If as Many as Were Ordained to Eternal Life Believed, Is It Not Also Correct to Say as Many as Were Not Ordained to Eternal Life Did Not Believe?
1) Direct Answer
No. Scripture never says God ordains anyone to unbelief. It says those ordained to life believe. Those who do not believe “judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life” by rejecting the Light. Their unbelief proves they are not His sheep, but their condemnation is for their refusal—not because God blocked them.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Acts 13:48 states the positive: “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Just two verses earlier, Acts 13:46 says the rejecters “put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life.” That’s the cause Scripture gives.
- John 5:40: “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Willful refusal.
- John 3:19: “Light is come… and men loved darkness rather than light.” Love of darkness, not lack of access.
- John 6:37: “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” No seeker is barred.
- John 10:26–27: “Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep… My sheep hear my voice.” The sheep-believing connection stands; unbelief exposes who they are, it doesn’t make God the author of their unbelief.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12: they “received not the love of the truth… that they all might be damned who believed not the truth.” God gives them over after they refuse.
- Romans 1:20–21: they are “without excuse” for suppressing the truth.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- From God’s side: all He ordained to life will certainly believe (Acts 13:48; John 6:37).
- From man’s side: the lost perish because they reject the light they had (Acts 13:46; John 3:19).
- Therefore, while it is descriptively true that those not ordained to life remain in unbelief, it is wrong to infer that God ordained them to unbelief. Their unbelief is their own choice; God’s judgment confirms what they chose.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, if God were barring willing seekers, why does Jesus promise to receive any who come? He saves by sovereign grace, and He judges for willful unbelief. That’s the mystery—no contradiction in God at all.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- Is It God That Caused or Made the Believer to Choose to Believe?
1) Direct Answer Yes—God is the author of the believer’s faith. He draws, reveals, and quickens the heart so that the believer willingly chooses
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Unbelief does not hinder God
62-0128M §25
In Romans, the 3rd chapter, verse 3, I read these words: For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without an effect? I'm going to speak this morning on ... for just a few minutes on "Unbelief Does Not Hinder God." Some might think it does, but it does not. God has a program and his program... As John said, "He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." That's right. His program will go on just the same.
It is I, be not afraid
54-0720E §30
[Gap in the audio.] ... all of our hearts. Who wrote this song? Does anyone know? [A man says, "Paul Rader."] Paul Rader is right, perhaps wrote right here. Was it Fort Wayne (Do you know, Brother Bosworth?) that Paul Rader wrote that song? Right here. Right here in Chicago? Right here's where that song was born then, in Chicago. It's been my theme song, it has been sang in many different languages in different parts of the world. It's called me to the platform for the past ten years, I guess. Only believe, all thi...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 7:E-85
We now face the question as to why they should be given eternal life at the judgment since the Epistles seem to conclusively point out that one must possess the Spirit of Christ or perish. Though it seems thus, we must not discredit the words of Jesus Who most pointedly sets forth that there are some found in the Book of Life who will either receive eternal life before the general resurrection or after it. Paul does not evade this truth for he most clearly says in Philippians 3:11, "If by any means I might attain t...
Three kinds of believers
63-1124E §58
There's a guy said to me one time--a minister. Said, "I don't care, Mr. Branham, how many people you could produce that you said was healed, I wouldn't believe it." I said, "Certainly not; you can't believe it. You're a unbeliever; it wasn't for you. It's only for the believers." You've got to believe it, see. And they do not believe it. So when you see a person in that ... Well did Paul speak of (the prophets), saying that they'd be heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having forms of go...
Believest thou this?
53-0906A §91
Father, we believe that You're the Son of God. We believe that You're here with us today. We believe that Your power is everlasting. We believe that You cannot fail. We believe that You poured out Your Spirit from on high. We believe that Pentecost is here. We believe the power of God is here. We believe that signs and wonders are here. We believe the Holy Ghost is here. We believe all these things, Lord. Now, send the Holy Ghost again like a rushing mighty wind. Fill the room, Lord, where they're sitting. May the...