Good morning people who have the power to choose life or death.

John 17:12 NIV “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”

No one was created to do the work of the devil – no one. Not Hitler, not Bin Laden, and not Judas. To think otherwise is not just poor exegesis, more importantly, it is based in a wrong theology of God.

Let’s start at the pattern set in the beginning of Genesis. Everything God made was good, and He created people. He still does. Yes, people are naturally conceived, but they all exist in the heart of God before natural conception (read Psalm 139 for a beautiful picture of this).

So, what does this scripture mean?

It comes down to God’s foreknowledge of people’s own choices. Please, keep it this simple.

The scripture being fulfilled is Jesus referring to scriptures that prophesied that things would happen the way that they did, including Judas choosing to betray Jesus to death. The prophecy didn’t make Jesus betray Jesus – the prophecy (spoken from God’s eternal vantage point) saw Judas’ decision ahead of time.

Romans 8:29 NIV For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Notice foreknowledge comes before predestination. God knows everything ahead of time, including who will choose Him. Then comes predestination.

Predestination is not about God choosing who will be saved. This belief violates the truth that ‘it is God’s will that none should perish’.

Predestination is speaking of those who have accepted Jesus now being conformed (or transformed) into His image. In other words, it is predetermined that believers should start to look like Jesus. This is what this verse says.

May we all be signposts to God and to His goodness.