Lia Waugh Powell

Those who know me very well, which in all honesty at Summit only consists of very few people, know I am absolutely in love with studying Systematic Theology.  I never even knew what that meant before I stepped through the threshold of Summit, for which I am very grateful.  I would have been completely unaware of the many topics Christians should be very educated in — predestination, transubstantiation, the meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice, etc.: essentially, the main topics that divide the church to this very day.  For some odd reason, people began to think they could fully understand God and decided if people are against their beliefs and interpretations of what the Bible says, then the people need to leave.  This is where humanity’s biggest issues lie — pride.  We all think we know more than the other person, and we all immediately judge, whether we admit it or not, when someone disagrees with us.

For example, since the time I have been at Summit, I have heard the argument about predestination versus free will countless times: “This person believes that; oh my goodness, they are going to Hell.  How can they believe that?”  “Well, if God is the type to predestine people to Hell or Heaven before they even live, then He’s not a God I want to serve.  That is not love.”  You get my point.  Where I stand on this subject has wavered countless times as I let people manipulate me into believing one thing.  This is why I strongly advise whether you agree or disagree with my stance on this subject, you research and read the Bible yourself and get a good, solid understanding of what you believe.  My beliefs are my beliefs; I am not pressuring you, saying you are wrong, or anything of that nature.  I am simply stating my belief and why I believe it with Biblical support along with other theologians’ ideas and my ideas as well.  Where you stand on the predestination versus free will “argument” is your choice, and it certainly will not affect whether you go to Heaven or Hell.  Just know what you believe and live it out is all I am asking.

Now after that preface, here is my stance.  (Please do not start the “Pie a Senior” Contest again; just leave only my bucket out there to collect the money.)  I believe in predestination.  And here is why: first, we must fully understand the term “predestined,” and we must understand it from a Biblical perspective.  The Greek word for “predestination” (the word from where we derived predestination, the very word in the original text of the Bible) is proorizw (proorizō), which means “to determine beforehand.”  Therefore, no logical arguments can be made against the term “predestination” or misinterpreting it, because that is the very definition used in the original text.

Now, from the time I’ve been at Summit I’ve wrestled with this belief.  If God were a God of love, why would He predestine people?  That is not fair; it does not seem right.  As I was uneducated with the area (I am NOT saying those who are for “free will” are uneducated, do NOT twist my words around, or I will refer you back to this very line), I could not understand nor wrap my mind around this idea.  As I’ve researched it more, I realized my problem.  I envisioned Santa Claus as God.  I envisioned the God who patted my back when I sinned and gave me presents and blessing when I asked.  To me, God loved everyone, and He would fulfill me, give me what I want, and get me into Heaven when I die.  This, unfortunately, is the God multiple people believe in.  But it is incredibly wrong.  Our God is not fair — he is just.  “Fair” means “superficially pleasing” and “just” means “guided by truth and reason.”

Those who are parents, or who have ever babysat a kid, know very well being “fair” is not the way to go in parenting.  For example, Little Susie is 7 years old and could be described as rowdy, loud, and rebellious.  Yet your other daughter, Little Betsy, is 8 years old, more mature, and listens to adults.  Little Betsy would be allowed to attend sleepovers because you can trust her, and you know she will behave.  However, Little Susie cannot attend sleepovers yet, because she is not at the maturity level to leave the house alone.  Susie would see that as unfair, but it is indeed just.  Even though there is only one year separating Susie and Betsy, Betsy is far more mature than Susie is and can be trusted.  Being “fair” is not being wise — it’s being pleasant.  And we do not, as the faulty human beings we are, filled with disgusting sin and drenched with burdens and shame, do not by any means need a “fair” omnipotent power.  If God were fair, He would not truly love us.  Nor would He be a trustable God; I know I would not want to put my faith in a God who blessed people by saying, “Oh hey, Corey hasn’t received a car yet but Missy has, so I should get on that.”  That actually seems a bit lazy.  If God were fair, everyone would receive what they think they deserve.

This brings me to the question, “Why would God create people if He knew some would go to Hell?”  That is also something I struggled with for a very long time.  Here is the deal.  God is God.  How, under any circumstances, can we ever question His actions?  You and I are so far below His intellect and wisdom.  Let me phrase this in a real-life situation the way my pastor once did.

In 2004, Oprah Winfrey gave away 271 free cars, fully loaded with gas and everything, to every person in her audience that day.  Now how would you feel if you had just been on the show a day prior to that?  Or the day after?  A bit gypped?  I know I would.  But if you were to go ask Oprah, “Oprah, what is up with this?  I was just at your show….  Are you sure you don’t have one more set of keys somewhere around here?  One more car?  Even just a free fill up for my gas tank?”  And you know what Oprah would say?  “Nope!”  And you know why?  Because it is her show!  She did not need to buy everyone in her audience a car.  She didn’t need to get them anything.  It’s her show.  She can choose what she wants to do!

And that is where we are with God.  God did not have to give us His only Son to be beaten to a state no man ever should be beaten.  Jesus Christ did not have to come to Earth to experience the heartache and temptations we go through every day.  He did not need to carry a rugged cross only to be hung on it Himself to die for someone as evil and wicked as myself, or for you.  He did not have to have His flesh torn, His hands and feet pierced, nor did He have to be spit on and mocked and hated by many.  But He did, and He did it for you and me.  We have been predestined — OUT OF LOVE — so we may be able to be in the very presence of our God and Savior for all eternity: “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  In LOVE He PREDESTINED us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will — to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves” (Ephesians 1:4-7).

Also, in scripture God has chosen/appointed people and favored others multiple times.  God loved Jacob, but hated Esau.  God chose David over his other, more accomplished brothers, to defeat the giant.  God favored the Jews.  Those are only some of the examples; I could continue on, but I trust you can also think of some on your own from your own Bible study.  But just because God favors some does not mean He ever rejects anyone who turns his/her heart to Him.  In fact, I am willing to bet my life on the fact God will never turn away someone who truly searches for Him, with all of his or her heart and soul.  But God is also outside of time.  This means He already knows who will accept Him and who will not.  In addition to God predestining us, we must also choose Christ in order to be saved.  “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).  You are not saved without giving your life to Christ, but because of God’s sovereignty He already knows who will do so.  For it is said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44).

I determined I believe in predestination because it is what I feel is the most Biblical belief.  I do not want to believe in something not supported by scripture, because to me that seems self-righteous.  I have, and always will, lean toward what the Bible says, regardless of my emotions.  However, I do not feel in any way predestination is a “wrong” belief as far as the moral spectrum.  This is because I know God is a just God, as well as a God of love.  I know He knows more than I will ever be able to conjure through my time on Earth.  I know God is a God of order, thus He has a plan, for everything and everyone.  Predestination does not scare me; it does not make me see God as this terrible being.  If anything, it is the exact opposite.  But, my opinion can very well be as faulty as the next; I am not telling you what to believe.  This is what is important to know: I do not deserve grace.  You do not deserve grace.  We deserve to be in a burning lake of fire for all eternity.  Seem a bit harsh?  Reflect on your thought life this past week.  Reflect on the images that passed along your computer screen, or the words you uttered under your breath or to another person.  Reflect on the gossip or lies you spread because someone upset you.  We need to face the facts — we deserve Hell.  The belief in predestination does not mean if you are predestined you can go out and do whatever your heart desires because you are getting to Heaven anyways.  That is unbelievably wrong.  If you claim to be a Christian, you need to live the life.  You can raise your hands in church to a worship song, and you can go get baptized, but those do not mean your heart is aligned with God’s.  Anyone can do those things.  As a Christian, you should be set apart from the crowd, and you should be proud of your love for Christ.  You should display His love to others through your actions and words, and you shouldn’t just be that way on Sunday morning.  We aren’t going to be able to achieve this (obviously) all of the time — but we do need to strive toward it.