(This is part 4 of 6; Click for: part 5; part 3; part 2; part 1. Appendix available upon request)
PREDESTINATION
The Dictionary of Paul and His Letters defines foreknowledge as the exercise of God’s will in establishing a special relationship with this whom He elects by grace and before all time. It then defines predestination as expressing God’s appointing of the elect to a specific goal before all time. In Romans 8:29, Paul clarifies this specific goal of God for the elect as conformity with the image of His Son. [23] Eskola says, “In the theology of Paul the concept of predetermination was based, on the one hand, on his strict understanding of predestination, and, on the other hand, on his Christocentric soteriology.” [24]
Προορίζω is used six times in the New Testament. All of those, except for Acts 9:28, are used by Paul (Rom 8:29, 30; 1 Cor 2:7; Eph 1:5, 11). This term is not found in either the LXX or other Greek Old Testament versions, or any classical period Greek writer. It can be said with reasonable certainty that term is of Christian origin. Προορίζω is rendered by the Vulgate as praedestinatio and from there we get the English word, predestination. [25]
Wuest divides the word προορίζω into its parts. The verb ὁρίζω means “to mark out the boundaries or limits of a place or thing.” It can also be translated “to determine or appoint.” The prefix πρό means “before.” Wuest continues in saying that the compound verb means, “to put limits or boundaries upon beforehand” or “to pre-determine.” Predestination is then seen as “the effective carrying out of God’s will in the case of those who are foreordained to salvation.” [26]
Some scholars have suggested that προορίζω and προγινώσκω are used essentially as synonyms. [27] The lemma, or root, of the word Paul uses for “predestined” is προορίζω and is defined by the Expository Dictionary as meaning “beforehand,” “to determine before,” and “foreordain.” The use of this word in Romans 8:29, 30 and Ephesians 1:5, 11 are defined as meaning “predestinate” or “foreordained.” [28]
In The Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vine sees a difference in these words. He writes, “This verb προορίζω is to be distinguished from προγινώσκω, to foreknow; the latter has special reference to the persons foreknown by God; προορίζω has special reference to that to which the subjects of His foreknowledge are predestinated.” [29]
According to The Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, “In Romans 8:29 the act of predestination appears to follow upon that of foreknowing, with calling consequent upon predestining.” [30] On this same thought, Cremer says that the important matter is not who are the objects of this predestination, but instead, what they are predestined to. [31] The predestination of the elect is to be like Christ.
When Paul speaks of election, he sees it as something God is very active in. He says that God calls those who He elects to Himself. Paul uses the term predestination when he relates this action of God calling the elect to Himself. [32] Through this predestination, the saint is conformed to the image of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. This process is called sanctification. [33] The outcome is not determined by foreknowledge, but it is by predestination. [34]
(This is part 4 of 6; Click for: part 5; part 3; part 2; part 1. Appendix available upon request)
[23] Hawthorne and Martin, 311.[24] Eskola, 167.[25] Davidson, 6-7.[26] Wuest, 144.[27] Hawthorne and Martin, 228.
[28] Vine, Vol I, 305.
[29] Vine, Vol II, 203.
[30] Hawthorne and Martin, 228.
[31] Davidson, 7.
[32] Eskola, 167.
[33] Wuest, 145.
[34] Sproul, Jr, 38.
