God Predestines Salvation

There are many Christians who believe that God has predestined certain people to be saved and the rest of mankind to be lost - that God chooses beforehand who will be saved and who will be forever lost.

They usually expect the outcome for those saved to be eternal bliss in heaven with God and for the lost to be annihilation or eternal torment in a place they call hell.

Although God's foreknowledge and predestination activities are mentioned or inferred several times in the Scriptures, there are only two passages (in most of our English translations) that specifically use this word in relation to the future of mankind.

And these passages only refer to the predestination of specific people to be saved, and say nothing about anyone being predestined to be lost.

Here's the first:

... To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: ...
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ...
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
[Ephesians 1 : 1 - 12  NIV]

It is interesting that it was only the saints, the holy and faithful ones, the first to benefit from God's plan of salvation, that were predestined. Clearly, God has predetermined who will be his saints, the Body of Christ, in the current age.

And the second:

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
[Romans 8 : 29 - 30  ESV]

This passage, written to those loved by God and called to be holy and belong to Jesus Christ, also shows God pre-selecting those who are to be members of Christ's church.

So the only specific predestination I can find in the Scriptures is God deciding beforehand those who would be saved and comprise the Body of Christ during this current age of grace, and participate in the coming millennial kingdom.

But God's plan of salvation does not end there.
Jesus is going to draw all people to himself

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will drag everyone to me.
[John 12 : 32  DBH]

because he died for the sins of all people

And he is an atonement for our sins, and not only for ours, but for those of the whole cosmos.
[1 John 2 : 2  DBH]

and God's plan is for all people to be saved and come to know God's love and provision for them.

... our savior God, who intends all human beings to be saved and to come to a full knowledge of truth.
[1 Tim 2 : 4  DBH]

So although the word predestined is not used in these references, it's clear that God's predetermined plan of salvation is intended to cover all people.
 
Why do I say predetermined or predestined here?

In all his wisdom and insight God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ.
This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
[Ephesians 1 : 9 - 10  GNB]

Clearly, salvation for all people has been predestined by God; especially those to be saved as the Body of Christ, the Advance Party, in this age.

We struggle and work hard, because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.
[1 Timothy 4 : 10  GNB]

Blessings, Barry