Does Galatians 1:15 Teach Predestination and Election to Eternal Life?

Summary

Grace in Focus – Podcast Summary

Episode: Does Galatians 1:15 Teach Predestination and Election to Eternal Life?
Hosts: Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates
Date: May 28, 2025
Length: ~13 minutes

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Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates respond to a listener question about Galatians 1:15 and whether it supports predestination or election to eternal life. Through an examination of scripture and theological discussion, they clarify the meaning of Paul’s words and connect them to both Old Testament context and Free Grace theology. The discussion also touches on ideas from dispensationalism and how the term "predestination" is used biblically, particularly in regard to service and suffering rather than unconditional selection for eternal life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Listener Question & Initial Framing (00:47–01:20)

• The question comes from Jeff: Is Galatians 1:15 about predestination/election to salvation, to service, or something else?
• Bob Wilkin is introduced as an expert on Galatians, noted for his commentary on the book.

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What Does Galatians 1:15 Say? (01:20–03:48)

• Ken reads Galatians 1:15:
  “When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace…”
• Ken summarizes Bob’s commentary:
  Key insight:
  • God separated Paul from birth for a specific task—being the apostle to the Gentiles.
  • This parallels Old Testament cases where prophets were set apart from the womb for future tasks (not salvation).

Quote (Ken Yates, 03:35)

"The separation there is not unto eternal life, but to a purpose...to a task."

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Comparing Paul and Old Testament Prophets (03:48–05:25)

• Bob emphasizes:
  • Like Jeremiah, Paul’s calling was to a role (prophet/apostle) rather than automatic salvation.
  • The calling “by His grace” refers to Jesus calling Paul on the road to Damascus, not a selection in eternity past.

Quote (Bob Wilkin, 03:53)

"Jeremiah says he was separated from his mother's womb too, to be a prophet...That was a future calling for Saul to become the apostle to the Gentiles."

• Ken adds clarity on the calling:
  • It’s either the moment of conversion or immediately thereafter when Paul receives his commission.

Exchange (04:32–05:03):

• Bob: "Did he call him by his grace when Paul was in his mother’s womb?"
• Ken: "No."
• Bob: "So when did he call him?"
• Ken: "It would be called to be an apostle there on the road to Damascus."

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Addressing Predestination in Context (05:25–07:00)

• Ken observes a theological challenge: predestination is traditionally understood as occurring in eternity past, but this passage mentions “from my mother’s womb.”
• Bob discusses God’s timelessness—He sees all possibilities and outcomes.
• Wilkin’s perspective:
  Predestination here refers to God’s foreknowledge and decision to assign Paul a unique ministry once he believed, not to automatic election to eternal life.

Quote (Bob Wilkin, 06:49)

"Predestination is God knowing in advance what was going to happen, predetermined that he was going to take this one who came to faith in him and make him the apostle to the Gentiles."

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Dispensationalist Insights & the Role of the Twelve (07:36–09:02)

• Bob references reading about J.N. Darby's view: Paul may have been chosen because the original Twelve apostles failed to fulfill their global mission.
• Ken acknowledges he’s heard this, but Bob notes he doesn’t fully agree with Darby.
• The key point: Paul’s unique role was known and chosen by God in view of history unfolding as it did.

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Jeremiah 1:5 Parallel & The Nature of Biblical Election (09:02–10:55)

• Ken reads Jeremiah 1:5:
  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
• Discusses similarity to Galatians 1:15:
  The sanctification/ordination is to a role, not to salvation.

Quote (Ken Yates, 09:44)

"It was a choosing of him to be a prophet. It wasn't 'okay, before you were born, I chose you to go to heaven, and you have no choice in it...No, even there in Jeremiah 1:5, it is, I chose you for a task.'"

• Bob extends the parallel—Jeremiah spoke to the nations (Gentiles), which mirrors Paul’s ministry.

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Greek Terminology & The Meaning of Predestination (10:55–12:29)

• Bob identifies the Greek term for predestine ("proorizō"):
  • Never used for predestination to eternal life in the NT.
  • Used for predestination to a task or, in Romans 8, to Christlike suffering.

Quote (Bob Wilkin, 10:58)

"The word for predestined…[is] never used of predestined to eternal life. It's never used for...to be born again. Predestination is always to some task or in the case of Romans 8, to be conformed to the image of His Son."

• Ken brings up Romans 8:17–18, linking “predestination” to suffering and future glorification, not salvation:

Quote (Ken Yates, 12:05)

"If children of God, then heirs of God...and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together with Him..."

• Both affirm: in Romans 8 and Galatians 1, “predestination” and “calling” are about roles, suffering, and reward—not being chosen for heaven.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the nature of Paul’s calling:
  "God separated Paul from his mother's womb for this task to be the spokesman...to the Gentiles. This is parallel to Old Testament texts that refer to prophets who were set apart from the womb for their future tasks." (Ken Yates, 03:28)

• On predestination and freedom:
  "So did God predestined us when we were in our mother's womb? ... If I believe that God predestines people to eternal life." (Ken Yates, 05:25)

• On Romans 8:
  "Even there at the end, he goes, for your sake, we are treated as sheep for the slaughter all day long..." (Ken Yates, 12:29)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:47 – Introduction to the listener’s question and setup for discussion
• 01:20 – Reading Galatians 1:15 and Bob’s commentary
• 03:48 – Connecting Paul’s calling to Old Testament prophetic callings
• 05:25 – Exploring whether “predestination” here means selection for salvation
• 06:49 – God’s foreknowledge and task-based predestination
• 07:36 – Dispensational views and Darby’s theory on Paul’s mission
• 09:02 – Reading and analyzing Jeremiah 1:5 as a parallel
• 10:55 – Greek terminology: never predestined “to eternal life”
• 11:25 – Romans 8: Suffering, calling, and predestination
• 12:50 – Final wrap-up: keeping grace in focus

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Conclusion

Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates make a clear case that Galatians 1:15, in its context and language, does not teach predestination or election to eternal life. Instead, the passage refers to Paul’s separation and calling for a specific ministry, mirroring Old Testament examples like Jeremiah. They emphasize that biblical predestination is about roles, tasks, and sometimes suffering, not unconditional election to salvation—a key distinction in Free Grace theology. The episode encourages listeners to interpret such passages with attention to context, original language, and scriptural parallels, steering away from bringing Reformed or Calvinist frameworks into the text.

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Transcript

[A]

The following is a listener supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society. Hello friend. This is Grace in Focus. And Today does Galatians 1:15 teach predestination or election to eternal life or what is it about? Grace and Focus is the radio ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society. And we have a website, faithalone.org we also have an online seminary. You can find out about it at that website, faithalone.org where you can earn an M. Div. Degree. There is an application process to go through and then you can get ready to study with us next fall semester. Faithalone.org now with today's question and answer discussion, here are Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates.

[B]

Welcome to Grace and Focus. You're here with Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates and we got a couple. Well, we'll start off with one, see how the timing goes. We got a question from one of our listeners, which is a great question and I love this question because it deals with the book of Galatians. And Bob is the GES guru on the book of Galatians. He wrote the commentary. So I just get to just sit here and listen. That's the deal. So what was the question, Bob, and who was it from?

[C]

All right, the question is from Jeff and he's asking about Galatians 1:15. I'll read the question and then maybe you can read the verse. He says, I have been greatly blessed by the biblical instruction I have received through your podcast. Thank you for all you do. Galatians 1:15 is used to support predestination and election to salvation as well as election to service. What is your take on Galatians 1:15? I appreciate your time. God bless you. And that was from Jeff. So would you read Galatians 1:15?

[B]

Yes. Well, Galatians 1:15 says, obviously this is talking about Paul, but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace in Galatians 1:15 I have Bob Wilkins commentary in the Grace New Testament commentary. And here is what the esteemed Bob Wilkin has to say. He says as it begins this section, when Paul was saved, he did not seek instruction because of what goes on in the in the next verses of any kind. From the very moment he met Christ on the road to Damascus, he had a message to preach. And here's what you say about verse 15. Paul came to faith in Christ. When it pleased God to reveal his Son in him that he might preach him among the Gentiles, Jesus led Paul to faith in himself. And as a Result, Paul became the apostles to the Gentiles. Now here is the the part in question. God separated Paul from his mother's womb for this task to be the spokesman of this good news message to the Gentiles. This is parallel to Old Testament texts that refer to prophets who were set apart from the womb for their future tasks. Paul was called by his grace to be the apostle to the Gentiles. So basically, what you're saying, Bob, is in, in these verses, is that the separation there is not unto eternal life, but to a purpose to a task.

[C]

I like that. I think that's good. I'm happy that I wrote it. But here's the thing. Jeremiah's like that. Jeremiah says he was separated from his mother's womb too, to be a prophet. But that was a future calling to be a prophet. That was a future calling for Saul to become the apostle to the Gentiles. And notice the part about how does it go? Called me through his grace, Right? Well, when did the Lord Jesus Christ call Paul by his grace? Did he call him by his grace when Paul was in his mother's womb?

[B]

No.

[C]

So when did he call him?

[B]

It would be called to be an apostle there on the road to Damascus.

[C]

Okay, so there's one of two options. If calling here refers to call to ministry, then this would be at the time he was born again, or moments after he was born again, he was telling him that he was going to be going out and he was going to be a spokesman for him. But this could also refer to his new birth, right?

[B]

Right.

[C]

I mean, called by his grace could refer either way, it's what happened on the road to Damascus.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Either the moment he came to faith, when Jesus says, saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? That could be seen as the calling. Or after that happens, he tells him he's going to be sending him out, and that could be the calling. But either way, this wasn't something that occurred in eternity past. Now, Ken, what about the part about predestined?

[B]

Well, that's interesting, right? Because I would think that even the people with the predestined have an issue with this because he says, from my mother's womb. Is it predestination, something that happened in eternity past by people who believe that? I'm just asking.

[C]

Right.

[B]

So did God predestined us when we were in our mother's womb? If I believe that God predestines people to eternal life.

[C]

Yeah. And I think basically what we have to understand here, and this is where it kind of blows my mind. But God is outside of time, right? So although God experiences the now, it also appears from Scripture, he's able to experience the past and the future right now. And so God can tell us what would have happened if, for example, Jerusalem had responded and Judea and Israel had responded to the preaching of Jesus. Then we know from Matthew 23:37, 39 that he would have gathered them and he would have established the kingdom. And so he knows not only what's happened in the past and what will happen in the future, but he knows every possible permutation. So I take it this predestination is God knowing in advance what was going to happen predetermined that he was going to take this one who came to faith in him and make him the apostle to the Gentiles.

[B]

So once again, it's about his task, as you said here in this commentary.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

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[C]

And by the way, I've been reading an interesting book and it was talking about Darby and it said Darby said in every dispensation it started in failure, and so things did not go the way they should have gone. And it went on to say that Darby believed that Saul or Paul was chosen as the apostle to the gentiles because the 12 did not adequately do their job. You ever heard that, Ken?

[B]

Yes, I have. I have read that Darby that was worded a little bit different from what I remember reading, that the church age is like the other dispensations. It failed or something like that.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. And he said that if the 12 had done their job, they would have gone out from Jerusalem, they would have gone to Judea and then to Samaria and to the remotest part of the earth without God having to throw in the dispersion and the persecution, and there wouldn't have been a need for an apostle to the gentiles because the 12 would have been doing that job. Now, I don't think Darby's right there. He could be. But in any case, I think the point is God knowing what was going to happen predetermined that this is the one he was going to choose to be the uniquely qualified apostle to the Gentiles.

[B]

I think that's a really good point. Now, you mentioned Jeremiah. I want to read that verse. It's.

[C]

Okay, good.

[B]

It's when Jeremiah, I mean, right from the beginning of the book. This is In Jeremiah, chapter 1, verse 5, it says, Then the word of the Lord came to me. Well, this is verse four saying, this is the word of the Lord talking to Jeremiah. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, okay. Before you were born, I sanctified you. Now, the question here, just like in Galatians 1:15, is, knew him in what way? Sanctified him in what way? Well, he says in the very next line, I ordained you a prophet to the nations. So it was a choosing of him to be a prophet. It wasn't okay, before you were born, I chose you to go to heaven, and you have no choice in it whatsoever, you know, and so I choose you as one of the elect. No, even there in Jeremiah 1:5, it is, I chose you for a task. And very similar language there. Right?

[C]

It is. Notice it says, I don't ever remember it saying to the nations, because the nations are the Gentiles.

[B]

Right. And we have in Jeremiah prophecies concerning other nations other than Israel.

[C]

So Jeremiah was to the Gentiles like Saul was to the Gentiles to some degree.

[B]

Yeah. You wonder if Paul had Jeremiah in mind here, you know, with such a similar language in both cases. But the important thing is that what Bob says in his commentary in Galatians, and what we're talking about here is that God chooses people, would we say predestined people for a task? Right. And that's what we're talking about.

[C]

Right. I think. Isn't the Greek word verb, the word for predestined? I'm pretty sure it's predestined, Prizo. And it's never used of. Predestined to eternal life. It's never used for. Predestined to be in the kingdom or. Or to be born again. Predestination is always to some task or in the case of Romans 8, to be conformed to the image of His Son.

[B]

Now, on that one, is he talking about those who suffer? He predestined them to be.

[C]

Yes, absolutely. It's not all. It's. Although it's true, all believers will ultimately be conformed to His Son. I believe that Romans 8 passage is talking about, in this life, he's predestined us to be conformed in the image of His Son, because his Son suffered. Therefore he's predestined that if we are going to be faithful, we too will suffer.

[B]

Right? And that he would you go a step further and say those who suffer are the ones that he has chosen to reign with His Son in the world to come?

[C]

Absolutely. Romans 8:17 says, and if children of God, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together with Him. And then he goes on to say in Romans 8:18 for I consider the sufferings of this present age to not be worthy to compare to the glory which is to come.

[B]

The whole rest of the chapter is about suffering. Even creation is groaning, right? And even there at the end, he goes, for your sake, we are treated as sheep for the slaughter all day long.

[C]

That's right.

[B]

He's talking about suffering. And so that is the context of the predestination and the calling in Romans 8.

[C]

All right, we better wrap up there, Ken. I think we're out of time, but in the meantime I would encourage all of us to keep grace in focus.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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