11 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:
For the second time, we encounter the controversial word “predestinate.” If you’ve read my comments on the fifth verse, you will remember that it means “to mark out the boundaries beforehand.” Whenever Paul uses the term, he refers to what God has predetermined will happen to a follower of Christ. From the other passages, we learn that a believer is to become like Jesus (Rom 8:29-30), is given wisdom (1 Co 2:7), and is adopted into God’s family (Eph 1:5). So what does this verse teach us about what God has predestined for us?
The verb “obtain an inheritance” in the original Greek is in the passive voice and can also be understood as “to become an inheritance.” Paul is saying that God has predestined His followers to become His own inheritance. In other words, before the world came into being, God set apart believers as His own possession.
I know I’m probably wading into controversial waters with what I’m about to say, but nothing here indicates that God chooses who will or won’t be a believer. Any opinion on that matter must come from other verses.
Should there be any doubt about the Lord’s ability to accomplish what He has predetermined, Paul goes on to say that God’s will is ultimately victorious. The phrase “all things” is used in the absolute sense, meaning everything. The term “counsel” refers to intelligence and deliberation, while the word “will” denotes a desire rooted in emotion. This verse shows that God doesn’t make decisions on a whim or based on a good or bad mood; His actions are deliberate and for good reason (even if we don’t always understand them).
I would like to digress for a moment. Some may interpret this verse to mean that the evil we see all around us is caused by God’s will. The Bible is clear that the Lord does not sin, nor does He prompt anyone to sin. God is holy. Yes, He allows evil, but that doesn’t mean it originates with Him. Let me use the first recorded crime as an example. God approached Cain before Cain killed his brother Abel. In the conversation that followed, the Lord encouraged Cain to “master the evil that was crouching at his door.” In other words, He was telling Cain not to do what he had planned. Unfortunately, Cain acted against God’s will and committed murder (Gen 4:6-8). God had nothing to do with it.
What is amazing, and what Paul says in this verse, is that God’s purposes and desires prevail no matter what. Despite all the opposition and the devil’s schemes, the Lord’s will is victorious! God can turn everything around for His purposes. Evil will be defeated.
Let me return to the main message of this verse, which is that followers of Christ are God’s inheritance. We belong to Him. And God isn’t disappointed with His inheritance. He wanted us and chose us. He did everything to get us. Imagine, God could have created any being at all, and He created and wanted you and me!
Picture: Carol Schlorff