2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJVS
[13] But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

A few related verses come mind in Ephesians and a verse in 2 Timothy.

Ephesians 1:4-5,11 KJVS
[4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
2 Timothy 1:9 KJVS
[9] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

“Having predestinated us” in Eph 1:5 can only be viewed in the strictest sense. The Strong’s definition for the Greek word that is translated into the English word “predestinates”.
to predetermine, decide beforehand
in the NT of God decreeing from eternity
to foreordain, appoint beforehand

Given some thought, predestination is not based on God looking ahead and seeing who would choose to serve Him. Since God himself justifies and sanctifies the ungodly, our salvation is not based on any works of righteousness we have done, Titus 3:5-7. Then how can one claim predestination is based on a work of man or result of man’s effort in any way. There are some people who prefer that important doctrinal matters be confirmed out of the mouth of two or three witnesses. I am of course referring to the doctrine of predestination by the foreknowledge of God. Let us see what the Word of God, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, had to say regarding the matter.

John 15:16 KJVS
[16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 6:39,44 KJVS
[39] And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. [44] No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The second witness of course is the Apostle Paul and the two scriptures from his epistles cited in the beginning of the article. A third witness being Apostle Peter and I personally like the contrast of the two groups of people mentioned, one group appointed to be disobedient and the other group to be a chosen royal priesthood, Ro 9:21.

1 Peter 2:7-9 KJVS
[7] Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, [8] And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. [9] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

I believe in what the scripture verses themselves state, rather than the doctrines of man based on a few scriptures surrounded with human reasonings. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing as the old saying goes and this holds to be true with the Word of God. The members of the body of Christ were chosen in him before the foundation of the world, and were ordained to walk in good works, and those good works are due to God’s workmanship in the body of Christ, Eph 2:10. There are those who like to associate various concepts in the bible with prominent men in the past, who started their own churches based on certain doctrines. So if you mention the above verses and say you believe in predestination by foreknowledge , Ro 8:29, in regards to the body of Christ, some people will say that you are a Calvinist. One might respond to this remark by pointing out that Calvin did not believe in Universal Reconciliation, which the scriptures also point to. But a response like that is so off the wall to most Christians, that the conversation usually proceeds no further. These types of conversations are generally fruitless and vain, in the sense that if a dialogue does develop, it usually becomes a conflict between egos. There are some people who so very strongly hold onto the concept of free will, that they can not move past the point of their having “chosen” Jesus Christ as their personal savior. One has to wonder if this is fundamentally a base form of idol worship. Worship of the power of ones own will. You can show a person who believes they chose Jesus as their “personal savior”, all the above scriptures and yet they will come back to this one verse.

Romans 10:9 KJVS
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

One should always keep in mind that the sum of God’s word is truth, Ps 119:160.

Philippians 1:29 KJVS
[29] For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Ephesians 2:8 KJVS
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

The scriptures state clearly that the very belief in Jesus Christ that a man possesses, was given to that man by God, as a gift. That alone would support the doctrine of predestination by foreknowledge. If a man is not able to generate belief or faith by his own free will, then God is the determining force behind that faith, and it is up to God to choose and call a man. That is what the scriptures state. I have not been educated formally in theology and have largely avoided delving into theology and the various doctrines of man via the Internet. Some time ago I had a crisis of faith due to chronic pain from a spinal cord injury and my inability to understand sound doctrine, largely due to the cunning craftiness of the winds of doctrine of man, Eph 4:14. I was chastised by God for questioning the faith given me and told to study to show myself approved. I decided then to strictly rely on what the New Testament scriptures state, as all doctrine and theology is, or should be, based on scripture. Due to four fused vertebrae in my neck, it is difficult for me to read in bed. I spend more time in bed than the average person due to pain and weakness. In the past I have used several small New Testament vest pocket bibles, that are easy to hold with just the thumb and index finger, while laying in bed. I am more hi-tech now and have a iPad with the Strong’s Concordance. I am a fast reader so for years, when I lay down due to pain and weakness, I would read a epistle or part of a gospel. I have become very familiar with the New Testament but no matter how familiar you become, you still need the Spirit of God teaching you the deep things of God, Jn14:26, 1 Co 2:10&11. The New Testament is the new will and testament of Jesus Christ dividing his inheritance with the members of his body, the body of Christ, He 9:15-17.

Galatians 3:16-17,29 KJVS
[16] Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. [17] And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. [29] And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Let us be clear about one thing, as it states in verse 17, the law of Moses did not disannul the promises God made to Abraham and his singular seed, Jesus Christ. There is far too much focus by the Christian churchs today with the Covenant of the law. The words covenant and testament can have and do have subtle different meaning but are translated from the same Greek word.

Strong’s Number
G1242
Original Word
διαθήκη
Transliterated Word
diathēkē
Phonetic Spelling
dee-ath-ay’-kay
Parts of Speech
Noun Feminine
Definition
a disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death, a testament or will
a compact, a covenant, a testament
God’s covenant with Noah, etc

It is often confusing to try and separate the two words and their meanings in the different verses but the word testament at times refers to a last will and testament bequeathing Abrahams inheritance to his seed, Jesus Christ. That inheritance, is to rule and reign over the world during the thousand year kingdom of God, Ro 4:13, Re 20:6. Start to finish, God predestinates those He foreknew, calls them, justifies and sanctifies them and when the time comes will glorify the members of the body of Christ.

Romans 8:29-30 KJVS
[29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

I think the problem lies in the fact that the modern theology of today’s major denominations in the Christian world, misunderstands grace and the function of grace. Grace teaches and chastises us, Titus 2:11&12, He 12:6, and washes us with the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:4-7. So it is God working from within and without, changing a man and making him righteous. All of this instruction and purifying of the heart of man, by God, is to prepare priests and kings, who will rule and reign with Jesus Christ for a thousand years, Re 20:6, during the age to come. This is the inheritance mentioned in the Ephesians 1:11, Ga 3:16&18. There will be no place for the flesh, no place for ego in those called by God for that monumental role in history. To imagine in some fashion that man could intrinsically accomplish this by himself, with his own effort and make the necessary changes within himself for this role, directly counters what scriptures state. Not only that, it runs counter to what we observe in recorded history, most especially today, with wars of exploitation by the strong and wealthy over the weak. It is hard to have faith at times, of having a part of this grand and noble inheritance in the future, especially when you are being scourged and undergoing trials and temptations. But we are exhorted and told in many verses in the New Testament, to have a active partnership in the process of being made worthy of our inheritance.

2 Peter 1:3-7,9-11 KJVS
[3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [5] And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: [11] For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.