Credits The article below is from a book published in 1971 by Elder Wiley W. Sammons, titled: “IDENTITY OF THE TRUE BAPTIST CHURCH, Doctrine Precept & Practice, From 1701 – 1971, In West Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. The five Primitive Baptist Elders who contributed to this effort were: Wiley W. Sammons of Tennessee, C.M. Mills of North Carolina, Guy Hunt of Alabama, T.L. Webb Jr. of Arkansas, and E.B. Watts of Alabama.

We have published several of these well-crafted articles from this book.  They can be found in the Archive section. We want to take all care in giving credit to these men who labored to produce such a work. Fundamental of Faith is so very important for the child of God to be well-grounded in the “rudiments of truth,” and we commend these good brethren for their efforts to furnish the generations of the Lord's people with sound fundamental teachings.

This book would be a great addition to the library of every “Old School Primitive Baptist,” with a desire to seek after the truth.

Elder John P. Young – Editor

Predestination
By Elders Guy Hunt (dec.)

Predestination means a destination pre-set or fixed. When we prepare for a journey, we make our plans to arrive at our destination via road Maps, cars, gas, etc., and all things we feel necessary to bring us to a predetermined destination. Sometimes, because of unforeseen problems or circumstances and our weaknesses, we fail to arrive. Not so with God's predestination. He is all powerful and none can hinder Him from doing all things necessary to accomplish the final destination.

While the word predestination is not used in the Bible, the truth of such is set out plainly, not only in the use of the words predestinate, predestined and predestinated but in many other companion scriptures. My purpose is not to merely assert that predestination is taught in the Bible, for that is plainly obvious, but to also exhort that it be believed and rejoiced in. If the reader is a lover of truth, perhaps I can point out the true teaching of the Bible concerning predestination and then some misconceptions many have concerning this great power and truth of God.

Predestination deals solely with the predetermining of people to a given destination. Included in it would be all the works of God necessary for those predestined to safely and triumphantly reach the destination.

(1) ADOPTION: "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." Eph. 1:5 Adoption brings about a severing of all the old. Under the adoption laws of our nation, the order always divests the old ties of all rights and privileges as if there had never been a tie. When the adoption in all its glorious and final reality comes to pass, there is a total separation from that which has troubled us. "So also is the resurrection of the dead: It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; It is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; It is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." 1st Cor. 15:42-44 We certainly would be foolish to object to being predestined unto the adoption of God's child.

(2) INHERITANCE: "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." Eph. 1:11 You have a right to inherit because you are an heir of God, you are his Son. Notice also, it is in Him you obtain the inheritance so that it is not something you earn but receive as a gift according to His will. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23 Notice, it is eternal, thus never ending. "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you," 1st Peter 1;4 Could we object to this inheritance?

(3) IMAGE OF HIS SON: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might he the firstborn among many brethren." Rom. 8:29 This embraces both die inheritance and adoption. The satisfaction of this joyful destination is well expressed by David. Ps. 17:15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." Would you object to God in His love predestinating you to behold His face in righteousness, in the sweet likeness and image of Jesus?

If then, a person could not find any reason to object to being predestinated to the adoption of the children and thereby obtaining an inheritance that would finally bring you to an eternal likeness of sweet Jesus, then they could really have no reason to object to the Bible truth of predestination as taught by Primitive Baptist.

If there can be no objection to the above as so clearly set out in God's written word, any (other anxiety, hatred, or disbelief in predestination might well he based on misconceptions often put forth as predestination.

MISCONCEPTIONS
Number

(1) To believe in predestination, you must believe that God predestinated some to heaven and some to hell. This is false. The Bible does not teach this. Of the scriptures concerning predestination, not one of them says anything about, nor infers, that any person is predestined to hell. The Bible not teaching such, Primitive Baptist do not teach it or believe it. Predestination deals with the final destination of His people into the eternal joys of heaven and bliss.

(2) God foresaw who would do good in this world and would accept His Son and predestined those who do this to be His eternally. This is false for it would leave salvation to the works of man entirely. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Rom. 8:29 He foreknew a people and predestinated them, not just foresaw them. This foreknowing is loving them before. For proof we turn to John 17:23-24. "I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me...: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Then if he loved us as he loved Christ, he loved us before the foundation of the world. His love for us caused us to love him, so that God's love for us is the basis and cause for everything good and righteous we do and not the reverse, that what we did or what God saw we would do caused Him to love and predestinate us. "We love him because he first loved us." 1st John 4:19.

(3) God predestinated everything whatsoever comes to pass, good and evil. This is false. The "All" things that work together for good to them that love God, and enumerated in the next two verses: foreknow; predestinate; called; justified; glorified. Rom. 8:29-30 God is not the author of sin as He would be if such were true that he predestinated good and evil. How do we know? "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Rom. 5:12

If God caused murders, the murderer should not be punished, for God would be the author. Heaven forbid that we accuse God of evil.

(4) God predestinates our good works, or at least some of them so that we have no choice. This is false. This idea is the most dangerous misconception because it more easily captivates those who otherwise teach the truth. The reason is obvious. The drawing of God's love, the feeling within us, has such a power on the life of His children, we could very easily he confused into thinking God forces us to do it.

Those who believe and teach the above idea, always deny that they believe in absolute predestination (everything that comes to pass), but they do. If obedience and good is predestinated by God, then disobedience and evil would also be. "If ye he willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the I ore had] spoken it." Isa. 1:19

Many statements made by those who believe this doctrine often contain sonic element of truth and that is the reason many people will become confused about it. As an example, a minister was preaching about joining or uniting with the Church. His example is as follows which is absolute predestination, pure and simple.

"God's invitation for you to join his Church is like your greetings to join the army. If you don't go, they will come after you." The preacher was trying to tell the congregation they really did not have any choice, that you were going one way or another.

Let us note the whole truth. If you do not respond to your greetings or draft into the army, they will come get you and you will suffer the punishment. shame, and disgrace, and you may even be put in prison. None of this means you will ever be in the army, but it will make you wish you had not rebelled. Those who feel a desire to unite with God's church and do not, may never unite with the church, but the remorse they have for rebelling is the greatest anguish known to man.

Another who believed this misconception was expressing thanks for the food set before him. "Thank thee Lord for this food thou hast caused to be prepared for us." Doesn't sound too bad at first hearing does it? Yet, it will run you straight to absolute predestination, for what God caused could not be otherwise.

God did cause the goodness and love to be in the good sister's heart that prepared the food, for he called her by his grace. This is part of it. He did not cause her to prepare the food. She could have stayed in bed and told the visitors to prepare it themselves. However, because of the goodness and love God placed in her heart, she would have felt bad not to prepare the food. See how crafty those who teach this doctrine must be. That is why in many areas, it has crept in unawares.

I have dealt with this false doctrine and misconception of predestination more because it has confused many and today is being taught by many, claiming to be sound Baptist. Many of our northern brethren have never heard of it. It is found mainly in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

(5) We have a time fixed by God (predestinated), to die and we cannot go before our time nor stay a minute longer. This (is false and) is also absolute predestination in that for this to be true, Cod would have to guide the hand of him who cut the throat of his brother and thus caused his death. Often you will hear a person say, "I believe this much like a Primitive Baptist, that every person has a time to go." Yet, sound Primitive Baptist do not believe this false doctrine for it is not taught in the Bible. Let us examine a scripture often used to try to prove this error. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die: . . ." Ecc. 3:1-2 The time to be born is about nine months from the time of conception. This is the normal. Yet some are born sooner, some are born later. The normal time to die is, to use an example threescore or 60 years. Some die sooner and some die much later. What makes the difference that the time for everyone is not the same?

The difference is conditions and circumstances, some we have power over, and some that other people do. The time we are actually going is when all the necessary things to cause death meet us, whether it be sickness or accident.

Thus we go to a doctor when we get sick. Yet if we didn't think we could go before a set moment in our lives, we would be foolish to go to a doctor. A baseball catcher wears a catcher's mask to prevent being struck in the face, possibly causing death. We drive an automobile and stay on our side of the road, stop for red lights and stop signs, keep good tires, all because we really believe we could go before our time of 60 years. If we really didn't think we could go before our time, there would be no need to watch our speed when driving, nothing could happen to us that wasn't supposed to. Doesn't that sound silly? It is silly.

Some corn you plant will have a season or time to mature of 105 days, Yet, very, very seldom does it mature and die at this time. Sometimes it does not take this long. Sometimes it never fulfills its season. When I used to plow a mule and it would reach over and bite down a stalk of corn, the corn died before its time of 105 days as we can die before our time which is our normal life expectancy or for our example we used 60 years. Ecc. 7:17 "Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: Why shouldest thou die before thy time?" Die before our time, really! If you do not believe we can die before our time, (normal life expectancy), look at those who die from an overdose of drugs, car wrecks or at war. God has not and did not fix our time of death.

(6) God's predestined work is revocable and changed if people fail to live faithful in all things. This falsehood is conceived by intelligent well educated people who know they cannot get by by saying predestination is not taught in the Bible. So they do not deny predestination is taught but instead deny the effects of it so as to conform to their false doctrine.

While there are untold numbers of scriptures to refute such an obvious perversion of the word and work of God, two will be sufficient. "Every god gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17 "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Mal 3:6 God never turns or changes from His plan and purpose. Those who say he does, are accusing God of lying and they show a disbelief in the scripture.

Some scriptures often used to try to show that God's changes are similar in teaching to that in Jonah 3:10. "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them ;and he did it not." This is God dealing with His creation according to the rule of His promises. They showed a fear of God by repenting and turning from their evil way. God's rule in such matters is clearly shown in Isa. 3:10-11 "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." It was the city of Nineveh which changed and not God. He is still the same today. Every work shall reap its own reward.

As we come to the conclusion of the matter, after due consideration of the truth of predestination as taught in the Bible and the misconceptions as taught and believed and used by others, God will deliver His people to the final and eternal glorified bliss.

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom 8:29-30 The same ones he foreknew (foreloved) will finally be glorified! You cannot take the language of the above scripture and come to any other conclusion. "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Rom. 8:30

Hallelujah to the Lord!

This is the final article in the series on “Fundamentals of the Faith” from these writings. While there are many of these articles which we would like to use, we will forgo at this time, in hope that there might be some energy to issue another publishing of them in the future.
There are a few of these books which can still be found, but it is sometimes difficult to find both Volumes I & II together. We have only begun to touch the information these volumes provide for those who thirst after the truth as it is in Christ.  Editor