To be Christ to the WHOSOEVER

There has recently been a lot of teaching going on at Summit, and throughout the Christian community. It may be that I'm on a college campus that I see more, but opportunities to learn seem to be everywhere you look. Tonight the College Ministry will deal with the question and answer of Predestination. When dealing with a topic like Predestination, you're bound to run into free will.

I'm not going to try to anwer the question of Predestination right now (I'm going to leave that up to this evening), but I will provide information for you to consider.

Here is Scripture which mentions predestination in the context that we are discussing, which is "God ordained, or predestined, some things to happen before time (i.e. someone's salvation, someone's damnation)".

Romans 8 and 9
Ephesians 1

I would list the individual cases, but I encourage you to read and understand for yourself. Through the reading of Romans, specifically chapters 8 and 9, I have determined that God has a ordained will, and His will occurs no matter our choices. God sees time differently and knows our plans before we were born, and this frustrates some people, but I would argue that the frustration is an incorrect interpretation of something that should be comforting to us (as long as we're Christians).

If God knows everything ahead of time, then we shouldn't be frustrated in not being able to throw one by God, but delighted in knowing that the Lord of the universe is able to comfort us knowing our decisions, and that He is in control of everything.

Most people dislike control, and that's understood, because any control that we're aware of here in this life is controlled by imperfect people, not a perfect and loving God.

Frustration comes in imperfection, because the things that we desired or hoped for, will fall short of our expectations. If we desire and hope for God's best, knowing that His best is best for us, then our expectations cannot fall short, because God's abilities are eternal. It would be that our expectations are incorrect of God, rather than His performance is unable to satisfy.

I would reason that the Creator of the world, including the oceans, mountains, and all life would be able to satisfy our desires, assuming that they are correct desires, which should be in Him and only Him; in Him is where we should seek our satisfaction and meaning.

So maybe I went away from Predesination a bit, you should probably just come this evening if you really want to know. But rather than relying on a teacher, or a teaching evening. read the Scripture and trust in God concerning predestination, and everything else for that matter.

Nicholas