predestination 的詞源

14世紀中葉， predestinacioun，“上帝通過恩典預先命定某些人類獲得救贖或永生的行動”，源自古法語 predestinacion，直接源自教會拉丁語 praedestinationem（主格 praedestinatio）“預先決定”，動作名詞，來自拉丁語 praedestinare “預先設定目標； 預先任命或決定”，來自拉丁語 prae “之前”（參見 pre-) + destinare “任命，決定”（參見 destine（v.））。

這個拉丁詞最初是由奧古斯丁在神學意義上使用的； 由加爾文引起了重視。相關： Predestinarian “相信預定教義的人”（1660年代）。

Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his onlybegotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity. [From article xvii of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England]

生命的預定是上帝永恆的目的，他在（世界的基礎被奠定之前）通過他的祕密謀劃，不斷地決定從人類中選擇基督的人，使他們免於詛咒和永恆的譴責，並通過基督將他們帶到永恆的救贖，作爲榮耀的器皿。因此，他們被賦予了上帝如此卓越的恩惠，按照上帝的旨意，通過他的靈在適當的時候被呼召：他們通過恩典服從呼召：他們被免費稱義：他們被領養成爲上帝的兒子：他們被塑造成爲他的獨生子耶穌基督的形象：他們在善行中虔誠地行走，並最終通過上帝的憐憫獲得永恆的幸福。[摘自英國國教39條信仰的第17條]