Predestination or Free Will?

Question

The bible makes it clear that we have free will, but he also states thats some things are predestined. But if the God choses everything then free will doesn't exist. However if free-will exist, then he doesn't know everything that will happen. What do you have to say?

The bible says in Romans:For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
My interpretation is that predestination doesn't mean foreknowlege or called. Why would he bother saying those he foreknew he also predestined, if they meant the same thing. Also it is said in scripture that many are called and few are chosen. What the states is that people do have the choice of salvation but many reject it. Therefore the predesination in the bible is more of a destiny that Christ followers will take as a whole. Although some things are totally predestined like Christ birth, and resurection. This allows free will, and even if God knows what we wil chose it is still are choice.

Besides if Predestination is God having complete control. That would make us all puppets, merely playing are parts. And to be truthful, it would make God a liar, cause how can you truly someone if your forced. I dont believe that I can't

Answer 1

Hi JHoegle,

We've to keep in mind that God does not see things as we do. He knows every word we will ever say before its ever formed on our lips. He's omniscient and knows our hearts and how we will respond already.

So it's not like you decide something the next moment and God is surprised by it. He is omniscient and He is righteous and fair.

With that in mind, i think God considers all that and perhaps He considers that as He pre-destines things (He really doesn't explain how He pre-destines in Ephesians only that it is all to the glory of Jesus). So God's decisions are righteous and good.

Like in Exodus when it says God hardened Pharoah's heart. It wasn't that God forced Pharoah's heart to be hard- but God sent Moses back to Pharoah time after time and Pharoah had already set it in his heart to be against God. So Pharoah had free will but God wasn't surprised by it or reacted at the moment, he already knew and had a plan.

Hope that helps... if you want further discussion you can email me @ [e-mail]

Nickster

Answer 2

God is not a liar. If you believe in the Bible, you know that God gave us free will to choose between Good and Evil. You don't choose to fly like bird because God gave you freedom to choose; you don't choose how tall you want to be, because of the free will given to you by God. You are free to choose between Good and Evil. You are free to believe in Christ and inherit the kingdom of God, or renounce Christ and go to Hell. All your life in this planet is predestined with the exception of the choice where you want to spend your eternity. God never ever force you to either believe in Him and Live or disbelieve in Him and die. Later when Jesus returns, we will have full knowledge of all hidden wisdom. Until the return of Christ enjoy every day and praise God; didn't Christ say don't wary about what tomorrow may bring, sufficient is the evil of today thereof. Worry not about what you eat and what you dress. See the birds of the sky and consider; they neither work nor toil the ground, but the Heavenly father provide every need for them. How much better are we than the birds. See the lilies of the Vally and consider how beautiful they look; not even Solomon with all his glory was clothed like it.

Answer 3

Predestination
All natural men and women can not understand the bible they are
spiritually dead and unless God chooses them and gives his grace
they would not ever be saved.Lost man until God deals with them has
no will.The only man and woman that had free will was Adam and Eve
before satin deceived Eve and she choose(free will) to eat.Adam
of his free will chose to be with his wife.God found Adam and Eve and
gave them Salvation it was a GIFT unmerited GRACE.
All things are predesignated in every believers life Bad and Good
nothing slips up on God.
In Christ in Love,
TJ57

Answer 4

LOL My husband and I debate this ALL the time. I'm still not sure if I've reached a total conclusion yet, but I'm airing on the side of predestination because I feel like everything happens for a reason. (Thus everything must be predestined.)

My husband believes in free will... *shrugs* LOL who knows?

Answer 5

Read Swedenborg. Self-compulsion is not contrary to free will.

FAQ: Why aren't more miracles done to convert people to Christianity?


"When only a miracle leads a person to acknowledgment of God and to adoration and piety, he acts from the natural and not the spiritual man. For a miracle infuses belief by an external and not an internal way, thus from the world and not from heaven. The Lord enters man by an internal way, by the Word and by doctrine and preaching from it. As miracles close this way, no miracles are done today" (Divine Providence n. 131).


Man is not brought by external means to think and will, thus to love and believe what pertains to religion, but the man brings himself and compels himself to do so. Self-compulsion is not contrary to rationality and freedom. (Divine Providence n. 129).


"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."


-- Rev. 3:20 KJV


Miracles do not induce faith. "That miracles are of this nature can be clearly established from those performed in the presence of the people of Judah and Israel. Although they beheld many miracles in the land of Egypt and later at the Red Sea and others in the Wilderness and particularly on Mt. Sinai when the Law was promulgated, nevertheless, in a month's time while Moses tarried on that mountain, they made themselves a golden calf and hailed it as Jehovah who had led them out of the land of Egypt (Ex 32:4-6). Again, it is plain from the miracles done later in the land of Canaan; nevertheless the people fell away time and again from the prescribed worship. It is equally plain from the miracles which the Lord did before their eyes when He was in the world; yet they crucified Him. (Divine Providence n. 132).


http://www.mechanicsburgnewchurch.org

Answer 6

God the Father is an extradimensional being. He does not experience history in linear fashion, on the time line, if you will. He sees all of history as a panorama. Though He is the creator of all, and could control anything and all things at will, by an act of His own restraint, He has basically set Himself over control of Himself as Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The actions of humanity He has left to humanity. The incarnation of His Son is to Him a singular event, whose timing and execution were under His control. Knowing the end from the beginning in this fashion, He is more than capable of injection knowledge He has from his view outside of time to relate events yet to come and even the actions of humans who will be exercising their free will. He has already seen it in action because of His unique perspective and can tell what He has seen, beginning to end, while we experience it constrained by time and the physical universe. From the beginning he knows whether we will choose Him because He has seen our choice from before the moment of creation. Hope that's clear :)

Answer 7

Predestined, are those chosen from before the fall of Satan. Very special individuals. Moses was one.

More will be around very soon.

Those that are predestined also have free will, and can fall it is possible but not likely.

Answer 8

God gave us free will

God knows the future

Even though God knows the future does not mean He predestined it.

Answer 9

Both. Destiny can only take you so far, you have to do the rest. For example, it is destiny that you and your soulmate be placed in the same bar, on the same night, same time. Now what happens after, whether or not you talk to this person and make things happen, is up to you.

Answer 10

I don't think anything is predestined, I believe we make our own choices and other people's choices affect us either negatively or positively. Some may say a car wreck is "predestined", but it is always someone's fault.