Predestination, in theology, doctrine that asserts that God predestines from eternity the salvation of certain souls, so-called double predestination, as in Calvinism, is the added assertion that God also foreordains certain souls to damnation. Predestination is based on God's omniscience and omnipotence and is closely related to the doctrines of divine providence and grace. A predestination doctrine suggested in St. Paul, but it is not developed (Rom. 8.28-30). St. Augustine's interpretation of the doctrine has been the fountainhead for most subsequent versions, both Protestant and Roman Catholic. Pelagianism argued against St. Augustine, that by granting every individual freedom of choice, God wills the salvation of all souls equally, a view that became popular in liberal Protestant theology (Encyclopedi

ea.com). The Roman Catholic view, as stated by St. Thomas Aquinas, maintains that God wills the salvation of all souls but that certain souls are granted special grace, in effect foreordains their salvation. The damned may be sent back to hell only in the sense that God foresees their resistance to the grace given them. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that predestination is consistent with free will since God moves the soul according to its nature. Calvinism, on the other hand, rejects the role of free will, teaches that grace is irresistible and that God by an absolute election saves the souls of some, and abandons the souls of others. Jansenism was a corresponding predestinarian movement within the Roman Catholic Church. Traditional Jewish theology may be said to be predestinarian in the general sense that everything ultimately depends upon God. Islam teaches an absolute predestination, controlled by a God conceived of as absolute will.

Predestination and free will are two different topics that religious scholars and philosophers are fighting over on a day-to-day basis. I believe that predestination does not exist because no one person real or imaginary can control my life and decide what happens. I believe that I create my own life and follow on the free will concept. It is a major topic with in the Bible and through out religious and philosophical texts.

Unconditional election means "our final destination, heaven or hell, is decided by God not only before we get there, but before we are born. It teaches that our ultimate destiny is in the hands of God." (Sproul p. 161) God did not base His choice on anything in man. He did not choose those whom He foreknew would choose him, but based his choice upon himself and his holy purposes only. Freedom is the ability to choose according to our desires. It means making an unforced decision. "Even the most ardent Calvinist would not deny that the will is free to choose whatever it desires. Even the most ardent Armenian would agree that the will is not free to choose what it does not desire" (Sproul, p. 179). Therefore, before we choose something, we must first desire to choose it. Jonathan Edwards conclusively argued in his book The Freedom of the Will that the will always chooses according to its greatest desire now. For example, if I have a choice between eating liver and steak, I will always choose steak because I desire steak more than liver. However, what about when you choose, for example, to study for a test when you really want to go to a movie that night? In that case, you desired the long-run benefits of the good grade t

Some common words found in the essay are:
God God, Spirit God, Jonathan Edwards, God Romans, , God John, God Sproul, Encyclopediacom Predestination, Catholic Church, God Islam, desire christ, roman catholic, salvation souls, total depravity, roman catholic church, salvation ultimately, person believe, grace regeneration, hostile god, god wills salvation, god regenerates, wills salvation souls, expect verses, choice accordance desires, choose according desires,
Approximate Word count = 1752
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)