Predestination is God's own work — the Bible says believers are 'predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will' (Ephesians 1:11).
In Ephesians 1:11, predestination is linked directly to God's purpose and the counsel of His own will. Les Feldick teaches that God in His foreknowledge knew what every individual would do in the exercise of their own free will, so He could choose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world. Predestination is therefore not God arbitrarily picking some and leaving others without a chance — it is the outworking of God's sovereign, eternal purpose.
Ephesians 1:11 — This is the key verse that explicitly joins 'predestinated' with God's 'purpose' and 'the counsel of his own will.'
Ephesians 1:5 — It states that God 'predestinated us unto the adoption of children' 'according to the good pleasure of his will.'
Ephesians 1:4-5 (KJV) says God 'hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.' The wording directly connects predestination with God's will — specifically, His good pleasure and His purpose. Ephesians 1:11 (KJV) says, 'In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Predestination is thus described as happening 'according to the purpose' of God, who 'worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' 2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV) adds that God 'hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.' And Acts 2:23 (KJV) speaks of Christ 'being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.' Both passages use the language of God's settled counsel, purpose, and will.
Les Feldick teaches that predestination is part of God's eternal purpose and sovereign will. He stresses that 'everything began with Him, everything is in His control even today' (Clip 6), and that God was never caught by surprise — nothing has happened that God did not foreordain; it was all in His eternal purpose (Clip 4). At the same time, Les is careful to explain that predestination does not mean God arbitrarily picks some and leaves others without a chance. He says, 'it isn't that someone is left without a chance, and that God has just put His finger on certain ones, but rather that God in His foreknowledge knew what every individual would do in the exercise of their own free will' (Clip 5). Because of that foreknowledge, God could say He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Les also connects predestination to the Roman and Greek practice of adoption: a child was tutored and trained until he was prepared to come in at an equal level with the father, and then he went through the rites of adoption. Paul teaches that the moment we become believers we are placed in that position — predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will (Clip 0).
Ephesians 1:11 says believers have obtained an inheritance, 'being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Les emphasizes the word 'purpose' and shows that everything comes together according to God's design — not by accident or surprise. He also connects this to God's sovereignty: 'Everything began with Him, everything is in His control even today' (Clip 6), and to God's eternal purpose, since nothing has ever happened that God did not foreordain (Clip 4).
Les directly answers the concern that predestination leaves people without a chance. He says the teaching is not that 'God has just put His finger on certain ones,' but rather that 'God in His foreknowledge knew what every individual would do in the exercise of their own free will.' On that basis, God could say He has chosen believers in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). So God's will and purpose work through His foreknowledge of human choices — not against them.
Les explains the Roman and Greek practice of adoption: a child was put under tutors, educated and trained, and prepared to come in at an equal level with the father — then he went through the rites of adoption. But Paul's teaching is that the moment a person becomes a believer, that person is placed in the position of an heir with the Father and the Son, alongside Christ. There is no period of years of being tutored and trained before receiving that standing. This is what Paul means by being 'predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will' (Ephesians 1:5).
After quoting Ephesians 1:10-11, Les says, 'Got to tie all this together,' and brings his listeners back to Acts chapter 2 (Clip 7). In Acts 2:23, the crucifixion of Christ is described as being delivered 'by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God' — language that matches the predestination passage in Ephesians 1:11, showing that God's will was at work in both the cross and the believer's inheritance.
Predestinated Unto Adoption
Les explains the Roman/Greek adoption ceremony to show that God predestinated believers 'unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ' — the moment a person becomes a believer, he is placed in the position of an heir, not after years of training.
God Works All Things After the Counsel of His Will
Les reads Ephesians 1:11 and emphasizes that believers are predestinated 'according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will' — everything comes together according to God's design.
Predestination and God's Purpose
Les draws attention to the word 'purpose' in Ephesians 1:11 and then points to 2 Timothy 1:9, where God saves and calls us according to His own purpose and grace given in Christ Jesus before the world began.
God's Foreknowledge Before Creation
Les teaches that before anything was ever created, God knew the believer and where he would be in the Body of Christ — God chose us in Christ, which is the basis of predestination.
God's Eternal Purpose
Les insists that God was not caught by surprise and nothing happened that He didn't foreordain — it was all in His eternal purpose, leading to Ephesians 1:11.
Foreknowledge and Free Will
Les says predestination is not God putting His finger on certain ones and leaving others without a chance; God in His foreknowledge knew what every individual would do in the exercise of their own free will, so He could choose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
The Sovereignty of God
Les anchors the whole discussion in the sovereignty of God: 'Everything began with Him, everything is in His control even today' — which is why predestination is according to the purpose of His will.
Inheritance and the Counsel of God's Will
Les quotes Ephesians 1:10-11, showing that Gentile believers have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will, and then ties it to Acts chapter 2.
Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
God's choosing of believers is in Christ before the world began, which is the foundation for predestination.
Ephesians 1:5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
This verse explicitly says predestination is 'according to the good pleasure of his will' — the will of God is the ground of predestination.
Ephesians 1:11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
This is the key verse connecting predestination to God's purpose and the counsel of His own will.
2 Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
God's salvation and calling are according to His own purpose and grace, given in Christ before the world began — which Les pairs with Ephesians 1:11.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
The crucifixion of Christ was by God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge — language Les ties to the predestination passage in Ephesians 1:11.
Romans 8:30: Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:30 shows the chain from predestination to glorification; Les notes that God has already glorified us and sees us as He sees Christ.
No. Les Feldick says the teaching is not 'that someone is left without a chance, and that God has just put His finger on certain ones.' Rather, God in His foreknowledge knew what every individual would do in the exercise of their own free will, so He could say He chose believers in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
Les explains that in Roman and Greek culture, adoption came only after a child was tutored and trained to come in at the father's level. But Paul teaches that the moment a person becomes a believer, he is placed in the position of an heir with the Father and the Son, alongside Christ — there is no period of years of tutelage before receiving that standing.
It means God is sovereign over everything. Les says 'everything began with Him, everything is in His control even today' (Clip 6), and that nothing has happened that God did not foreordain — it was all in His eternal purpose (Clip 4). Predestination is one expression of that sovereign counsel.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 8:24-29 — Does God Choose You or Do You Choose Him?