Predestination
God's eternal choosing in salvation — and one of theology's most disputed mysteries
Predestination is God's eternal foreordaining of persons to salvation, and in some accounts also to condemnation. It is rooted in passages like Romans 8 and developed by Augustine and later by Calvin. The traditions differ sharply: some teach single predestination, others double; and they disagree on how it relates to God's foreknowledge and to human free will. These remain among the most contested questions in Christian thought.
How it traveled
- RomansCorinth · 67explains
- EphesiansRome · 67explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of RufinusAquileia · 411explains
- A Treatise on the Predestination of the SaintsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on Rebuke and GraceHippo Regius · 430explains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · 430explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of InfantsHippo Regius · 430explains
- The EnchiridionHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on the Soul and its OriginHippo Regius · 430explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise on Grace and Free WillHippo Regius · 430explains
- A Treatise Against Two Letters of the PelagiansHippo Regius · 430explains
- Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26])Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · 1274explains
- Discussion: Second PartWittenberg · 1546explains
- Discussion: First PartWittenberg · 1546explains
- The Sovereignty of GodWittenberg · 1546explains
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · 1564explains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · 1564explains
- Book First. of the Knowledge of God the CreatorGeneva · 1564explains
- a careful and strict inquiry into the prevailing notions of the freedom of willNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
Key passages(20)
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on rebuke and grace, by aurelius augustin, bishop of hippo; In One Book, addressed to valentine, and with him to the monks of adrumetum. a.d. 426 or 427 ———————————— In the beginning
Tap to expand
A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 47.—Predestination is Sometimes Signified Under the Name of Foreknowledge. These gifts, therefore, of God, which are given to the elect who are called according to God’s purpose, among which
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, preparation is something in the thing prepared. But predestination is the preparation of God's benefits, as Augustine says (De Praed. Sanct. ii, 14). Therefore predestination is
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, "There is no injustice in God" (Rom. 9:14). Now it would seem unjust that unequal things be given to equals. But all men are equal as regards both nature and original sin; and in
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Reply to Objection 3: The reason for the predestination of some, and reprobation of others, must be sought for in the goodness of God. Thus He is said to have made all things through His goodness, so
Tap to expand
A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 37.—We Were Elected and Predestinated, Not Because We Were Going to Be Holy, But in Order that We Might Be So. It would be too tedious to argue about the several points. But you see without d
Tap to expand
Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
OF THE ETERNAL ELECTION, BY WHICH GOD HAS PREDESTINATED SOME TO SALVATION, AND OTHERS TO DESTRUCTION. The divisions of this chapter are,—I. The necessity and utility of the doctrine of eternal Electi
Tap to expand
Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
5. The predestination by which God adopts some to the hope of life, and adjudges others to eternal death, no man who would be thought pious ventures simply to deny; but it is greatly caviled at, espec
Tap to expand
Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
7. Although it is now sufficiently plain that God by his secret counsel chooses whom he will while he rejects others, his gratuitous election has only been partially explained until we come to the cas
Tap to expand
Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
It is not from any foresight of good works that men do before or after conversion; but on the contrary, men do good works because God hath chosen them. John xv. 16. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
After consideration of divine providence, we must treat of predestination and the book of life. Concerning predestination there are eight points of inquiry: (1) Whether predestination is suitably att
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, The number of the predestined is certain. Some have said that it was formally, but not materially certain; as if we were to say that it was certain that a hundred or a thousand would be
Tap to expand
Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, if a thing can be helped, it can also be hindered. But predestination cannot be hindered by anything. Therefore it cannot be furthered by anything. On the contrary, It is said t
Tap to expand
Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
We shall now consider the predestination of Christ. Under this head there are four points of inquiry: (1) Whether Christ was predestinated? (2) Whether He was predestinated as man? (3) Whether His
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 49.—Conclusion. Hence, as far as concerns us, who are not able to distinguish those who are predestinated from those who are not, we ought on this very account to will all men to be saved. Se
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 14.—None of the Elect and Predestinated Can Perish. Of such says the apostle, “We know that to those that love God He worketh together all things for good, to them who are called according to
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 20 [IX.]—Some are Children of God According to Grace Temporally Received, Some According to God’s Eternal Foreknowledge. Nor let it disturb us that to some of His children God does not give t
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 39 [XIII.]—The Number of the Predestinated is Certain and Defined. I speak thus of those who are predestinated to the kingdom of God, whose number is so certain that one can neither be added
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 42.—The Reprobate are to Be Punished for Merits of a Different Kind. But those who do not belong to this number of the predestinated, whom—whether that they have not yet any free choice of th
Tap to expand
A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 23.—Those Who are Called According to the Purpose Alone are Predestinated. For this reason the apostle, when he had said, “We know that to those who love God He work Rom. viii. 28. Rom. vii
Tap to expand