Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Antecedent to Salvation: PredestinationThe doctrine of predestination refers to God’s choice of individuals for eternal life or eternal death, a concept distinct from broader divine "foreordination" of all events. This complex doctrine gained prominence with Augustine, who emphasized human inability due to Adam's sin and God's unconditional, irresistible grace. Pelagius countered, asserting human free will and that God's predestination is based on His foreknowledge of human merit.The Reformation saw a resurgence of Augustinian thought with Martin Luther and John Calvin. Calvinism is summarized by TULIP: Total Depravity (humans utterly unable to respond to grace), Unconditional Election (God's choice for salvation is absolute, not based on foreseen merit), Limited Atonement (Christ died only for the elect), Irresistible Grace (the elect will certainly come to faith), and Perseverance of the Saints (the elect will endure in faith). Calvinists also debated variations like "double predestination" and the logical order of God's decrees.Arminianism, a reaction to strict Calvinism, emphasizes God's desire for all to be saved and the role of human freedom. It posits prevenient grace, a universal grace that enables all individuals to freely choose to accept or reject salvation. For Arminians, predestination is based on God's foreknowledge of who will believe. They argue Calvinism leads to fatalism and negates evangelism.In the 20th century, Karl Barth offered a Christ-centered reinterpretation. He argued that God's eternal will is the election of Jesus Christ, and in Christ, the entire human race has been chosen. Barth redefines "double predestination" as Christ taking on rejection for humanity, emphasizing a universal election where all are elect, even if some live as if rejected by their own choosing.A key suggested solution acknowledges human spiritual inability without God's special intervention. It asserts that God's "foreknowledge" is an affirmative choice, not mere precognition. Properly understood, predestination provides confidence in God's plan, removes self-criticism in evangelism, motivates missions, and underscores the absolute necessity of grace.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730

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