Does Acts 13:48 Support Calvinism?

Luke records in Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." This verse is often utilized by Calvinists to support the false doctrine of Predestination. This tenet of the TULIP doctrine (Calvinistic theology) says that before the world began, God foreordained who would eventually be saved and lost. Such a doctrine denies man's free-will and concludes that one's destiny is so fixed by God that it cannot possibly be altered. Does Acts 13:48 support this system of theology?

First of all, if we are going to understand Acts 13:48, we must examine it in light of its context. The same Gentiles mentioned in verse 48 are mentioned earlier in the chapter. Luke says in verse 42, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." According to Calvinists, these Gentiles were, at this point, totally depraved and incapable of doing or even thinking anything positive. Yet the text says that they wanted to hear the gospel preached. Then, in the beginning of verse 47, prior to the Gentiles' "ordination," the inspired writer adds, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord." These Gentiles were interested in the gospel and desperately wanted to hear it. Then, when they heard about the promises that were available to them, they were spiritually-minded enough for this appeal to appeal to them. 

It doesn't appear to me, based on the context, that these Gentiles were totally depraved as the Calvinists would argue. Rather, these men were exhibiting free-will in seeking the benefits of the gospel of Christ.

Second, the entire Calvinistic argument here hinges on the word "ordained" in verse 48. They see this word and immediately conclude that these Gentiles were fore-ordained before the establishment of the world to be saved. But that's not the case here.

The word "foreordained" is used in 1 Peter 1:20 (in reference to the sacrifice of Jesus), but that is not the word used in Acts 13:48. Wesley's Commentary Notes says regarding this verse: "St. Luke does not say foreordained. He is not speaking of what was done from eternity, but of what was then done, through the preaching of the gospel. He is describing that ordination, and that only, which was at the very time of hearing it." Amen! There is a difference, in other words, between foreordained and ordained.

So what does the word "ordained" here mean? Sometimes it is helpful to see how the same word is used elsewhere in the Scriptures. Acts 15:2 says the Antioch church "determined that Paul and Barnabas..should go to Jerusalem." The word "determined" has the same Greek word behind it that "ordained" does in Acts 13:48. Did the Antioch church predetermine that Paul and Barnabas would go to Jerusalem? No. It was a decision they made at that time. 

Likewise, Paul sais in 1 Corinthians 16:15 that the house of Stephanas had "addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints." The Greek word tasso is translated as ordained, determined, and now, addicted. In this verse, there is no hint of predestination or foreordination. The idea here is that Stephanas was devoted to the work of benevolence.

With these things in mind, what does the word mean in Acts 13:48? Luke is telling us that the Gentiles greatly determined to be saved; once they heard the gospel, they were devoted to the concept of eternal life. Thus, they believed. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Acts 13:48, says regarding the Greek word tasso, "hence it has been considered here as implying the disposition or readiness of mind of several persons in the congregation."

It should be evident to all of us that acts 13:48 doesn't support the human system of theology known as Calvinism. The context confirms this, as well as the actual meaning of verse 48. There's no reason for us to be frightened by this text!!!