Double predestination
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“”Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. (…) Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"
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| —Romans 9:18 |
Double predestination (you read that another way, didn't you?) is the belief that God not only pre-ordained some souls to be saved, but also occasionally creates some people whose sole purpose in (or after) life is to be sent to hell. Romans 9:11-22 is often cited.
Predestined to be saved[edit]
The idea that some people are predestined to be saved, from the moment of their creation, is a fairly common one, derived from the Book of Revelation — this would be "single predestination", if it wasn't just called "predestination".
Predestined to be damned[edit]
Some theologians argue that the concept is not Biblical in nature, calling it "a horrible decree", "a most ruthless statement", "a terrible theological theory", and "an illegitimate inference of logic".
This is, God positively and actively intervenes in the lives of the elect to bring them to salvation; and in the same way God positively and actively intervenes in the life of the reprobate to bring him to sin. This distortion makes God the author of sin who punishes a person for doing what God monergistically[1] and irresistibly moves man to do. This is not the Reformed view of predestination, but a gross and inexcusable caricature of the doctrine.[2]
Others cite a sound Biblical footing for such a doctrine. This generally begins with quoting God's idiosyncratic concepts of righteousness,[3] as well as God's wrath[4] against all sinful actions. The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod objects to it by simply stating that "God wants all to be saved",[5] citing 1 Timothy 2:4.
Majority Christian doctrine[edit]
However, in the doctrines of most Christian denominations, Jesus died for our sins. Double predestination implies that he died on behalf of most sinners, but you, you, and you are excluded, because God was feeling a bit grumpy when you were born.
See also[edit]
- Calvinism
- Fred Phelps (believed in complete double predestination — that is, that everyone is predestined from birth either to be saved or damned — and behaved in a manner consistent with this belief)
- Predestination
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Monergism.
- ↑ Predestination Theopedia.
- ↑ Romans 1:16-17
- ↑ Romans 1:18
- ↑ ‘Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod’