The issue of Predestination and Free Will has been an area of disagreement among Christians for hundreds of years. Those who believe in Predestination will show you verses that support that doctrine, whilst those who believe in Free Will likewise will show you Scripture that support that position.

I recently read a biography of John Wesley in which the author John Pollock recalls how the issue of Predestination put a great strain on the friendship between John and George Whitfield. Both of them thought their positions were right and felt it appropriate to speak out in defence of it. Although they still wrote to each other and kept open the path of communications their friends argued on behalf of them, although not necessary with their blessing!

It’s sad when great men of God see strains in their relationships and have to work apart, but as we see in Acts even though Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways God still used them both for His purposes.

So who is right? Is it supporters of Predestination or advocates of Free Will? One of my friends sometimes says that in some areas of theology it is not always “either / or” but a combination of the two. Could this be one of these areas? One of the best balanced articles I have read on this issue was writen by Terry Dashner and is entitled “The Paradox between Predestination and Free Will.” The article now follows.

For centuries men have debated the paradox between Predestination and Free will. The debate raises two questions: has God predetermined my life to the point that I am not responsible for my actions? Or does my ability to freely choose nullify God’s over-ruling hand in my life? The debate continues today, and we are no closer to solving it; however, there is a moderate stand that makes sense out of both positions.

I want to share the moderate position with a few simple illustrations. First, allow me to state the extreme view of Predestination (extreme Calvinism). This view says that God, since eternity past, has predestined our lives and everything that comes into our lives–be it good or evil–is from Him. We have no choice (Free Will) in the matter.

This extreme view says that God is ultimately responsible for our response to circumstances. We have no control over them; therefore, we are not responsible for what we do. This can be illustrated by the following report: Who says doctrine doesn’t have social effects? Try this from a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal:  ‘Iran must have the wildest drivers in the Middle East. It is a country of fatalists who believe that all accidents are preordained by Allah. Thus highway safety is really in higher hands and not of concern to mere motorists. Judged by the accident rate in Iran, it would seem to be a vengeful deity indeed.’  Eternity, October, 1977, p. 12.

Secondly, allow me to state the extreme view of Free Will. It is called Neotheism and has exalted free will at the expense of divine sovereignty. This group argues against the historical position that God infallibly knows all things, including all future events.

The position of both extremes may be illustrated as follows.

The story is told of a group of theologians who were discussing the tension between predestination and free will. Things became so heated that the group broke up into two opposing factions. But one man, not knowing which to join, stood for a moment trying to decide. At last he joined the predestination group. ‘Who sent you here?’ they asked. ‘No one sent me,’ he replied. ‘I came of my own free will.’ ‘Free will!’ they exclaimed. ‘You can’t join us! You belong with the other group!’ So he followed their orders and went to the other clique. There someone asked, ‘When did you decide to join us?’ The young man replied, ‘Well, I didn’t really decide–I was sent here.’ ‘Sent here!’ they shouted. ‘You can’t join us unless you have decided by your own free will!’ Today In The Word, August, 1989, p. 35.

Now allow me to voice a moderate position between the two extremes.

In regards to Predestination, the moderate view is best illustrated in the words of Norman Geisler.

If God made free creatures, and if it is good to be free, then the origin of evil is in the misuse of freedom. This is not hard to understand. We all enjoy the freedom to drive, but many abuse this freedom and drive recklessly. Yet we should not blame the government that gives us the license to drive for all the evil we do with our cars. Those whose irresponsible driving kills others are responsible for what has happened. Remember: the government that gave us the permission to drive has also informed us how to drive safely (Norman Geisler, Chosen But Free, Bethany House Publishers, second edition 2001, pp. 22-23).

Also, consider this example by A. W. Tozer:

In Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer attempts to reconcile the seemingly contradictory beliefs of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will: An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty. On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port.  Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history.

I think the moderate view of free will can best be illustrated in the simply logic of D. L. Moody, an evangelist of years past. The elect are the whosoever wills, the non-elect are the whosoever won’ts. In conclusion, God is sovereign and has predestined us to his salvation. This is true on its face; however, God does not make robots. He has given us a free will. We are made in his image, and he is a free moral agent; therefore, so are we free to choose. Both positions are truths that are limited by our mortal understanding. Although both positions are taken to the extreme, a moderate position of both helps ease the paradox to our limited grasp of understanding. God has called me to salvation, and I have freely chosen to receive it through Jesus Christ.

Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming soon.

Pastor T.

About the author: Terry Dashner;
www.ffcba.org