Ryan's Email:
Comments/Questions Concerning Predestination, Election, and Free Will
It is nice to meet you too Mr. Orlando. If you
couldn't tell from the email Pop forwarded to you, I attend a Church of Nazarene
but did a Romans study with a brother on the side. I believe it was in between
chapters 6 through 8 that predestination floated into my mind. I recall in your
correspondence to our email that you said you were a predestinationalist and I
had some questions... Having been a full blown free will believer, my world has
been rattled to say the least. Personal studies have lead me more to believe we
are chosen. Predestination sounds like it places a little too much blame on God.
I believe we (Christians) are chosen by God before He created the world and at
any point in time, a nonbeliever can become a believer (thus Christ gave the
great commission). However, I believe we choose sin. I think God gives a choices
to make however I totally believe He knows what we are going to choose
beforehand (foreknowledge). I think predestination is God physically doing it
Himself or Him promising something. For example, in Exodus, God (Jesus??) in the
burning bush promises to harden Pharaoh's heart 5 times and Pharaoh hardening
his own heart 5 times. Then there is Christ's promise of His return. It hasn't
happened yet but God promised it would. To me that means it is going to happen,
God has predestined or preordained that to take place and nothing or no one is
going to stop it. But God Himself will make it happen therefore He has the
responsibility of it. Just like my salvation. I believe God chose me to do
something in His body... I don't believe I chose Him but He chose me and He
opened my eyes, the Spirit came and here I am. Jesus told the Apostles, "it
is not you who chose me but I who chose you". So, my question is why do you
think predestination is the right way? With my current Pastor and all y friends
from this Church, I stand alone. They all believe in free will and that is fine.
IT isn't what i like to call a "faith hinderer" of which i have only
encountered one (Dead Sea Scrolls discussing Christ killing animals as a boy). I
am just looking for more Biblical support than what i have managed to find on my
own. I realize that I may have to leave my Nazarene Church and my Methodist
upbringing over this but that doesn't bother me too much. God will place me
where He sees fit. So if you have any words or support for me on this, Id'
greatly appreciate it! :)