What is predestination?

Predestination is the act of determining beforehand. Predestination is not the same as election, as it speaks of all of the decrees of God (both positively and permissively), not just those regarding His people and their salvation. Election is part of God’s predestination, but is not the only thing that He predestinated (Romans 8:29-34; Ephesians 1:5; Acts 4:28). Recognizing the ability of God to predestine is crucial to understanding God's power, authority, knowledge, and wisdom as He is revealed in Scripture. It is frequently this omniscient, prescriptive working of God that is given as an example of His uniqueness/holiness, as in Isaiah 46:9-10: "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." Predestination is not fatalism; in fact, it is the opposite of fatalism. Rather than chance, luck, or random processes controlling circumstances, the purposeful and orderly and good mind of God is seen to be behind the events of this world. Far from removing the responsibility of humanity, the reality of predestination is used in Scripture as the basis for mankind's responsibility to acknowledge and submit to God as the one true Lord of the universe (Daniel 2:20-21).