
trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die”
(Ezek 18:24, KJV).
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn
from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:20-22,
KJV).
“For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have
once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have
shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the
word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have
fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son
of God and are holding Him up to contempt” (Heb 6:4-6).
“And [so] why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? I die every day!..” (1 Cor 15:30,31).
Those who “believe” are those who repent, accept Christ as their Saviour, and willingly walk in His ways.
I would recommend that you read the following poems (for example) in conjunction with this poem that you've just read:
"Once Saved, Always Saved?", "God's Gift Of Grace", "Balancing Grace", "Excuse Me?", "A Deep Conversation", "It's That Simple".