Predestination – Yes or No?

By Michael Griego on February 27, 2026 • ( 0 )

The Bible clearly teaches that we are saved only by the grace of God. But why does God choose to save some and not others? Isn’t that unfair? ♦

Have you ever talked to someone, Christian or otherwise, about predestination?

Even if you’re a bit unclear on the topic yourself, you have probably been exposed to the controversial debate on this heated topic.

In basic terms, predestination is theological doctrine that God has predetermined, before the foundation of the world, the fate of all individuals, deciding who will be saved and who will not. In other words, God has chosen some people for salvation and eternal life while others are not chosen and left out.

Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it?

And that’s the problem. In man’s view, God should be fair to everyone, right? Doesn’t God love everybody? And doesn’t the Bible say that God would wish that none should perish?

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

But there is something here that misses the point.

Case Studies: The Saving of Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas, and Paul
Are you familiar with the special manifestation of God in the Book of ACTS when, long after He died and ascended, Jesus appeared to the very men who moved against Him as enemies?

…One day the High Priest, Caiaphas, was walking down the road in Jerusalem, and suddenly Jesus appeared to Caiaphas, and a bright light overwhelmed him. A voice spoke to him in Hebrew saying “Caiaphas! Caiaphas! Is it hard for you to kick against the ox goad?” And Caiaphas responded by asking “Who is it, Lord?” And then the Lord said, “It is Jesus, who you persecuted.” (Acts 42:7-8) ¹

Then later in Acts we read about Pontius Pilate on a trip to Rome:

While crossing the sea in the middle of the night, Jesus appeared to him onboard that ship and said, “Pontius! Pontius!” Then a great light shone all around Pilate, and there Jesus revealed His true identity. (Acts 72:4-5) ²

Also, in Acts, we read of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul:

As he [Saul of Tarsus] journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. (Acts 9:3-5) ³

As two of the above scenarios are complete fabrications – there is no Biblical record of Caiaphas the High Priest, nor Pontius Pilate being converted – the point is that they were no different from Saul, who became the Apostle Paul. God chose Paul, like God chose Abram, like God chose Isaac, and Joseph, and Moses, and David, and Mary, and the Apostles.

And you and me.

We Are All Spiritual Dead
As the Bible points out, “I [God] will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” (Romans 9:16) We are all at the mercy of God, whether we like it or not.

Whether we think it’s fair or not.

We are all spiritually dead and, apart from the grace and mercy of God, we would remain so. It is God who does the stirring in us to melt and turn our hearts to Him. As Jesus points out: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3)

Jesus does the birthing and renewing of our hearts, we don’t.

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one…” (Romans 3:10)
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. (Romans 9:16)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
We give thanks to God always for you all…knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. (1Thessalonians1:2,4)
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)

God’s desire is that all would be saved and come to repentance. He offers salvation to everyone.

…who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11)

Yet we know that not everyone will be saved.

With an attitude of gratefulness for God’s mercy on all of us, the unworthy, the issue really is not whether God knows who will believe, or why some believe and others do not.

God is God and we are not.

We are the ones humbled and forgiven. We don’t act; He acts. He loves; He is. We are His creation created for His glory and will.

This topic of predestination should rejuvenate us to double-down on our humility before a Holy God who created us and the universe and deems us saved for eternity.

Are you humbled by the mercy of God?
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What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. – Romans 9:14-18

¹ There is no Acts 42:4-7 nor any Biblical incident of the conversion of Caiaphas.

² There is no Acts 72:4-5 nor any Biblical incident of the conversion of Pontius Pilate.

³This incident about the conversion of Saul is accurately found in Acts 9. These 3 clever scenarios are found in R.C. Sproul’s helpful lecture on predestination: All Christians Believe in Predestination, Ligonier Ministries, December 11, 2018.