The terms "predestination" and "election" are often used interchangeably. However, careful examination of the Scriptures reveals distinctive meanings and applications of these two words. "Election," meaning "choice," refers to God’s sovereign choice of certain individuals to be saved. "He hath chosen [or elected] us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Eph. 1:4). "God hath from the beginning [elected] you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13). "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit" (1 Pet. 1:2). "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?" (Rom. 8:33).

Predestination refers to God’s determination that those thus chosen or elected to be saved should receive the further and higher blessing of becoming His sons and receiving His inheritance. God could very well have chosen us to be delivered from eternal punishment and live forever as His bondslaves. Surely we would be grateful for this much. But in His sovereignty, "according to the good pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:5), He has brought us into a much higher and nearer position to Himself, "having predestinated us unto the adoption of children [or bringing into the position of sons]."

In the verse just quoted, we find that predestination specifically has to do with the blessing of sonship given to those who believe. The two other mentions of "predestination" in the New Testament are consistent with this. In Rom. 8:29,30 we find that God predestinated us "to be conformed to the image of His Son." Just think of it! God’s thoughts concerning us and desires for us are so high that He wants us to be His sons, and not only that, but also to be conformed to the image of His own Son. This is tremendous! It is difficult to conceive of such grace as this!

Now this does not mean that we are going to take on deity or the divine attributes such as omniscience, omnipotence, and the like; these are reserved for God_Father, Son, and Holy Spirit_alone. In what way, then, will we be conformed to the image of God’s Son? It is primarily, I would suggest, in the total removal of our sin nature (He never had one to begin with). Just as Christ is the holy, spotless, sinless, perfect Man, so we will be presented to Christ "not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but . . . holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27; also 1:4). We shall become pure, even as He is pure (1 John 3:1-3). We shall become fully obedient to God’s commands and shall fully correspond to His aspirations for us. We shall finally respond fully to His desires that we have "all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love" (Eph. 4:2); that we "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us" (Eph. 5:2); that we forgive "one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven [us]" (Eph. 4:32); that we be "holy in all manner of [behavior]," for God is holy (1 Pet. 1:15,16); that we "walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:6). It is perhaps true that in heaven we will not need to be longsuffering and forgiving and forbearing since no offenses will be committed there. However, in heaven we will_praise the Lord!_be able freely to fellowship with saints who perhaps have greatly hurt or offended us in this present life, and whom we have never really been able to forgive. When we become fully Conformed to Christ’s image we will be as loving and forgiving toward others as Christ is toward us.

So we see that in addition to the many present blessings pertaining to our position as sons_for example, our assurance of a Father’s continual loving care for us and our liberty to bring our requests to Him at all times_there are additional blessings of our sonship that are yet future. This is further evidenced in Rom. 8:23:"We . . . groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption [or sonship], to wit, the redemption of our body." As long as we are in these present bodies, still possessing the sin nature, we will not fully enter into the blessings of our position as sons; we will not be fully conformed to the image of Christ. However, there is no reason to wait until we are "caught up together . . . in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" before experiencing any changes into that image. It should be the present experience of each child of God that as we grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, by reading and meditating upon the Scriptures that speak of His Person and work, we will become increasingly like that One. The apostle Paul expresses it this way:"We all, with open face beholding . . . the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18).

The third mention of "predestination" in the New Testament also has to do with our position before God as sons. "He hath . . . made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself:that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth:even in Him; 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, that we should be to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:8-12). As sons of God we are "heirs:heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ" (Gal. 4:7). So God has willed, has purposed, has predestinated that we who are saved should be sons; and another blessing of that sonship, in addition to being conformed to the image of God’s Son, is that we are to receive an inheritance prepared for us by God.

What is the nature of this inheritance? The apostle Paul prays that the eyes of our understanding might be enlightened, that we "may know what is the hope of His calling, and . . . the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" (Eph. 1:18). So it is clearly God’s desire that we consider the nature and character of this inheritance.

Perhaps the clearest description of our inheritance in Christ is given in Eph. 1:10 already quoted:It consists of all things, both in heaven and on earth, gathered together in Christ. This is amplified in verses 20-22:God raised Christ "from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this [age], but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church." Unlike our earthly possessions, our inheritance in Christ is "incorruptible, and undefiled, and [unfading], reserved in heaven for [us]" (1 Pet. 1:4).

Sin has come in to mar (though not totally) the beauty of God’s creation. Just as we groan, waiting for the redemption of our bodies by being delivered from that sin nature and all presence of surrounding sin (Rom. 8:23), so "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (verse 22) because of the wars, the violence, the conflicts, the pollution, the disorder brought in by sin. But the day is coming when God will "create new heavens and a new earth" (Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1). This may either be a re-creation and restoration of the universe to its original beauty and perfection, unmarred by sin; or else it will be something even more beautiful and glorious. In either case, all creation_all things in heaven and in earth_will be brought into entire subjection to Christ, and we, as sons, will inherit these things in Christ. Our reigning with Christ over the earth during the millenium no doubt is one aspect of this inheritance (Luke 19:12-19; Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:6). It is also conceivable that part of eternity will be spent exploring in depth the beauties_ both microscopic and telescopic_of God’s creation, with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator Himself, as our guide. No doubt we shall then learn fully what we have so far scarcely begun to appreciate, that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork" (Psa. 19:1).

In the prophetic scenes described in Rev. 4 and 5 we see the twenty-four elders both worshipping God for His creation (4:11; see also 14:7), and worshipping the Lamb who was slain (5:12). No doubt our chief occupation in heaven will be communing with our Lord and Saviour about His death on our behalf and His infinite grace and longsuffering toward us throughout our life on earth, and joining together with our fellow saints in worshipping the Lamb who was slain and is now risen and glorified. Our present-day commemoration of His death through the symbols of the bread and wine will give way to a continual, eternal commemoration with Himself personally in our midst, where we will behold the scars on His hands, His feet, and His side. In addition, as the teaching concerning our sonship and inheritance suggests, and confirmed by the prophetic scene in Rev. 4, another major occupation of God’s people in heaven will be learning about God’s creation from the Creator Himself; worshipping the Creator for His wisdom, power, and handiwork; and joining with the Creator in possessing and ruling over that creation. Meditation upon these precious promises of all that will be ours to enjoy throughout eternity will surely direct our hearts and thoughts "to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:11,14).