What is the Difference Between Predestination and Election?

Thinking more about Romans 8:29-30.

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As I mentioned in yesterday’s article, we will think a little more about some of the topics mentioned in Romans 8:29-30.

I plan to take a few articles to think through some of the questions - especially regarding God’s foreknowledge, election, and predestination. Today’s article will be fairly short - but will consider an important question: What’s the difference between election and predestination?

Election and predestination are related and connected - but they aren’t interchangeable words that mean the same thing.

Election Is About WHO.

Paul refers to “God’s elect” in Romans 8:33.

The Greek word for “elect” means “chosen" or “selected” (Mounce). Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen”(Matthew 22:14). Paul referred to a Christian named Rufus as “chosen in the Lord” (Romans 16:13).

This can apply to individuals, and it can also apply to groups of people - like God chose the nation of Israel to be His people under the old covenant.

Predestination Is About WHAT.

Predestination looks forward to the future of the individual or group of people that have been chosen.

For example, it refers to what was done to God’s anointed (chosen one) - Jesus - by the Gentiles and the Jews and how God knew what would be done to Jesus.

For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27-28)

Paul used this to refer to the ones God “foreknew” and how they were “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). The future God had always planned for those “in Christ” was for them to be “conformed to the image of His Son” Jesus Christ.

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Lord willing, I hope to dive a bit deeper into these two terms and consider more about what the Bible says about them in future articles.

These two terms comfort those “in Christ” as they face suffering in this life (Romans 8:18).