I ask the question; does God predestine people actually into heaven itself so that His chosen children are infallibly with Him forever, or does God merely predestine (if you could call it that) the possibility of man saving himself by him choosing God. I ask this question because some say the later of which I find to be a contradiction. I have chosen Ephesians 1:11 for our text because it seems to speak on this issue with the most clarity.

First notice it is God Himself who is doing the predestinating. It is therefore unreasonable to say that a finite creature such as ourselves who are bound by space and time to be in any condition to pre-“destine” ourselves or any other thing in the future. Especially in light of the Timeless Being who has no beginning or end and Who has infinite Power and Knowledge so He might order the past, present and future so that He is infinitely pleased because all that occurs is what He wants to happen. Which is why our text above states, “being predestined according to…Him.” Thus is it God, who predestines, He is doing the predestination as the text plainly states.

Second notice what is being predestined? People themselves are being “predestined” by the Almighty God. For the text says “WE…being predestined.” Thus in this light alone we must conclude the plain mistake it is to say God only predestines the situation of salvation so that people can choose and destine themselves. When the text so plainly says, “We…being predestined…of His will.” Thus God, in the above test is predestining People themselves not the situation of salvation.