Trying to understand predestination

I understand it this way. Open your Bible to the very first page. Genesis chapter 1 explains what God did in the beginning of time, when he established time. What is on the opposite page of Genesis chapter 1 in your Bible? In the Bible I mainly use, there is a table of contents. Imagine that page opposite Genesis chapter 1 representing eternity, before God created anything.

Now imagine your name and mine on that page opposite Genesis chapter 1. That would represent the idea that in eternity, before God began his work of creation, he graciously chose people to be part of his family. That choosing was not because of anything God saw in people; he did not look into the future and elect people to be his own because he saw what they would turn out to be. Predestination is due entirely to God’s grace, his undeserved love.

After graciously choosing people to be his own, God sees to it that those same people come into contact with his gospel, are brought to saving faith in Jesus and kept in that saving faith until their lives on earth come to an end (Romans 8:28-30).

Scripture speaks only of a predestination, or election, to salvation. There is no counterpart like a predestination to damnation, as God makes it clear that he wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

While predestination challenges our understanding, it is intended to be a comfort to us. The comfort is that our salvation—from beginning to end—is entirely God’s doing. And when salvation is God’s doing and not ours, in any way, there is absolute certainty about it.

So, the next time you read Genesis chapter 1, look over at the opposite page and visualize your name there. That will give you another reason to praise God for his gracious love.