Q&A Home > P > Predestination

My question is about predestination and the Free will of mankind.. Do we accept the argument that God has already determined who goes to hell and who will be saved? What about our freedom of choice which should be the determining agent for our final destination?

First, the issue of "Predestination" is an often talked about subject. I prefer to explain the terms "Foreknowledge" "Redemption" and "Salvation" when discussing this topic as it is clearly outlined in our Coptic Church.

God is all knowing, so He knows everything even before we do. Also you should know that God is above time since he has created it. There is no  past nor future for Him, but everything is present. So He knows what will happen after million years because this is present before Him right now. This foreknowledge does not interfere with our freedom. So God foreknows what we will do. But this does not mean that we do what God has determined for us to do. There is a big difference between these two concepts.

Redemption is the deliverance of humanity from sin and death by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ assumed humanity by His Incarnation and conquered sin and death by His life-giving death and His Glorious Resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ released those who are in captivity to the evil one and united humanity to God by His Glorious Ascension.

The Holy Book of Galations 3:13 states: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree)."
This verse simply means the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed the law and accepted its curse. In the Lord, we are redeemed from the curse and participate in His perfect faith and obedience. This is all this verse is saying. Not that we are predestined to be saved.

The third term to think about is "salvation." What is salvation? It  is the fulfillment of humanity in the Lord Jesus Christ. It  is through deliverance from the curse of sin and death, to reach union with God through Christ the Savior. Salvation is not immediate but requires growth of the whole person whereby the sinner is changed into the image and likeness of God. One is saved by faith through Grace. Saving faith is not only belief but it is much more than this. One must have to live the faith by doing God’s Will. How do we as Copts believe one must live in faith? The most important way is to participate in the Sacramental Life of the Church.
Predestination so to speak requires more study than a few paragraphs written to an answer. This is only a beginning to the topic. Some suggested readings include: "Deification in Christ" Holy Book of II Peter 1; "Justification by Faith" Holy Book of Romans 5; and any of the books within the .Mighty Arrows Booklist, which address the Sacramental Life of the Church.