Destiny

[Cristo Rei]

He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will Ephesians 1:5

This topic has probably been discussed a bit... Its a curious one for me...

In trying to define predestiny to destiny, or fate, i get lost a bit, there are different views, some of which are complex... These are just two very simple definitions... Some reference...

Predestination - The doctrine that everything has been foreordained by a God, especially that certain people have been elected for salvation, and sometimes also that others are destined for reprobation.
Fate - The presumed cause, force, principle, or divine will that predetermines events.

Do u guys agree with that?

By the verse i quoted and a few others some people believe that its not up to us to be saved. Being born a gain is a gift, predestined, not through faith or works or baptism... He predestined us...

And how much of our lives is predestined... Certainly our parents, siblings, where were born, appearance, physical and mental characteristics... Our DNA is predestined heaps of information...

Was i already predestined to drive the car i do or have chicken for dinner today?
If not then how would i actually know...

I sometimes make an analogy comparison with computer programs that can simulate a world and the entities that are within them. Their predestined. Programed entities. Those entities in the program wouldn't be able to discern that they were in a cyber world, nor would they be able to discern if they were predestined... Just a thought

Is our death predestined? Who has the authority to take our lives? Satan can torment someone to suicide, he can divide us and turn us on each other through wars...
But isn't only God that takes our life??? But then we have abortion and suicide, surely not predestined, or is it?

Its fun to ponder but ultimately i concede that i don't know... Only God knows I think... LoL

 

[lforrest]

I meditate on God's perception of this reality from outside time. He knows the end from the beginning. Anyone who he has chosen are already in his hands, even before they are born. They still have to be born, live, believe in Jesus, die, raise again. God is already there.

The confusing part comes when he threatens to blot names out of the book of life. So it seems he is able to change destiny. I believe this happens when God speaks.

 

[JohnDB]

God knows ahead of time what you will choose to do and why long before you ever get there.

If you look at Moses's prophecy concerning the future of the Israelites... you can see what he said would happened did happen.

Now where it's obvious that God intervened on their behalf (and knew that He would) the future of interventions by God in individual lives on a small scale isn't so assured.

At that point God had to keep a promise (Jesus) and even if the Israelites were stubborn about keeping their end of the deal...God was more so.

Today we have the Doctrine as Jesus and Paul speaks about of predestination...
God is still omniscient (knows everything) and omnipotent (all power) and omnipresent. (Everywhere)

Meaning that you can't throw God a surprise party... like ever.
And don't even bother wrapping up a present either...He knows what is inside anyway.

But....
That doesn't mean that you are devoid of free will. You committed all your sins of your own choices. Same with your decision to follow Him. Same with your choices to do good or bad afterwards. All on you!

Constantine tells us of the story about his most important battle and the pneumatos christos he seen in the sky.
(Looked like a P and an X)
So it seems that God is still working in helpful ways of adjusting the future.

The story of the English translation of the Bible is another inspiring story and how it became proliferated widely. God was obviously involved in that too.

Fore-ordination (as described in times past in scripture) was always special circumstances and problematic at best.
Cain, Esau, Reuben, Sampson and even Moses during his first 40 years were trouble from the word "go".

So...
God doesn't do that anymore...but He does seem to pick Roses from the manure pile.

George Lyle, Billy Graham, and others have had rough starts...but we're absolutely successful.

Are you a rose in a pile of manure?
Dunno.
That's yet to be seen.