On Predestination and Foreknowledge in Christianit

According to the *Explanatory Dictionary*: Foreknowledge is "to know in advance; to anticipate the possibility of the emergence or occurrence of something." Predestination is "the will of the Deity, which determines human behavior and everything that transpires in the world."

Both are inherent to God. Predestination is "the will of the Deity, which determines human behavior and everything that transpires in the world." This refers to the laws of the physical world and the laws governing the development and behavior of human society; however, it does not apply to every specific individual—with the exception of certain persons created by God for specific purposes, such as John the Baptist.

Foreknowledge is encompassed within predestination. The creation of human beings was God's will—His predestination. Yet, by virtue of His foreknowledge, God knew their future even before their creation. God may alter His intentions regarding any individual—or indeed any nation—based on their attitude toward God and His precepts. However, all of this is known to God in advance: He knows that people will harbor such intentions and that He, in turn, will modify His decision. An example of this occurred when God intended to destroy all the Israelites—sparing only Moses—but subsequently, at Moses's plea, God abandoned His intention.

In His predestination—acting upon what He has foreseen—God modifies specific actions to ensure that the ultimate predestination remains immutable. Nevertheless, human beings do not merely witness the final outcome of what has been foreseen; rather, they live and act within the very process of its unfolding. Consequently, they participate in every stage of this process—stages during which God may alter specific decisions of His own. God’s immutability lies in the realization of His predestination, not necessarily in the specific actions (or deeds) He performs along the way. If a person chooses a path pleasing to God, God will forgive that person and grant them salvation.

In this dynamic, the individual exercises their own choice—a right bestowed upon them by God—and God determines His own decision in accordance with the choice made by the individual. Yet, all of this remains fully known to God in advance. The creation of humanity and the Cross—which serves as salvation for those who believe in the Son of God—are all part of God’s predestination for mankind. Likewise, God’s predestination for believers includes their life with Him after their earthly existence ends. For every individual, God’s predestination is realized through faith in Jesus Christ. God compels no one to come to Him by force.