This article is not meant to be an attack against Christianity in any way. Its only to respond to ignorant Christians who attack Islam for something that is found in their own religion. For a better understanding about predestination in Islam visit this article.
The verses in the Bible that speak about predestination...
Ephesians 1:11
11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined (proorizo) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined (proorizo) for our glory before time began.
Romans 8:29-30
29For those God foreknew he also predestined (proorizo) to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
The word proorizo means...
1) to predetermine, decide beforehand
2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity
3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand
Source: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/words/4/1141403901-8023.html
Calvinism states,
"We call predestination God's eternal decree, by which he determined within himself what he willed to become of each man. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others" (Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, cited in http://www.biblestudy.org/question/predest.html).
The end of which is, that those predestinated , redeemed, and adopted ones, should be to the praise and glory of God, (John Gill's Exposition to the Bible, Commentary Ephesians 1, Source)
Christians would probably want to urge us Muslims to understand the concept of predestination in their Bible better. Well we would also like you to understand our concept of predestination in Islam better. So stop attacking Islam for things that can be rebounded against you. |