The Question of Predestination

Romans 13:29 For whom he did foreknow he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His son.
Two words in this verse are a stumbling block to many people. The words Foreknow and predestinate.
Theory 1
God has since eternity foreknown &; predestinated all things that were , are, and will be. That all destiny is predetermined by God for His glory; even whether a person is to be saved or lost.
Such a theory is revolting to the justice, love, ; holiness taught in the rest of scripture.
Theory 2
God foreknows all things past, present &; future ; His foreknowledge insures their certainty, but does not determine the destiny of individuals involved in predestined events.
This theory is more reasonable but still cannot be reconciled with human freedom (freewill) and contingent factors (events may or may not happen depending on other events).
Problem
1. If there is no free will or contingency then the only originating cause is God ; which would mean God is the cause of sin.
2. If we establish that the cause of sin is beyond the decision of the one who commits it , we are removing the responsibility from the individual and placing the responsibility on God.
3. If there is no contingency or freewill then sin & evil are eternal and have no beginning.
Fact
Sin is not eternal. Scripture teaches that God is holy &; without sin & that sin originated after the creation of angelic beings.
Angelic beings also have freewill. Scripture teaches that Lucifer was the originator of sin & that a third of the angelic beings joined in the sin of rebellion &; mutinied against God in heaven.
Fact
1. Man has freewill, he can sever relationships. God made man in His own image which means he was created with freewill.
2. If man was not aware and able to sense things and rationalize, then he would be a nonentity. God cannot relate with a nonentity.
3. If God has willed freewill and choice for man then choice and freewill must be in the control of the chooser.
4. If we are free then we are free to do contrary, rebellious things. The original cause of rebellion is contrary to God's will.
5. God has always wanted and willed good for His creatures. It would be contradictory and unwise of God to will good for a person whom He knew all along would become more evil. Why would God desire for them what He knows will never be?
6. Since our will is free, God's power is not limited just because He will not determine what our choices will be.
7. If individuals were predestined to go to hell then God would be insincere in urging the sinner to repent.
The verse that says "It is not His will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" would be a lie.
8. If men were predestined to be lost then God would be increasing the guilt of sinners who reject His offer impeaching His own moral character.
9. To foreknow the eternal destiny of an individual and predestinate ones fate is contrary to God's nature of love and justice.God does have a will, and does make choices, but not contrary to His own moral nature.
It is against His will and purpose that any soul should be lost eternally.
Predestined means "to appoint ahead of time with an unchangeable purpose"
From eternity God has appointed (predestined)that men should be like His Son Jesus. Not that some would be saved and others lost.
Scripture does not show examples of people whose spiritual destiny is already determined.
Scripture does show examples of people with a destiny to fulfill within a devine plan. Such people are under the law of constraint until the prediction is fulfilled.
Judas Iccariot : was not forced to remain lost. He was under the law of constraint because of a predicted event. Once the silver was returned to the preist's so they could purchase the potter's field Judas was free to change his fate.
Christlikeness comes only through His Spirit. If it came through predestined or foreknowledge then liberty & freedom is destroyed.
Only His Spirit creating a new man (new birth) by spiritual transformation implanting a righteous nature , can Christlikeness come.
It comes as a result of our choice after being convicted by His Spirit and reasoning with ourselves and God.
Freedom must be created by God or else we are stuck with necessity.
I am sovereign over my destiny and create my own fate.
By His nature within we stop sinning ; practicing sin no longer, because His nature remains within us.
He also promises to transform our bodies to become like His glorious body at the resurrection.
At the cross Jesus took our nature (sinful) upon himself so He could give us His nature.
Even though we remain with the same personality &; temperament we have a new spiritual nature.