Why do most Christians believe in Free Will™ when Rom 9:11-18 suggests that your salvation is predetermined?

Question

9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.


(reference to Pharaoh) -> 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Why, Answerers who are Protestants, your very ethos states that my interpretation of the scripture is as valid as any other interpretation of the scripture.

Answer 1

This is something I still admittedly struggle with understanding.

Answer 2

It would certainly seem that way from the way you just pull out a section and ask a question based on a few versus of Scripture. The true answer is that an individuals salvation is not predetermined at all. Nowhere in these verses does the Bible say that. God calls everyone. Only those who will listen will be saved by the mercy of God. Everyone must make a choice in their lives. Esau was hated because he rejected God. God can see the future. Don't forget that. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. You have much to learn.

Answer 3

Let us first state a couple of facts:

1. God is Omnicient so He knows the future. Knowing and controlling are two different things.

2. Jesus died for all so that "whosoever believes in him should.....have everlasting life". So all of us are in a way 'predestined' to be saved.

Coming to "Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." It appears that God has chosen to show mercy to some and not to others.

On what basis if not for the fact that some choose Him and others don't? So although it might appear that God is acting partially the key lies in verse 17 where it says "....that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." In other words, whether people choose God or not His name will still be glorified throughout all the earth just like Pharoah's hardening of heart only brought more confirmation that indeed God was working on behalf of Israelites and whom he had refused to acknowledge in the beginning. Was God doing the 'hardening'? No, it was the result and God's message was the occasion, not the cause, of 'hardening'.

Paul reinforces this fact in v.14 " Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid." No one can accuse God of partiality.

Answer 4

You are correct in saying this verse 'suggests' predetermination.
The thing to do is compare it with other scriptures on the same topic and see if they all balance.
Of course, if that was done, Romans 9:11-18 would stand out like a sore thumb.
Therefore, the only conclusion would be the 'suggestion' is mis-understood.
All scriptures on any one subject must contribute to the same conclusion.

Answer 5

You mean "Predestination"
Predestination, taken in its widest meaning, is every Divine decree by which God, owing to His infallible prescience of the future, has appointed and ordained from eternity all events occurring in time, especially those which directly proceed from, or at least are influenced by, man's free will. It includes all historical facts, as for instance the appearance of Napoleon or the foundation of the United States, and particularly the turning-points in the history of supernatural salvation, as the mission of Moses and the Prophets, or the election of Mary to the Divine Motherhood. Taken in this general sense, predestination clearly coincides with Divine Providence.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12378a.htm

Answer 6

Many are called but few are chosen. If it had said all, I would disagree with you, but free will is a teaching of a doctrine of demons. They are going to crucify me for this but oh well. There are two wills in this world, good and evil, which one are you? It is the spirit of God that leads a man to salvation. Keep asking those questions, they bring out the truth that some have a hard time believing.

Answer 7

Salvation is not predetermined by God.

God has given the opportunity for all mankind to partake of it. What we do in our lives does matter and does affect where we will go and the reward we will receive. It is important to keep in mind that Christ's atonement makes this possible and without his atonement, none of us could be saved. That our works do matter is clear.......

Matt. 16: 27
27 For the Son of man (Jesus Christ) shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Revelations 20
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

The point of Romans Chapter 9 that you were quoting is that, yes, Israel (Jews) were foreordained (not predestined) to receive all the blessings and the covenants, but they were not the only partakers of salvation from God, but that the Gentiles could as well ( v24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?) and also that the Israelites sought salvation by works only (by following the law) but they also needed to have faith.....
Romans 9
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Faith without works is worthless, it is like the fig tree that produces no figs.

C.S. Lewis said it best
"Regarding the debate about faith and works: It’s like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important."

Answer 8

No,our salvation is NOT predetermined.God has chosen the elect to lead and teach.These people fought against Satan during the catabo.(We were all there in spirit form.The whole reason for us being born in the flesh,is to choose whom we will serve.)The elect are predetermined to lead us in the millennium age.The rest of us freely choose whether we will follow God or Satan.

Answer 9

We are all created to come to God...to know God and to submit to His will in our lives. However, due to sin and the consequence of sin which is death away from God, we also have to choose that life which God has planned for us. God has an abundant life in store for each of us...we have to decide to follow and trust in it. There are 2 paths in life for us to live, one filled with sin and without God, or one that is filled with God and a relationship with Him that gives us eternal life. We choose to follow or not. So we are all predestined to our future by the choices we make...either a sinful future without God's favor....or a loving close relationship with God filled with His spirit and grace.

Answer 10

PERHAPS..... YOU.... MISSED.... in your " Wrongful Interpretation of Scripture ! "

Only A Born Again Christian... who [ Romans 8:9 ] has the Indwelling HOLY Spirit.... can PROPERLY ....INTERPRET.... HOLY SCRIPTURE...!

UNBELIEVERS.... AND... MOCKERS..... CANNOT!

Besides.... Did... "YOU" .... Obey ... this Command from GOD?

(Acts 17:30-31) Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now He strictly commands all men everywhere to repent,

(Acts 17:31) because He has appointed a day in which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead.

Thanks, RR

Answer 11

Just because he knows your future choices doesnt mean that he forces your future choices. Just because you know that two teams will be playing football on Saturday doesnt mean that you are making them play.

Those verses are about the seemingly unjustice and unrighteouness of God, not predetination anyways.