Fate vs. Destiny

Predestination…  a very simple word… however this word is a minefield when you bring it up in christian circles… I think the real problem these days is that people would really like to understand predestination but when all the cards are on the table… somehow they feel robbed or something..

so lets work out a simple logical path..

Step 1)   I decide to go for a ride

• I have no idea where I am going

Step 2) I get in my car and start driving south… and at some point I decide that I am going to Louisiana to visit family.

• there is an infinite amount of choices of roads that I can take to begin the journey
• many of the choices are completely ridiculous
• there are a few most logical choices to make
• at any intersection I can make another choice to take another road.
• some of the choices that I make may make the trip longer… or faster, more enjoyable or completely excruciating.
• the closer that I get to Louisiana the same infinite number of choices exist however many of them do not make sense to me as long as my destination is still Louisiana…

step 3) I arrive in Louisiana

• thus my choice to go for a drive resulted in me ending up in Louisiana

so to summarize… my choice to go for a drive resulted in possibly thousands of small choices… what roads to take.. how fast to drive, when to stop, whether to be nice or ugly to other drivers… however the only real choice that gave me the result of a destination to arrive at  ultimately was the choice to go to Louisiana.   if we were to make all of the other smaller choices all over again a thousand different ways and times.. ultimately all of them would eventually still get me to my destination of Louisiana. because I chose Louisiana as my destination.

In the same way we choose our destiny… and while we may refuse to beleive it every choice that we will ever make has already been made. God sees all of our choices instantly… and ultimately only one choice counts… do we accept Jesus as our sacrifice? or do we reject him?

so when we look at

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according go his purpose. 29) For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren; 30) and whom he predestined, these he also called; and whom he called, these he also justified; and whom he justified, these he also glorified.

what we see is that God foreknew or saw our ultimate choice and he predestined us… (set our destination to be conformed in the image of Christ)  sure he knows all of our other choices but ultimately the choice to accept Jesus Christ is the one that every other choice is colored by.

To me this is an incredibly elegant design that allows for both our free will and yet shows the ultimate sovereignity of God. It also explains a lot about Grace and why it is such an integral part of God’s plan.

I love the way the Oracle explains choice to NEO in the movie the matrix.

Oracle: Candy?

Neo: Do you already know if I’m going to take it?

Oracle: Wouldn’t be much of an oracle if I didn’t.

Neo: But if you already know, how could I make a choice?

Oracle: Because you didn’t come here to make the choice. You already made it. You’re here to try to understand why you made it

Fate is what a person resigns themselves to because they believe that they have no choice.

Destiny is when a person chooses to make choices.

I hope this made you think a little about predestination…