Predestination: It means "destination set beforehand".
The word "predestination" sounds complicated, but it just means a "destination set in advance." Think of it like a Cruise Ship. Before any passengers buy a ticket, the Captain has already decided exactly where the ship is going, what time it will arrive, and what the activities on board will be.
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The Destination: God decided before the world began that anyone "on the ship" (in Christ) would be made holy, adopted into His family, and given a new body in heaven (Ephesians 1:4-5).
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Our Part: God invites everyone to "get on board" through faith. Once you believe the Gospel, you are "marked" or "sealed" as a passenger on that ship (Ephesians 1:13).
The Key Idea: Predestination is about God deciding what happens to the people who choose to follow Jesus.
In Romans 8:29 and Ephesians 1, the objects of predestination are already "those who love God" or the "faithful in Christ". The destination set beforehand is not who will believe, but what will happen to those who are "in Christ" — those who have “listened to the message of truth” and “believed” (v. 13). Specifically, those in Christ are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, to be made holy and blameless, and to receive adoption and the redemption of the body.
3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, [that is], the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Paul uses "In Him" or "In the Beloved" over 10 times in the first chapter. Believers are "chosen in Him" (v. 4); in others words Christ is the Elect One, and individuals share in that status only by being united to Him. He addresses the "Saints" and the "faithful in Christ Jesus" (v. 1) Verse 13 clarifies that people are "included in Christ" and "marked in Him" only "when you heard the message of truth... when you believed,", that aspect was planned before the foundation of the world.
In the Bible, the "Elect" or the "Chosen" is first and foremost Jesus Christ Himself. He is the one God chose to save the world.
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In Christ: Imagine a massive umbrella in a rainstorm. The umbrella is "chosen" to stay dry. If you want to stay dry, you don't need to be "picked" to be dry—you just need to get under the umbrella.
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When you put your faith in Jesus, you are joined to Him. Because He is chosen, you become chosen by being in Him.
The focus of this choice is not on who will believe, but on what will happen to those who do. According to the text, those in Christ are predestined to be "holy and blameless," to receive "adoption as sons," and to obtain an "inheritance."
What about being "Appointed" to Life? (Acts 13:48)
There is a famous verse that says, "as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." This can sound like God only "points" at certain people and makes them believe, but the context shows something different.
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, 'It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 'For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'' 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they [began] rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
The meaning of verse 48 is best understood by looking at the parallel contrast Paul makes with the Jews in verse 46.
The Two Responses: Paul and Barnabas tell the Jewish leaders that they "repudiate" the Word and "judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life." The blame for their lost state is placed squarely on their own choice. If the Jews "judged themselves unworthy," the parallel logic in verse 48 is that the Gentiles "judged themselves worthy" or positioned themselves to receive the word.
Many Gentiles in that region already worshiped the God of Israel (Acts 13:16, 26). These individuals, like Cornelius or Lydia, were already "listening and learning from the Father" through the Old Testament. These worshipers were "disposed towards" or "ripe for the harvest" because they had not yet grown calloused in rebellion like the Jewish leaders. God "appointed" them to life by sending them the specific light of the Gospel because they had been faithful to the general light they had already received.
Sovereignty and the "Tools" of God
Finally, predestination involves God’s ability to ensure His sovereign plans are accomplished regardless of human rebellion. In Acts 4:28, the early church acknowledges that the enemies of Jesus did "whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur."
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
God had long intended for the Gentiles to be included in His covenant people, as reflected in prophecies such as Isaiah 25:1 and Isaiah 62:2 (There are many verses in the OT about this). The Jews’ stumbled because of their choices, and the Gentiles were granted the opportunity to receive salvation because they responded to God’s message.
This does not mean God forced Herod or Pilate to be evil; rather, God is a Master Architect who uses the "grit" in the clay to achieve His goals. Just as God used the pride of Nebuchadnezzar to execute judgment in the Old Testament, He used the existing rebellion of the leaders in Jerusalem to facilitate the crucifixion.
For a greater picture, one should see the other resource on What is Judicial Hardening