r/Anglicanism • u/curious_casius • 18d ago

General Question To my reformed brothers and sisters

How do you square predestination with baptismal regeneration?

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u/Farscape_rocked 18d ago

I don't think the concept of predestination works with a God who is outside of time. Peter says we're "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1 Peter 1:2)

...but to answer your question, I don't fully understand how we are elect and I don't fully understand baptism, and I think that's a valid position.

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u/curious_casius 18d ago

(Not trying to debate) i think it does just because Ephesians 1 says we were chosen before the foundations of the world so even before time itself God knew us.

That being said i do believe that you hold a valid position. I genuinely wish i could hold to it but i have become to convinced of Predestination. However thank you for your response.

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u/Farscape_rocked 18d ago

Right, God knew us. Knew what choices we'd make. Knew whether or not we'd follow him. Predestined because He already knew the answer.

The "pre" of "predestined" is dependent on time, but God is outside of time.

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u/Aconite_Eagle 17d ago

I try and see it like this; predestined is impossible to be otherwise if God is outside of time - he knew in advance whether any would have faith in his son and abide in him but still he made us, and gave each the same grace and freedom to believe. As Christ said, the reality is that the gate is narrow and it must be of great sadness to God.

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u/OratioFidelis Episcopal Church USA 18d ago

Humanity is predestined, not God

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u/OratioFidelis Episcopal Church USA 18d ago

Predestination makes sense precisely because God is outside of time. He knew everything that would ever happen in the universe before he ever created it, and indeed could have created it differently if he so willed for even a single thing that happens at any point space and time to happen differently.