This is the once saved always saved doctrine that is so popular within Christendom but is NOT biblical at all. The words
"predestined" and
"predetermined" are misunderstood in the Bible.
Biblically God predestined that all mankind be saved whether they are Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and heathen. God
"desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (
1 Timothy 2:4). However that does not mean all will be saved because they have to make a choice to accept and submit to Him. God did not decree that certain people be saved and others lost. He prefers that not one person be lost.
This makes sense because the Bible tells us,
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (
Titus 2:11).
God's grace has not been made available only to those whom He has predestined to salvation; it is readily available to all. As Jesus so beautifully explained it,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (
John 3:16-17).
His grace and love were not reserved for a select class, while the rest were left untouched and unmoved. God has no favourites in respect to salvation. All people are His children, and He wishes to save them all.
And when Christ died on the cross in our stead for our sins, He died for all mankind.
"And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (
1 John 2:2). John the Baptist taught,
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (
John 1:29). Even though God cannot finally remove the guilt of those who reject Christ, His loving purpose in having Christ die for all was that all should be saved.
God's predestination is based on his foreknowledge of human choice. He knows the end from the beginning but all mankind still had/have choice. The Bible teaches that God first foresaw how people would decide; then He predestined to salvation those whom He knew would accept Christ.
God did not decide that some would be saved and others lost, irrespective of their personal choice. And He did not make it impossible for some to reject His grace and possible for others to accept His grace.
That is why the Bible teaches that some once saved believers can and sadly will fall away. Warnings of not falling away are in both Testaments of the Bible (
Ezekiel 18:24; 33:13, 18; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:23-28, 2 Peter 2:20-22). This is why we are constantly admonished to watch, pray, study the Word, and daily surrender to Christ's loving will.
The Bible also predicts that towards the end of world history
"some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (
1 Timothy 4:1). Some former believers will be lost
"because they have cast off their first faith" (
1 Timothy 5:12).
Biblically some apostate believers are not always restored to favour with God. They committed.commit the unpardonable sin which is grieving away the Holy Spirit. For example king Saul. However most can have salvation again if they repent and accept Jesus as Lord of their lives which is very good news.
Yes, many people from around the world including Jews will repent and accept Christ just before He returns. However that will be because they chose Christ, obeyed and let Him lead their lives. They used their free will that God gave them to choose Him. This choice is available to all mankind.
The unrighteous will also be lost by using their God-given free will to be lost, this will be independent of God’s plan to save all mankind.