1.WORD STUDY:
Proorisav. As the doctrine of eternal predestination has produced much controversy in the Christian world, it may be necessary to examine the meaning of the term, that those who do use it may employ it according to the sense it has in the oracles of God. The verb proopzw, from pro, before, and orizw, I define, finish, bound, or terminate, whence orov, a boundary or limit, signifies to define beforehand, and circumscribe by certain bounds or limits; and is originally a geographical term, but applied also to any thing concluded, or determined, or demonstrated. Here the word is used to point out God's fixed purpose or predetermination to bestow on the Gentiles the blessingof the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ, which adoption had been before granted to the Jewish people; and without circumcision, or any other Mosaic rite, to admit the Gentiles to all the privileges of his Church and people. - ADAM CLARKE
2.ABOUT EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1: TRANSLATION ISSUES
sn Eph 1:3-14 comprises one long sentence in Greek, with three major sections. Each section ends with a note of praise for God (vv. 6, 12, 14), focusing on a different member of the Trinity. After an opening summary of all the saints’ spiritual blessings (v. 3), the first section (vv. 4-6) offers up praise that the Father has chosen us in eternity past; the second section (vv. 7-12) offers up praise that the Son has redeemed us in the historical past (i.e., at the cross); the third section (vv.13-14) offers up praise that the Holy Spirit has sealed us in our personal past, at the point of conversion
3.GRAMMATICAL EXPLANATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING PREDESTINATION: From NETbible.com
" EPHESIANS1:4 For 8 he chose us in Christ 9 before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished 10 in his sight 11 in love. 12 1:5 He did this by predestining 13 us to adoption as his 14 sons 15 through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure 16 of his will – 1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace 17 that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. 18 "
13 tn Grk “by predestining.” Verse 5 begins with an aorist participle dependent on the main verb in v. 4 (“chose”).
sn By predestining. The aorist participle may be translated either causally (“because he predestined,” “having predestined”) or instrumentally (“by predestining”). A causal nuance would suggest that God’s predestination of certain individuals prompted his choice of them. An instrumental nuance would suggest that the means by which God’s choice was accomplished was by predestination. The instrumental view is somewhat more likely in light of normal Greek syntax (i.e., an aorist participlefollowing an aorist main verb is more likely to be instrumental than causal)
So Predestination is not God chosing individuals to be saved. It' not about whom he chose.
Predestination is God's decree of how God chose to save people both Jews and Gentiles . How ? By adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.
He predestined that people, BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES should be saved through Jesus Christ and become holy and unblemished in his sight.
4.UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF EPHESIANS:
NOTE THE USE OF THE WORDS "US"-both JEWS AND GENTILES ,"WE" - REFERING TO PAUL AND THE JEWS AND" YOU" IN V13 REFERING TO EPHESIANS OR GENTILES. IN THIS LETTER PAUL IS ADDRESSING THE JEW , GENTILE DIVIDE
1:11 In Christ 28 we(PAUL AND BELIEVING JEWS) too have been claimed as God’s own possession, 29 since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope 30 on Christ, 31 would be to the praise of his glory. 1:13 And when 32 you(GENTILES) heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ 33 – you were marked with the seal 34 of the promised Holy Spirit, 35 1:14 who is the down payment 36 of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, 37 to the praise of his glory.
Here Paul stresses the point that "IN CHRIST" , through adoption as sons , both Jews and Gentiles become God's possession. That is predestination.
So a clear idea of Predestination can be formed by wordstudy, knowing the construction of the original text and how it has been translated into english , the gramar and usage of the word in the original language text and then studying and understanding it in Context .
TAKE HOME POINT:
A causal nuance would suggest that God’s predestination of certain individuals prompted his choice of them. An instrumental nuance would suggest that the means by which God’s choice was accomplished was by predestination. The instrumental view is somewhat more likely in light of normal Greek syntax (i.e., an aorist participle following an aorist main verb is more likely to be instrumental than causal).
APPLICATION:
This goes directly against the theological thought inherent in Calvinism. Calvinism understands predestination to be causal not instrumental.
TAKE HOME POINT:
A causal nuance would suggest that God’s predestination of certain individuals prompted his choice of them. An instrumental nuance would suggest that the means by which God’s choice was accomplished was by predestination. The instrumental view is somewhat more likely in light of normal Greek syntax (i.e., an aorist participle following an aorist main verb is more likely to be instrumental than causal).
APPLICATION:
This goes directly against the theological thought inherent in Calvinism. Calvinism understands predestination to be causal not instrumental.
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