Joshua T. Rowe

March 1st 1926

Predestination
---April 15, 1926
The following article appeared in the Zion's Landmark of March 1st, and is so timely and full of truth that we feel like copying it for the benefit of our readers who do not take the Landmark. If all our brethren would take heed to what Brother Rowe says on this line there would be no more trouble among our people on this  question. The cause of so rnuch trouble on this question among our people has been the use of words and phrases in connection with it that are not to be found inthe Bible. C. H. C.
 

THE ARTICLE
This form of the word is not found in the Bible. In ((9) (Romans 8:29) Paul tells us that those whom the Lord foreknew He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son; and in the 30th verse he says that whom He did predestinate, them He also called. In the epistle of the same apostle to the Ephesians, ((Ephesians 1:5)) , he says,” Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11), he says, “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.” These are the only places in the sacred Scriptures where these terms are used; and it is quite clear that in each case the apostle uses them in direct reference to the salvation of the chosen, or the predestinated way He leads His people, and no one is at liberty to use them in any other way than the God of our salvation is a sovereign ruler of the universe. No one of my capacity believes stronger than I that He most assuredly overrules all evil intentions of men and devils and gets the victory to Himself, and that for His people. But until I can explain how God can predestinate a thing and yet not be the author of it, I will not
say that the wicked acts of men were predestinated by Him. It is the nature of men to sin. But salvation from sin could be accomplished only by God's predestinating it.

Whatever is said of the purposes of God, or of His overruling power, save in the  places referred to, the apostles have seen fit to use other words than predestination; and if, as we believe, they wrote as the Holy Ghost dictated, the words they used were chosen by the Holy Ghost, and we cannot improve upon them. When we use words not found in the Bible in an effort to make our position stronger, we weaken it instead. The strongest position is the Bible position, and its use of words the very best form. I do wish our brethren would stop using their own words and use those which the Holy Ghost gave to the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ. These are intended for the instruction and edification of His humble poor, and do this better than any form of words that men can devise. We all believe that our God is a sovereign; that the salvation of sinners is by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, and that we are dependent upon Him for the grace that we daily
need; and for all that we receive and enjoy, we desire to give Him the praise. We merit nothing but His judgments. But His mercy endureth forever. Our wrongs are in no sense chargeable to God. By man came sin, and sin is the transgression of the law, and hence contrary to the will of God. Joshua T. Rowe.