The topic of predestination vs. free will has been debated by theologians and Christians for centuries. At the heart of the matter is whether God sovereignly chooses who will be saved (predestination) or whether human beings have the freedom to choose or reject God (free will). There are verses in the Bible that can be interpreted to support both perspectives.
Predestination emphasizes God’s sovereignty and that He alone chooses who will be saved. Verses commonly associated with this view include:
- Romans 8:29-30 – “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
- Ephesians 1:4-6 – “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
- Ephesians 1:11-12 – “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”
These verses emphasize God’s choice, purpose, and will in predestining people for salvation.
On the other hand, free will emphasizes human responsibility and the ability to choose whether to accept or reject God. Verses that support this view include:
- John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
- Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
- Joshua 24:15 – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
These verses emphasize the whosoever’s, anyone’s, and choices involved with salvation.
How can these seemingly contrasting viewpoints be reconciled? Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
- God is absolutely sovereign, but human beings are responsible moral agents. The Bible presents both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility as true without trying to fully reconcile them.
- God’s choices are compatible with human free will. God may choose who will be saved, but the way He brings about their salvation is through their willing choice.
- Election is corporate in addition to being individual. God chooses a people for Himself (Israel, the Church). Individuals choose to be part of God’s people through faith in Christ.
- God’s predestination gives purpose and direction, not coercion. God predestines His chosen ones to be conformed to Christ’s image, not to be robots without meaningful choice (Romans 8:28-30).
- God’s sovereignty does not absolve human responsibility. Though God is ultimately in control, individuals are still accountable for their acceptance or rejection of the Gospel (Matthew 23:37; Acts 2:40; Revelation 22:17).
In summary, God predestines the ends, but not necessarily the means. He chooses the destination, while people must choose the path. The Bible presents both realities – God’s sovereignty in salvation as well as human responsibility. While we may never fully understand how they fit together, we can firmly grasp both as true.
Here are some keys areas where both predestination and free will are present in Scripture:
1. In election and calling
The Bible makes clear that God chooses believers in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-6). No one comes to faith on their own – God must first call people to Himself (John 6:44). However, people still have the choice whether to respond to God’s offer of salvation with repentance and faith or not. Scripture issues a general call to all people to believe (Acts 16:31), but only those who are chosen before the foundation of the world will respond (Acts 13:48).
2. In justification
While God justifies sinners based on His grace and their faith, not works (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16), people must still choose to repent and have faith in order to receive justification. The act of justification is God’s as He declares righteous those who have faith in Christ, but people must freely choose to place their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10).
3. In sanctification
Believers are predestined by God to be conformed to the image of Christ through sanctification (Romans 8:29). Yet the New Testament continually exhorts Christians to grow in Christlikeness and good works (Colossians 1:10; 2 Peter 1:5-8). Believers have a responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to transform them, but God is the one working in them to ultimately make them more like Christ.
4. In human responsibility
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes human responsibility in responding to God’s call. People are held accountable for their choices and face either reward or consequence (2 Corinthians 5:10). Jesus mourned over the refusal of Jerusalem to accept Him (Matthew 23:37). These realities point to humans as moral agents who make real choices, even while God remains sovereign and carries out His plans.
In conclusion, the Bible presents both predestination and free will as complementary truths. Human logic and reason may struggle to fully grasp how they align, but we can trust God’s Word as true and containing no contradictions. The bottom line is that believers can have assurance in God’s sovereignty and purpose in salvation, while still making decisions each day whether to live out their faith in Christ or not.
Now let’s dive deeper into some of the key aspects of this issue…
God’s Sovereignty
The Bible clearly teaches that God is sovereign over all creation, including salvation. He directs all things according to His purposes and good pleasure (Ephesians 1:11). Some key verses on God’s sovereignty include:
- Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?””
- Isaiah 46:10 – “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’.”
- Acts 2:23 – “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”
- Romans 9:19-21 – “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?”
From these verses, we see that God directs all things, accomplishes His plans, and has mercy on whom He wills. Humans have no claim over God or right to question how He sovereignly works.
God’s sovereignty in salvation means that He divinely calls and awakens spiritually dead sinners to respond in repentance and faith so they can receive Christ (John 6:44; Acts 16:14). No one comes to the Father unless drawn by Him (John 6:65). He appoints people to eternal life (Acts 13:48). God’s election is not based on human will or effort, but solely according to His mercy and grace (Romans 9:16).
In summary, God is the author and initiator of salvation. Left on their own, none would seek after God (Romans 3:11). So for anyone to be saved, God must first intervene and enable them to respond in faith.
Human Responsibility
At the same time as affirming God’s sovereignty in salvation, the Bible is equally clear that human beings have a responsibility to repent, believe, and persevere in faith. People are held morally accountable for their choices. Some verses that indicate human responsibility include:
- John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
- John 5:40 – “Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
- Acts 2:21 – “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
- Acts 17:30 – “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
- Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
These verses show that individuals must exercise faith in order to be saved. People are accountable for rejecting Christ. God commands “all people everywhere” to repent – the responsibility is universal.
This dual emphasis on God’s sovereignty and human responsibility avoids the extremes of either a fatalistic Calvinism that renders human choice meaningless or an Arminianism where God’s will can be thwarted by human decisions. Both are presented as complementary truths in Scripture.
Compatibility of Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom
Some wonder how God’s sovereignty can be reconciled with meaningful human freedom. Several points offer clarification:
- God’s choices happen before human choices. God’s sovereign election occurs in eternity past before individuals exist and make decisions (Ephesians 1:4).
- God’s sovereignty does not eliminate human freedom, but actually enables it. God changes sinners’ hearts so they are then able to respond willingly (John 6:37; Philippians 2:12-13).
- God incorporates human choices into His sovereign plan. Human decisions achieve God’s purposes; they do not frustrate His plans (Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23).
- God’s drawing is resistible. God calls all, but sinners can reject His general call to salvation (Matthew 22:14; John 12:37-40). Only those effectually called respond.
- Predestination to salvation includes human means. Those God predestines He calls and justifies through faith (Romans 8:30). People must believe to be saved.
In summary, an arminian notion of free will that is completely autonomous from God’s sovereignty does not match Scripture. God incorporates and works through human choices rather than being limited by them. His sovereignty provides the overall framework within which individuals make real and meaningful decisions.
Balancing Sovereignty and Responsibility
Human logic struggles to fully grasp how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility coincide. But the Bible maintains both as truths without needing to systematically reconcile them. Some tips for balancing these doctrines include:
- Allow Scripture to define the bounds of each truth. Do not go beyond what the Bible teaches about God’s control and human choices.
- Affirm both truths, even in tension. Do not negate either doctrine by overemphasizing the other.
- Recognize that finite minds cannot fully comprehend infinite truths. Be content with mystery when the full logical resolution is not clear.
- Focus on how both realities motivate right living. God’s sovereignty humbles us, while human responsibility challenges us to actively follow Christ.
- Anchor on God’s supreme glory as the goal of both doctrines. God shares glory with no one and alone determines the course of history.
When it comes to predestination and free will, it is easy to focus on logical conundrums while missing the point of God’s grace. Both doctrines reveal our absolute dependence on God for salvation. This should move us to gratitude, worship, and a life devoted to His purposes.
Objections to Predestination
The doctrine of predestination – that God sovereignly chooses who will be saved – raises several questions for some. Here are responses to some common objections:
It’s unfair
It may not seem “fair” from a human perspective that God chooses to save some and not all. But Scripture teaches that all are deserving of judgment for sin (Romans 3:23). No one can claim merit before God or is owed salvation. God choosing to save anyone at all is purely by His grace.
It impugns God’s character
Critics claim predestination paints God as arbitrary and uncaring. But God has righteous reasons for all He does, even if they are beyond human understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9). All God’s acts flow from His loving, just, and wise character.
It removes motivation to spread the Gospel
Since God already chose who will be saved, some ask why we should still preach the Gospel. But Scripture links preaching and people coming to faith (Romans 10:14-15). God uses human means to fulfill what He has ordained.
Plus, God’s sovereignty provides assurance that the Gospel will be effective and accomplish God’s purposes in the world.
It undermines human responsibility
Critics claim predestination renders human choices meaningless. But the Bible still commands people to repent and emphasizes dire consequences for unbelief. God’s sovereignty does not diminish, but rather establishes human responsibility.
It would make God the author of evil
If God predetermines all things, does that make Him responsible for evil? Scripture is clear that God is holy and cannot directly author evil (James 1:13-14). People sin by their own choice in rebellion against God. God uses even evil acts to fulfill His good plans.
In the end, we must affirm what Scripture teaches about predestination along with human responsibility and allow tensions between the two to stand. Any teaching that denies either divine sovereignty or human choice departs from biblical truth.
Conclusion
The Bible presents both God’s sovereignty in salvation as well as meaningful human freedom and responsibility. We may never fully understand how they align, but can firmly grasp both as true based on the Word of God. Ultimately, these truths should lead us to worship God, rest in His purposes, and pursue obedient living while awaiting the return of Christ in glory.