This is how I see the answer in Scripture and I will use an analogy and then show Scriptures in support.
A loving parent buys a ticket for an airplane trip and 3 week vacation in the sunny Caribbean for a newly married couple as a wedding gift. If the couple does not have those tickets for that vacation, they cannot get on the plane. Not even an offer to clean the floors in the airport, will allow them to be on that flight. We cannot work our way to get on the plane. The tickets were a gift the couple received and accepted. They can not use monopoly to get a ticket either. Only real currency will be accepted.
Likewise, a person who tries to work their way to being righteous by God, by their own efforts have not accepted the GIFT of salvation. The wages of sin, is not good works, nor being a good person. The wages of sin is DEATH (Romans 6 :23). That is what God requires for the sins we have. A blood sacrifice is required for remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus made that payment for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) as a gift to be received/accepted or to be rejected.
Now the ticket holders are able to board that plane and because they have a ticket, they are predestined to all that the travel package includes; the sun, the huge swimming, the shows etc. Jesus paid for all sins of the whole world and for all those who believe on Him, they have accepted the free gift of Salvation by His payment for their sins on that cross. We get sealed by the Holy Spirit, not by works, but by belief on Christ’s payment.
Now let’s look at all of Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23 KJV)
Jesus gave us a ticket for that plane as a GIFT, just as a parent gives a trip, as a gift, to their son or daughter for their honeymoon. As a gift, it can be accepted or rejected right? It was a FREE GIFT. An unearned favor. But it must be accepted, and usually is with great gratitude! And that free gift of a plane ticket gives them full access to everything predestined and included in the vacation plan being sold.
In the same way, a believer is given the free gift of Salvation to be accepted or rejected. If accepted than the person becomes saved and has full access to everything that God predestined for those that will believe on Christ and His final, once for all blood sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus, in John 3, uses the word ‘whosoever’ multiple times. That clearly indicates a choice we need to make.
” That WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3 KJV)
God created time and space so He exists outside of time and space as well. What name did God tell Moses to say to the Hebrew slaves as to who sent him?
“I AM THAT I AM”
Our God lives in the forever present. By that I mean that God sees our past, present and future all at the same time. Hard for us to comprehend because we are IN TIME. God knew before he created you and me, who would accept Christ and who would reject Christ.
God Gave Us All A Free will To Choose
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who HATH BLESSED US with all spiritual blessings in HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ: 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: Having PREDESTINATED us unto the adoption of children BY Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS will, To the praise of the glory of HIS GRACE, wherein he hath MADE US accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6 KJV)
God is sovereign. Absolutely!
God is all knowing. Absolutely!
Yet it is clear that God also gave us all FREE WILL to choose. He used Judas Iscariot to fulfill prophecy but Judas had free will to betray Christ.
That is how I see predestination in Scripture anyway.
