Free Will OR Predestination?

For most Christians, you either believe in free-will or predestination, but never both at the same time. This argument has divided churches since the days of the Reformation of the sixteenth century. I believe many are caught up in this argument who really should not be. It’s not our argument; its someone else’s. It’s like starting to work at a new job or going to a new school, and someone tells you about the two main groups. And then the person asks you, “Which group do you want to associate with?” Well, you don’t have to be a part of either group. It’s not your fight. I believe this to be the issue with free-will vs. predestination. My argument, why not both.

Those who support free-will only believes that a person can lose their salvation. Whereas, those who take to the belief of predestination believes once saved always saved. Obviously, from this definition, you cannot have them both. The free-will doctrine has its campions, recently and namely John Wesley of the 1700s. The holders of the doctrine of predestination or “once saved always saved” got their boost from John Calvin of the 1500s. Jacob Arminius, toward the end of the 1500s, opposed Calvin’s views on the sovereignty of God.

Here is what the fuss is all about. Calvin’s five points have the acronym TULIP:

 Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)

 Unconditional Election

 Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement)

 Irresistible Grace

 Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)

I think the problem is that in the Bible, we find scriptures that speaks about God saving us and we cannot be snatched out of God’s hands. Also, at the same time we find scriptures that speak of people walking away from God. How do you reconcile the two? You don’t. I believe both work together. Let’s consider some scriptures that speaks to both thoughts:

·        John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

·        John 6: 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

·        John 10: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

·        Romans 8: 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

·        Romans 8: 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

·        1 John 2: 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Can a person lose their salvation?

·        Hebrews 6: 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

·        Galatians 3:O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Remark: A person can walk away from God if they believe that either their work has brought about their salvation or if they believe that since they are saved eternally, they can sin and God will just forgive them. This is the misguided belief that God is ONLY a God of love. Some don’t see that God is also a God of judgment.

Is it possible to be cast out?

·        John 15: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

·        Rev 3: 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Is our salvation conditional?

·        John 15: 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

·        7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

·        8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

·        9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

·        10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

·        Rom 10: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Is our salvation by grace alone?

·        Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

·        Acts 2: 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

·        Luke 18: 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

A.   The Problem of Free-Will

a.      Rex Turner’s Biblical Theology who writes that God limited himself of his foreknowledge by giving man free-will.

B.    The Problem with Once Saved Always Saved overlooks the scriptures that shows that some who think they are saved will not enter into heaven. Some have errored in thinking that a person can just recite a few lines and God will accept them into heaven. God accepts us based on (1) his sovereign will, (2) our surrender to him, (3) our commitment to serve him, worship him, and abstain from sinful behaviors.

b.     Both doctrines are far too one sided if only grasped by themselves.

C.    We must stop holding on to a one-sided man’s doctrine that does not consider the totality of scripture.

D.   It must be accepted that the totality of scripture is overwhelmingly vast for the human mind to fully comprehend. Yes, God has determined our destiny before the world was formed. But at the same time, I am committed to live for him. And that life means total obedience to God’s word, commandment (love), and Spirit. I still must make a choice. “If it seems evil for you to serve the Lord, Choose ye this day whom ye will serve”

Here are two scriptures that I believe sums things up:

James 2: 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Galatians 2: 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

CONCLUSION

1.     The body of Christ should not divide itself over these doctrines. This division among Christians aides Satan’s defense. We have more in common than in difference. I believe the main issue that should divide us is on how do you receive Jesus Christ, did he come into this world, born in the flesh, lived like a man, fully God and fully man, and that He died as God and man, but resurrected on the third day, and ascended to heaven as the scriptures say? Well if you believe this, then there be more for us than against us.

2.     I believe it is possible to hold to both doctrines: free-will and eternal security and trust God in what we don’t understand.

George Whitfield and John Wesley

Even though they never came to terms over their theological differences, they eventually learned to respect each other. One of Whitfield’s followers (who obviously still held great animosity against Wesley) said to Whitfield, “We won’t see John Wesley in the heaven, will we?” Whitfield humbly replied “Yes, you’re right, we won’t see him in heaven. He will be so close to the Throne of God and we will be so far away, that we won’t be able to see him!”