The belief that God has eternally chosen whom to save and not others have been debated among scholars and believers for the longest time. This debate involves many theological issues, like the will and the problem of evil. So, what denominations believe in predestination?
Every Christian denomination believes in predestination. Denominations like Assemblies of God and the United Methodist Church believe that predestination is God’s prior knowledge of who will choose him. Other reformed churches, including the Presbyterian Church, believe that salvation is only determined by God’s will alone.
What do Protestant denominations believe about predestination? Does the Bible support the doctrine of predestination? These are questions that have been often asked throughout the history of Christianity. Read on to find out more about these topics.
What do Protestant denominations believe about predestination?
Different Protestant denominations all believe in the doctrine of predestination in one way or another, as emphasized in the Bible. The following is a detailed review of the major Protestant denominations that believe in predestination.
Does Methodist believe in predestination?
It is often assumed that Methodist and similar Arminian churches like the Assemblies of God do not believe in predestination. Many assume that this doctrine is only believed by Presbyterian, Reformed churches, and Calvinists, who tend to attend Baptist and non-denominational churches. However, this assumption is baseless without an ounce of truth in it.
All Christian traditions that teach and read the Bible have an explanation for the doctrine of predestination, as it is written in the scriptures. A few scriptures about this doctrine include:
- Ephesians 1:5 “He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (RSV)
- Ephesians 1:11,” In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will “( RSV)
- Romans 8:29, “For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed in the image of his son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brethren(RSV)
Is predestination predictated by God’s Premonition? Since time immemorial, Methodists have always held on to predestination, believing God’s Premonition determines who he chooses for salvation. God knows the future events before they happen. Hence, in the same way, he can determine who will choose to listen to and follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. Similarly, God predestines who he will choose in the end.
Who did Christ die for? Methodists believe that Jesus did not only die for the chosen but for all people. This is unlike the beliefs of Presbyterians and other Reformed and Calvinists. Methodists believe that by the death of Jesus, God’s only son, he already did his part of salvation, and the rest depends on an individual’s response to the gospel of God.
Does God respect the free will of his people?
Methodists believe that the kind of predestination they have faith in allows God to be the inaugurator of salvation but also allows and respects free will. Methodists believe that if God did not respect people’s will, he would not be a just God.
Methodists associate their view of predestination to 1 Timothy 2:3-4, which states, “This is good and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. “In this line of thinking, Methodists argue that if Jesus only died for the chosen, then why does God desire for all to be saved?
Presbyterians and other Reformed and Calvinists argue that God is fair because he gives all people a chance to believe. However, due to man’s sinful nature, he cannot respond to this offer, so condemnation falls upon him.
Does Presbyterian believe in predestination?
Presbyterians believe in predestination. They strongly believe God chooses to save certain people, not because he foreknows people, as Armenian traditions believe, but based on his sovereign nature. They argue that God’s election of these certain people does not stem from their merits but from his sovereign nature.
Presbyterians believe that their view of predestination perceives sin more seriously than others Protestant traditions do. According to them, people cannot respond to God in faith unless God purifies their hearts. Those that God will not choose are left sinful and are damned to condemnation.
Do Presbyterians believe in single or double predestination? It is said that there are two types of predestination. They believe that God directly chooses some people for salvation and not others is said to be single predestination. Some members of the Presbyterian Church believe in this theory. In contrast, others believe in the so-called double predestination, which states that God directly chooses some people for salvation and others for damnation.
The Westminster confession of faith, the guiding belief among Presbyterians worldwide, emphasizes that God foreordains some people for eternal damnation, which aligns with double predestination.
Believers of double predestination argue that this doctrine is based on God’s sovereignty. Hence if nothing is out of his control, so are the souls who will be condemned to hell for eternity.
Do Baptists believe in predestination?
Baptists believe in the doctrine of predestination. However, they are divided in their understanding of this doctrine. They hold both the Methodist -Arminian view of predestination and the Presbyterian -Calvinist view. Either way, they are still Baptists.
What are the beliefs of the Southern Baptists? There are pretty several beliefs about predestination. Some southern Baptists believe in the Calvinists or Reformed predestination, believing God chooses directly who to save and who to condemn.
Others believe in the Arminian or Wesleyan understanding of predestination, believing God’s foreknowledge helps him choose some people for salvation.
The Baptist church emphasizes the autonomy of the church; hence both the Arminian and the Calvinist beliefs of predestination are both used.
In the recent past, the Reformed tradition has been embraced in the Baptist church, enabling the teaching of both Calvinist and Baptist ways. This has been said to be influenced by the election of a new church leader, Piper, who champions both Calvinist and Baptist ways in an empathetic and gracious way that is faithful to the scriptures.
Does the Bible support the doctrine of predestination?
The idea of predestination is present in many texts in the Bible. In both the Old and New testaments, it has been discussed a lot. There are references to God anointing kings and prophets even before they are born ( Gal 1:15-16). We also see that some people are destined to destruction due to their wickedness ( prov.16:4, Acts 4:27-28, 1 peter 2:8) . Whereas these are only a few samples to give us a glimpse of predestination through God’s work, we see for a fact that the Bible does support this doctrine.
Many have often wondered whether the Bible talks about being predestined to heaven.
One of the most common texts about predestination is Romans 8:29-30. The Apostle Paul tells believers that those who believe in Christ should have no fear of condemnation, as they have been set free to walk in the Holy Spirit. In the book of Romans, Paul tells his readers to trust God, the initiator of salvation. He tells them to have faith that God will finish what he has started, as not a single moment in the life of a believer is vain or goes past his sight. He continues to say that God knew a people before he put them in their mothers’ wombs and hence has a plan for each of them.
Paul also emphasizes predestination again in Ephesians 1:3-12 to describe Christians’ adoption by God through blessings. He emphasizes God s will be united with his righteousness, those he has already predestined due to his foreknowledge of people. Paul talks of predestination as an awe-inspiring reality that is the goal of every Christian.
Hence, the Bible does support the doctrine of predestination as it is present in the texts. Christians are encouraged to follow these texts and be faithful to the lord so they may be worthy of his grace. Though different denominations have different beliefs of predestination, the Bible does not elaborate on which belief is right or wrong. But it certainly does support the doctrine of predestination, as there is evidence of texts throughout the Bible. The doctrine of predestination has been controversial in Christian debates for centuries. However, a few dispute that it works in the above way.
References
- What denominations believe in predestination ( discuss major Protestant denominations)
- Is predestination a belief of the modern Presbyterian church?
- Predestination concept and doctrine
- Southern Baptists debate Calvinism
- What does the Bible say about predestination
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