Free will or predestined?

Question

I can find no passages in the bible that state we have free will. Are there any? Where can they be found?

Meanwhile, I have found passages that say that lives are already planned out. Ephesians 1:4-6, Ephesians 2:4-10, Romans 8:28-30.

Which is it? Free will or god's plan? It can't be both. Unless there is a mention of free will in the bible, wouldn't you have to assume it's predestination and/or god's will that really rules your lives?

I'm not asking your opinion so much (though you are free to give it, of course). I want your bible quotes as proof that god gave us free will. You say he does, but where does it say that?

Phoenix, yes, I've seen that, but Eve proves nothing. It was obviously god's will that she eat it or he would not have put the tree there.

Nice try by the christians, but it doesn't say it was free will. :o)

People aren't getting my question, I don't think. I'll have to rephrase it so I'm more clear. I know what I mean, but no one else does. lol

Answer 1

This is where it gets tricky... We have free will, but God knows what is going to happen. That doesnt mean God planned for some to be saved and some would be lost, the bible says he wants ALL to come to repentance. We have that choice. God knows with his foreknowlege who will be saved, and who will reject him because he is all knowing. But he doesnt choose who will be, and who wont be.



There are many verses that specifically state that people have free will to execute their own choices. In the book of Deuteronomy, God Himself tells the people to choose to follow Him to receive His blessings:

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Joshua tells the people to choose to serve God or the idols of their neighbors.

"And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)


Some in the predestination camp claim that Jesus Christ died only for the elect. However, the Bible teaches quite clearly that Jesus Christ died for all people and wants all people to come to repentance:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." (John 12:32)
For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (Romans 6:10)
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. (1 Timothy 4:10)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (Titus 2:11)
For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. (Hebrews 7:26-27)
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-12)
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; (1 Peter 3:18)

Answer 2

Any passages written in the New Testament is subject to your discernment as it had been written by Apostles of Jesus and not by Prophets of God. Then it fell into the hands of the Catholics whose atrocities are known in the world in the time of the inquisitions including the burning of some important manuscripts that will contradict their claims. Constantine who said there was a miracle that happened to him and his mother why it made him decide to declare Christianity as the official religion of the Empire. The truth was he could no longer contain the growing numbers of Roman and Greek converts by the first Jewish Christian influence. They are the Ones who based their belief from an Old and Pagan Roman and Greek mythology that firmly carry the tradition of God's Divine Will. When they insisted on inserting those practices, it cut the relationship of Judeo-Christian tandem.
There may not be a definitive word expressed by God that He gave man the Free Will but it is obviously implied in the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Ezekiel. to get the detail...go to this website...www.thename.ph

Answer 3

There many passages that state that God wants everyone to be saved! Jesus died for everyone, not just a select group of people!

"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 2:2

"for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"
Romans 10:13

"(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe."
1 Timothy 4:10

"'But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.'"
John 12:32

How can Calvinists say that God choses only certain people and not others!? This is an abomination. I don't want a God like that.

God certainly knows who will be saved because He knows the future. But he did not decide who is saved, he gives the same chance to everyone.

"'Yet there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him."
John 6:64

God's plan does not limit to certain people. Calvinists should be careful with what they are saying.

"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?"
Job 38:2

The Bible does not talk about free will much because it never has been a problem before Calvinism. Before that, no one ever asked if God gave us free will.

All the verses about "believing" imply free will. Faith can only exist if you have the freedom to believe.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"
Luke 13:34

In this passage Jesus is heart broken because his people are not willing to obey God. If God did not give free will to men, how come he is saddened by the fact that his people do not want to submit to God!?

Answer 4

I think they look to Genesis and the fact that Adam and Eve could eat of the tree if they wanted, knowing the consequences, for their idea of "free will". Meanwhile, this completely ignores the overwhelming message in the REST of the Bible that God has a plan.

But then, you're trying to apply logic to "Faith".

Answer 5

It is obvious by some of the question's on here that free will exists...however God has a plan for all of us...we can freely choose to follow Gods plan or not....therefore it is logical to assume that both exist.....

Answer 6

Yes it is both.And concepts for certain things can be found in abundance in Scripture without a given phrase being used.We are not automatons.We choose to do things every couple of minutes of every waking hour of our lives.We choose to follow God's Plan or not to each and every day.

Answer 7

It can be both.

I believe in reincarnation. We choose to come here for a purpose. We seek knowledge. With each life we educate our souls.

Before we come we make a life plan. We decide what we want to learn and plan our life accordingly. During that life we encounter the free will of others, which cannot be planned for. Also during that life we have no memory of our plan so we may get off track a few times.

So I believe we are predestined but susceptible to free will.

Answer 8

John 3:19-21 is very clear. Notice the do's.
See also Acts 15:7.

Answer 9

In islam its both! You have free will in the actions you chose...but these are restricted by predestination. example...
predestined...ure family, where u were born, male or female, black/white and so on. You are also restricted by your surroundings. If someone harms you, you may of your own free will want to hurt them back (you chose this..free will) if then for sumreason you are unable to get to the persons house by reasons beyond your choice..that was predestined!

Answer 10

It is God's will always. If you look at the OT the outcome of the wars were predestined and Pharaoh's decision. If God was not on your side it didn't matter how many troops you had or how well you prepared, you would loose and we all know how many times God hardened Pharaoh's heart.

Answer 11

we have free will in the sense that we choose in moment too moment how ever god doesnt measure time as we do as he know what were going too do so in a sense yes and in a sense no..no right or wrong anwser