Foreknowledge vs. Foreordination

'The obvious distinction between foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, has been the occasion for much discussion, there being those [Arminians, Pelegians, Anglo-Catholics, Open Theists, etc.] who assert that God, by His foreknowledge, discriminated between those who by their own choice [so-called free will] would accept salvation and those who would not, and, being thus informed, God was able to predestinate those He knew would believe.

The superficial character of this notion is seen in:

the fact that foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, could not be placed in a sequence. Nothing could be foreknown as certain that had not been made certain by foreordination, nor could anything be foreordained that was not foreknown. Of three passages bearing on the relationship between these two divine activities, two mention foreknowledge first in order, while the other reverses this arrangement. In Romans 8:29 it is written, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate"; and in 1 Peter 1:2 believers are addressed as "elect according to the foreknowledge of God." But in Acts 2:23, where the divine purpose in Christ's death is in view, it is said: "him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."

the Scriptures declare that that which comes to pass is foreordained of God and not merely foreknown. Salvation is by grace apart from works. Men are not saved because of good works whether anticipated or realized. Election is according to grace and not according to works. If salvation be by grace, it is no more of works, and if it be by works, it is no more of grace (Romans 11:56). In the light of this revelation, it is impossible to build a foreseen structure of works as the ground of any person's salvation. Similarly, there is divine authority for denying that faith and personal holiness, even foreseen, determine divine election. The Bible reverses this order by declaring that election is unto faith and holiness. It is no slight error to confuse these issues and make faith and holiness the cause and election the effect. Faith can serve no greater purpose than to be the means by which that which God has determined may be realized. Referring again to passages already cited, it will be seen that God chose from the beginning those to be saved, and predestinated them to "belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13); and He chose some before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4).

thus it is revealed that men are not first holy and then elect; but they are first elect and that election is unto holiness. As an illustration of this order in the truth, the Apostle refers to the divine choice of Jacob over Esau before they were born and before they had done either good or evil. All this, it is said, is to the end that the divine election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calls (Rom. 9:10-13). It may be added that acceptable works and qualities are not resident in any fallen human being, except these characteristics are wrought in the human heart by divine energy. It would therefore be folly to expect the God would foresee in men what could never exist. Doubtless, multitudes of people cling to a conditional election lest they be forced to recognize the depravity of man. (pages 173-174)

Systematic Theology, Vol 3

Dallas Theological Seminary--1947

Foreknowledge vs. Foreordination

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