1. What is the difference between the predestination and the prescience or foreknowledge of God?

Difference between it and prescience — Its cause — Grades — Object — Particularity — Means — Limits

The foreknowledge or prescience of God is the knowledge of God, whereby he foreknew, from eternity, all things that are to come to pass. Predestination, or the election of grace, is the eternal purpose of the divine will, concerning the salvation of those who are to be saved.

2. Prove that God’s prescience extends to all things, even future contingencies and acts of free will.

Both the statement itself and the proof are furnished by the Holy Scriptures. The statement is evident from Isa. 41:22,23; 46:10; Ps. 139:1-4; Dan. 2:28, etc. The proof, from the examples of future contingencies and acts of free will, foretold by God.

For example, St. Peter’s threefold denial (Matt. 26:34), the prophecies concerning St. Paul (Acts 9:15), Cyrus (Isa. 44:28), Josiah (1 Kings 13:2), etc. Ecclesiastical writers ordinarily term the prescience of God his vision or knowledge, by which he knows all things, future as well as present and past. (Dr. Hunnius.)

3. Is, then, predestination the mere prescience of God?

No; for we must make an accurate distinction between prescience and predestination. For the prescience of God considers and knows all things, both good and evil, while predestination is occupied only with the salvation of those who are saved, and the means thereto pertaining. God’s prescience is not a cause of evil or of sin; it is not a cause of the destruction of the wicked, i.e., in such sense as though God willed the destruction of any one, but the foreknowledge of the perverse will of the wicked is the cause which God has, to ordain concerning the destruction of the wicked. Then, too, God’s prescience is not a cause of good or of our salvation, but predestination or the election of God is, indeed, a cause of our salvation and of everything of importance thereto. (Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. xi.)

4. In order that I may obtain a clearer conception of the distinction between these two, would you not present me with a concise comparison?

Both predestination and prescience relate to good and evil angels, to the pious and wicked, to the elect and the reprobate, to Christ and Antichrist. But in the evil, God has known by his eternal prescience what he does not effect. For as God’s prescience is not a cause of evil, so God is not a creator or author or promoter of sin, but the appetence of the devil and the will of man refusing to hear, are causes of evil. (Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. xi.)

5. What is the cause of predestination or the election of grace?

The entire doctrine of predestination must be understood from Christ, and therefore the Apostle Paul treats of this article, when writing to the Ephesians, only after he has preached and presented Christ, and has shown how all divine treasures must be sought and found in him. For Christ, the Book of Life, is the epitome of the entire Holy Scriptures, and therefore the article concerning election or predestination, too, must be considered in reference to him.

For concerning this, the Apostle Paul clearly says (Eph. 1:4): “He hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world was laid.” But Christ presents this doctrine so that he teaches from it that “the scriptures testify of him” (John 5:39), and directs men to repent and believe. In like manner, St. Paul, too, teaches this article, admonishing all men to repentance and the acknowledgment of sin, and to faith in Christ, and to Christian obedience to duty.

6. I would now desire to know, whether God, in his counsel, purpose, and ordination, chose even the means by which the elect attain salvation?

Yes; for God, in his counsel and purpose, ordained:

1. That the human race should be truly redeemed and reconciled with God, through Christ, who, by his innocence, obedience, sufferings, and death, has merited for us that righteousness which helps before God, and everlasting life.
2. That such merits and benefits of Christ should be offered, presented, and distributed to us, through his Word and Sacraments.
3. That he might, by his Holy Spirit, through the Word, when preached, heard, and meditated upon, be efficient and active in us, to convert hearts to true repentance, and to preserve them in the true faith.
4. That all those who, in true repentance, receive Christ by a true faith, he would justify and receive into grace, adopt as children, and heirs of eternal life.
5. That he also would sanctify in love, those who are justified, as St. Paul says (Eph. 1:4).
6. That he also would protect them in their great weakness, against the devil, the world, and the flesh, and would rule and lead them in his ways, would raise them again, when they stumble, would comfort them under the cross and in temptation, and would preserve them unto life eternal. (Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. xi.)

7. From all this, I perceive that the form and method of election, must be described in a certain number of acts and grades. Could you not enumerate these for me?

The internal acts and grades of election are:

1. The purpose from eternity, to redeem the human race through the death of Christ.
2. The purpose from eternity, to call men through the preaching of the Word, to participation in Christ’s merits.
3. The purpose from eternity, to justify those who believe.
4. The purpose from eternity, to sanctify the justified.
5. The purpose from eternity, to preserve those who believe, in faith and sanctity.
6. The purpose from eternity, to glorify those who remain faithful until death.

The external acts of election are the incarnation of Christ, his mission, and the ordination of the Word and the Sacraments, as instrumental causes of our salvation. But each and all of these divine acts, both internal and external, are universal, since they are found in the entire doctrine of the Gospel, which in Christ, its epitome, reveals, on God’s part, a universal grace.

8. Why do you call predestination particular?

Predestination or election is called particular, not as though it were partial as though God, without any cause in us, but by mere will, chose some, and rejected the rest; but, because it is concerned with those who, by the guidance of divine grace and the operation of the Holy Ghost, through the preached Word, receive Christ by true faith, and persevere in obedience until the end. (Hunnius.)

9. What, therefore, is the object of predestination?

Such God has elected unto eternal salvation, and ordained unto salvation, as he has foreseen that they, by the aid of divine grace, will to the end remain in faith in Christ. In the eternal election of God, moreover, not only the salvation of the elect, but also all those things which belong to it, are comprehended. Hence the eternal election of God not only foresaw and foreknew the salvation of the elect, but by the gracious will and good pleasure of God, is also a cause, which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation, and all that pertains to it, upon which, too, our salvation is so firmly established that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. xi.)

10. Do the elect believe firmly and perseveringly during their whole lives, without ever yielding to unbelief or serious crimes?

No. But many who belong to the number of the elect, sometimes fall into grievous sins, and thus, so long as they remain in these sins, are destitute of true faith; nevertheless they do not lose the grace of election, but are again aroused by God to repentance, faith, and a new life, through the preaching of the Word.

David, St. Peter, and others, are examples of this. (Rom. 11:29.)

11. What is the difference between the elect and the reprobate?

“Of the difference between grace and wrath, the Scriptures abundantly testify, when they say that all are by nature children of wrath, and that the vessels of mercy are distinguished from the vessels of wrath.” When, too, they inform us that God hardens whom he wishes, and has mercy on whom he wishes, they distinguish between those who are the objects of divine mercy, and of divine wrath. (Form of Concord.)

12. Do you, then, suppose that the reason or fault of the difference, that some are chosen, others rejected, must be sought in those persons themselves?

Certainly; for the cause of this just judgment is this: Men are the cause of evil, of sin, and of eternal destruction, because they either do not at all hear the Word of God, but purposely despise it, stop their ears, and harden their hearts, and thus obstruct the regular course of the Holy Ghost, so that he can by no means effect his work in them,—or, if they have heard the Word, they again allow it to go in at one ear and out at the other, and are not concerned about hearing or learning it. Then, too, God neither forces any one to be pious, nor miraculously draws any one to himself, without the hearing of his Word, but man has such a nature that, in external things which can be comprehended by reason, he enjoys to some extent freedom of the will. [Form of Concord.)

13. Do you, therefore, maintain that the cause of reprobation is in men themselves?

Yes; for the cause of this just judgment is sin in men, who would not have Christ, and thus grieved and provoked the Holy Ghost by the continued wickedness of their hearts, would not hearken to the Word of God, but blasphemed and despised it. And this is the true cause of reprobation, because God does not repel any one who is not first unwilling to hear. When he makes the proclamation: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28), the gracious invitation is given to all; but on the other hand, he says: “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37.) “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh” (Prov. 1:24-26).

If men do not delight in listening to the Word of God, but cast it to the winds, and not only do not believe in Christ, but also resist him until death, such cannot be considered as chosen by God to eternal salvation, nor become partakers of the fruits of Christ’s death. For terrible is that declaration: “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

14. Be good enough to determine the causes on accourit of which God has elected some men to eternal life, and rejected others?

We have already declared the cause on account of which God has rejected some, namely, sins, and especially obstinate unbelief. But the cause of election is a far different one from that of reprobation.

For since all men are tainted alike with original sin, and the entire human race is under God’s wrath, no other cause of God’s election can be assigned than his infinite mercy and the unlimited merit of Christ. The Apostle treats of this when he writes to the Ephesians, chap. 1:3-6: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

And again, verses 9-11: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

Hence election is to be referred to the grace of God and the merits of Christ, and is an act of God, the original cause of which is his mercy, the meritorious cause the precious merit of Christ, and the instrumental cause, the preaching of the Word of God, through which the Holy Ghost works effectually. (Heerbrand.)

15. If the cause of election is the grace of God and the merit of Christ, then all men must be elected, since the grace of God is universal, and the merit of Christ is equally applicable to all?

When we seek the cause of election, we must not overlook the order which God has ordained, according to which men attain to salvation.

For although the merit of Christ is of infinite value, and is offered to all men in the preached Word, it can yet benefit no one without faith. The Apostle bears witness to this (Rom. 1:16): “The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth.” Another Apostle more forcibly and expressively states this (Heb. 4:2): “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

Hence on account of man’s contempt of the Word, and his unbelief, he is excluded from the number of the elect, and is the cause not only of his own condemnation, but also of his reprobation.

16. So far as I understand the matter, the question may be settled as follows: God elected those of whom he foresaw that they would not obstinately resist the means of salvation, but would receive his grace and the merit of Christ?

The question is extremely well put; and this is the true solution of the entire matter. For thus says the form of Concord: “The eternal election of God, or predestination, i.e., God’s ordination to salvation, does not extend to both the pious and the wicked, but only to the children of God, who are chosen to eternal life, before the foundation of the world, as St. Paul declares (Eph. 1:4, 5): ‘He has chosen us in Christ Jesus, and predestinated us unto the adoption of children.'”

“The predestination, or eternal election of God, moreover, extends only to the pious, the beloved children of God, and it is the cause of their salvation. For it produces their salvation, and disposes everything belonging to it. Upon this predestination our salvation is so firmly founded that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (John 10:28; Matt. 16:19).

“This predestination is not to be sought in the hidden council of God, but in the Word, in which he has revealed himself. For the preached Word proposes to all the hearers in general the doctrine of repentance and remission of sins, as also Christ declares (Luke 24:47): “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.”

This eternal election, and the righteous purpose of God, is contained in the words (John 3:16): “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

“All those, therefore, who reject this preached Word, will be themselves responsible for their own destruction; for Christ was offered to them, and they would not receive him. ‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not.’ (John 1:11.)” (Form of Concord, Epitome, Art. xi.)

17. Is an inquiry into this mystery in order?

The reason and cause of God’s predestination, or election, dare not be sought in the divine essence, for therein dwelleth a light which no man can approach, which no man hath seen or can see, neither can the human intellect search or scrutinize it. But since God has revealed this, in his Word with which we ought to occupy ourselves, and to which he directs us, we ought to give heed to the order which the Apostle Paul gives us, when in the Epistle to the Romans he first leads men to repentance, the acknowledgment of their sins, to faith in Christ, and then afterward to the consideration of eternal election. For he clearly distinguishes between the children of the flesh, and the children of the promise. (Rom. 9:8.) For not they which are the children of the flesh, are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

But that all may not be understood as absolutely decreed, the Scripture has expressly determined the decree of the divine will, by which he has ordained all men to salvation, with this condition: “God would have all men to be saved and to come into the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4.) “As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live.” (Ezek. 33:11.)