Predestination: the problem, solutions, and the properties.

The main issue with this doctrine is if predestination happens with or without the consideration of merits.

Incomplete predestination to grace is independent of merits since the first Grace can’t be merited.

Complete predestination to grace and glory is independent of every merit since the first grace cant be merited nor can the rewards that follow them since the latter requires the former as a prerequisite like a chain needs the first “block” to hold the rest into place.

If predestination is to mean predestination to glory alone then the question is if predestination happens by reason of the foreseen merits or without consideration of them. If the former then its conditional, if the latter then unconditional.

1. Thomists, scotists, old molinists (suarez, bellarmine), augustinians all teach unconditional election because according to these schools, God freely resolves from all eternity without the consideration of merits to call some to eternal bliss (infallible predestination). With time God will give these elect efficacious grace and then reward them with the beatific vision.

2. Most molinists and st. francis de sales affirm a conditional predestination. According to them, God, by middle knowledge sees beforehand that men would freely to different orders of grace. By his middle knowledge He knows infallibly in advance what use the individual will do with the grace thats bestowed upon him. Hence He elects those who He sees cooperate with the operative grace and reprobates those who refuse to cooperate the operative grace on the foreseen demerits.

Thomists cite romans to show that the divine factor in salvation is brought to the foreground. (romans)

Molinists quote passages that attest to the universality of the Divine desire for salvation (1 tim 2:4 for example). The pre augustinian tradition is in favor of the molinist explanation yet st. augustine in his later writings is in favor of the thomistic explanation. This being an emphasis on God’s universal causality whilst the molinist view being the universality of the divine salvific will, mans freedom and cooperation in his salvation.

There are 2 properties of predestination the first being it’s immutability and the second being its uncertainty.

Immutability: the resolve of predest is as immutable as the divine esse itself. Those who are registered in the book of life is formally and materially fixed meaning that God knows and determines with an infallible certainty in advance who and how many will be saved. This piece of information is only accessible to God alone, we also agree that the number of the predestined is smaller than the number of reprobate.

Uncertainty: Trent against Calvin declared that certainty in regards of ONE’S predestination is possible but only by special revelation. Despite the infallible notion of uncertainty, there can still be signs of someone’s predestination which can indicate a high chance that they are in fact predestined. Examples of such can be perseverance of virtues, frequently receiving the Eucharist, the active loving of one’s neighbor, the love for Christ’ and His Church and the veneration of Holy Mother Mary.