“Also, especially British, judgement.”
That is probably why I usually spell it with an ‘e’ - my first real bible was the New English Bible, and I learned how to spell from reading it. It used to make my teachers mad when I would write ‘colour’, and to this day I delight in too-long sentences!
“The verse in Isaiah says God “declared” the end from the beginning.”
That can be looked at 2 ways - as God declared what he knew (like when I declared last fall that Obama was a huge spending Anti-American jerk), or that God will cause it to be that way. Both interpretations are possible. Which one you choose - if you can choose - probably depends on what beliefs you bring with you to the reading.
Those of us who reject the idea of ‘selective salvation’ do not reject the idea that God knows the ending before the beginning. We apply ‘election’ against those who believe, rather than against individuals picked out beforehand without reference to their faith...a category, rather than individuals. And since God knew the outcome before we were made, he ‘foreknew’ us. And those he foreknew he predestined to be conformed to His Son...
It is sort of like our political elections - the elected are those with the most votes, rather than predetermined individuals...at least, outside of Chicago & Philadelphia!
I have no idea what you mean. :)
Both interpretations are possible. Which one you choose - if you can choose - probably depends on what beliefs you bring with you to the reading.
Here's the thing: if you can choose, then predestination is moot. If you cannot choose, then it doesn't matter and no exhortation to believe the other can possibly be of avail.
Those of us who reject the idea of ‘selective salvation’ do not reject the idea that God knows the ending before the beginning. We apply ‘election’ against those who believe, rather than against individuals picked out beforehand without reference to their faith...a category, rather than individuals. And since God knew the outcome before we were made, he ‘foreknew’ us. And those he foreknew he predestined to be conformed to His Son...
You are correct in that one must differentiate between foreknowledge and predestination. The Church admits of predestination to Heaven, but never predestination to hell. The Church believes that that is a personal choice; God merely confirms what the individual chooses.
And what I find so awesome in that is not only did God foreknow all things, but he also knows all the what ifs as well. Whew!!!