We hear so much about those who are called out or predestined. This is one of those topics where you are better off relying on the bible as its own dictionary so you don't get yourself or anyone else confused. Anyone can write a book on this subject alone and most of those books will be hundreds if not thousands of pages long. Some say that when you are "called out" of the world by God to become a Christian, you are "predestined" to go to heaven and there's nothing you can do to change it.
Isn't it funny that the same God who practically forced you out of the sinful world also gave everyone (including you) a choice to either believe or be condemned (Mark 16:16)? And why will the same God question your love for Him based on your actions if you have no part to play in staying saved (John 14:15; Romans 8:12)? We know that the "predestined" are also the "called out" group (Romans 8:30). "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life..." - 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8. Why would God require this kind of lifestyle from the "called out" group if once saved is forever saved?
WHO IS "PREDESTINED" or "CALLED OUT"?
We can all agree that to be called out of the world(sin) means that you were in the world at some point. The only way you could have left the world is by answering the call. The big question is: what call did you answer or what did God say when He called you? Before we talk about what was said in that call, we need to remind ourselves that the world is dark and this is why God called us out of it and into the light of His son (1 Peter 2:9-10). This means that there are two groups that have been predestined - one group in the light and the other in the dark. Those who answered the call to "light" are predestined for salvation and those who reject the call to light (1 Peter 2:7:8) are predestined for destruction. Those in the light are expected to conform their lives to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:22-23; Romans 8:29) and this is why the apostles who are also part of this group in the light were called Christians based on their way of life (Acts 11:26).The people on the day of Pentecost wanted to know what they must do to be saved or called out (Acts 2:36) from this sinful world. Peter, through the Holy Spirit told them to "repent and be baptized" in order to receive the gift of salvation. Peter made it clear that the answer is the same for them, their children and also "...for all whom the Lord will call" to "...save yourselves from this corrupt generation." If we have no part to play in accepting God's gift of salvation, why would Peter make such a statement through the Holy Spirit? So if God will continue to "call" those who are predestined to be saved, I guess no one can argue that Peter just revealed the call that we should all expect and answer it if we want to be a part of the "called out" group.
Paul also made the exact statement in Ephesians 1:13. I would encourage you to read the entire chapter of Ephesians chapter one and see that the same people Paul called predestined according to God's plan for salvation (Ephesians 1:11) were the same people that Paul was still talking to in verses 12 and 13 when he said that they chose to believe the gospel truth after they heard it. The command that Peter gave in Acts 2:38 is to the same people he was talking to in verse 39. They were promised forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit (indwelling) ONLY if they answer the call to "...repent and be baptized."
If you answered THE CALL to become a child of God, you are part of the predestined group in the light. The group's name is "Christians" and it is open to the public for anyone to join - not on Facebook but in real life. You and anyone can join or leave the group anytime you want. The group also have a "rule book" called the bible. The phone number that you should expect the call from is also in the book. You will not need an actual phone to answer the call because it only rings in your heart(Acts 2:37). The call you should answer to become one of the called out (if you haven't done so yet) is: (737368) 263-23-22784933. The area code is clearly out of this world and the phone number looks very "heavenly." An easy way to remember the phone number is to look at the book or use the corresponding letters (Repent) And-Be-Baptized.
CAN I CHANGE MY DESTINY AFTER ACCEPTING THE GIFT OF SALVATION?
Destiny in this sense is the ultimate destination (heaven). Predestined is to determine in advance a path that will lead to a specific destination as discussed above and in Ephesians chapter 1. One is a path through Christ and the other is not. Let's assume your destination is New York and you realized the only way to get to New York from a place like Florida is to construct a road that you then named Interstate 95 (I-95). You basically just determined in advance the future of the people who are yet to get on and stay on that road from Florida to New York. You predestined it to be the only road that will take people from Florida to New York and nothing else. You made this open plan without even writing a list of the names of those who will take that route. When the road is ready, anyone who choose to go on this road is destined for New York. Those Who don't get on I-95 or those who get on and deviate for a different route are destined for somewhere other than New York.
You always have the power to choose but if you let God lead the way and stay with him through the journey, then you have nothing to worry about. He will always be close by to pick you up when you fall. If there is no freewill, then there is no John 14:15, Acts 2:40, John 3:16; Joshua 24:15, Galatians 5:4, Matthew 28:20, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, Act 2:38, Revelations 22:17 or John 15:6.
CHOOSE WISELY MY FRIENDS, CHOOSE WISELY.
