PREDESTINATION (CALVINISM) VS. HUMAN FREE WILL (ARMINIANISM)

PREDESTINATION (CALVINISM) VS. HUMAN FREE WILL (ARMINIANISM)

Titus 2:11 is a balance to other NT passages on election. I thought it might be theologically helpful to provide my commentary notes from Romans 8:29 and chapter 9, as well as Ephesians 1.

I. Romans 8:29 – Paul uses "foreknew" (proginōskō, "to know before") twice, here and 11:2. In 11:2 it refers to God's covenant love for Israel before time began. Remember that the term "know" in Hebrew related to intimate, personal relationship, not to facts about someone (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5). Here it was included in a chain of eternal events (cf. Rom. 8:29-30). This term was linked with predestination. However, it must be stated that God's foreknowledge is not the basis of election because if that were so, then election would be based on fallen humanity's future response, which would be human performance. This term is also found in Acts 26:5; 1 Pet. 1:2,20 and 2 Pet. 3:17.

A. "foreknew" (proginōskō, "to know before")

The terms "foreknow" and "predestine" are both compounds with the preposition "before" and, therefore, should be translated "to know before," "to set bounds before," or "mark off before." The definitive passages on predestination in the NT are Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:13-14; and Romans 9. These texts obviously stress that God is sovereign. He is in total control of all things. There is a preset divine plan being worked out in time. However, this plan is not arbitrary or selective. It is based, not only on God's sovereignty and foreknowledge, but on His unchanging character of love, mercy, and undeserved grace.

We must be careful of our western (American) individualism or our evangelical zeal coloring this wonderful truth. We must also guard against being polarized into the historical, theological conflicts between Augustine versus Pelegius or Calvinism versus Arminianism.

B. "predestined" (proorizō, "to set the bounds before")

Predestination is not a doctrine meant to limit God's love, grace, and mercy nor to exclude some from the gospel. It is meant to strengthen believers by molding their worldview. God is for all mankind (cf. John 1:12; 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 2:2; 4:14). God is in control of all things. Who or what can separate us from Him (cf. Rom. 8:31-39)? God views all history as present; humans are time bound. Our perspective and mental abilities are limited. There is no contradiction between God's sovereignty and mankind's free will. It is a covenantal structure. This is another example of truth given in dialectical tension. Biblical doctrines are presented from different perspectives. They often appear paradoxical. The truth is a balance between the seemingly opposite pairs. We must not remove the tension by picking one of the truths. We must not isolate any biblical truth into a compartment by itself.

It is also important to add that the goal of election is not only heaven when we die, but Christlikeness now (cf. Rom. 8:29-30; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4; 2:10; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:15). We were chosen to be "holy and blameless." God chooses to change us so that others may see the change and respond by faith to God in Christ. Predestination is not a personal privilege, but a covenantal responsibility. This is the major truth of the passage. This is the goal of Christianity. Holiness is God's will for every believer. God's election is to Christlikeness (cf. Eph. 1:4), not a special standing. The image of God, which was given to man in creation (cf. Gen. 1:26; 5:1,3; 9:6), is to be restored.

C. "conformed to the image of His Son"—God's ultimate goal is the restoration of the image lost in the Fall. Believers are foreordained to Christlikeness (cf. Eph. 1:4).



II. Romans 9

A. Romans 9 is one of the strongest NT passages on God's sovereignty (the other being Eph. 1:3-14), while chapter 10 states humans' free will clearly and repeatedly (cf. "everyone" Rom. 9:4; "whosoever" 9:11,13; "all" 9:12 [twice]). Paul never tries to reconcile this theological tension. They are both true! Most Bible doctrines are presented in paradoxical or dialectical pairs. Most systems of theology are logical half-truths. Augustinianism and Calvinism versus semi-Pelegianism and Arminianism have elements of truth and error. Biblical tension between doctrines is preferable to a proof-texted, dogmatic, rational, theological system that forces the Bible onto a preconceived interpretive grid.

B. This same truth (found in Rom. 9:23) is stated in Rom. 8:29-30 and Eph. 1:4,11. This chapter is the strongest expression of God's sovereignty in the NT. There can be no dispute that God is in total charge of creation and redemption. This great truth should never be softened or diminished. However, it must be balanced with God's choice of covenant as a means of relating to human creation, made in His image. It is surely true that some OT covenants, like Genesis 15, are unconditional and do not relate at all to human response, but other covenants are conditioned on human response (e.g., Eden, Noah, Moses, David). God has a plan of redemption for His creation; no human can affect this plan. God has chosen to allow individuals to participate in His plans. This opportunity for participation is a theological tension between sovereignty (Romans 9) and human free will (Romans 10).

It is not appropriate to select one biblical emphasis and ignore another. There is tension between doctrines because eastern people present truth in dialectical or tension-filled pairs. Doctrines must be held in relationship to other doctrines. Truth is a mosaic of truths.



III. Ephesians 1

A. Election is a wonderful doctrine. However, it is not a call to favoritism, but a call to be a channel, a tool, or means of others' redemption! In the OT the term was used primarily for service; in the NT it is used primarily for salvation which issues in service. The Bible never reconciles the seeming contradiction between God's sovereignty and mankind's free will, but affirms them both! A good example of the biblical tension would be Romans 9 on God's sovereign choice and Romans 10 on mankind's necessary response (cf. 10:11,13).

The key to this theological tension may be found in 1:4. Jesus is God's elect man and all are potentially elect in Him (Karl Barth). Jesus is God's "yes" to fallen mankind's need (Karl Barth). Ephesians 1:4 also helps clarify the issue by asserting that the goal of predestination is not heaven only, but holiness (Christlikeness). We are often attracted to the benefits of the gospel and ignore the responsibilities! God's call (election) is for time as well as eternity!

Doctrines come in relation to other truths, not as single, unrelated truths. A good analogy would be a constellation versus a single star. God presents truth in eastern, not western, genres. We must not remove the tension caused by dialectical (paradoxical) pairs of doctrinal truths (God as transcendent versus God as immanent; security vs. perseverance; Jesus as equal with the Father vs. Jesus as subservient to the Father; Christian freedom vs. Christian responsibility to a covenant partner, etc).

The theological concept of "covenant" unites the sovereignty of God (who always takes the initiative and sets the agenda) with a mandatory initial and continuing repentant faith response from man. Be careful of proof-texting one side of the paradox and depreciating the other! Be careful of asserting only your favorite doctrine or system of theology.

B. "He chose us" in Eph. 1:4 is an aorist middle indicative which emphasizes the subject. This focuses on the Father's choice before time. God's choice must not be understood in the Islamic sense of determinism, nor in the ultra-Calvinistic sense as some versus others, but in the covenantal sense. God promised to redeem fallen mankind (cf. Gen. 3:15). God called and chose Abraham to choose all humans (cf. Gen. 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6). God Himself elected all persons who would exercise faith in Christ. God always takes the initiative in salvation (cf. John 6:44,65). This text and Romans 9 are the biblical basis for the doctrine of predestination emphasized by Augustine and Calvin.

God chose believers not only to salvation (justification), but also to sanctification (cf. Colossians 1: 10-12). This could relate to (1) our position in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21) or (2) God's desire to reproduce His character in His children (cf. Eph. 2:10; Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19). God's will for His children is both heaven one day and Christlikeness now!

"In Him" is a key concept of Eph. 1:4. The Father's blessings, grace, and salvation flow through Christ (cf. John 14:6). Notice the repetition of this grammatical form (locative of sphere) in Eph. 1:3, "in Christ"; 1:4, "in Him"; 1:7, "in Him"; 1:9, "in Him"; 1:10, "in Christ," "in Him"; 1:12, "in Christ" and 1:13, "in Him" (twice). Jesus is God's "yes" to fallen mankind (Karl Barth). Jesus is the elect man and all are potentially elect in Him. All of God the Father's blessings flow through Christ.

The phrase "before the foundation of the world" is also used in Matt. 25:34; John 17:24; 1 Pet. 1:19-20 and Rev. 13:8. It shows the Triune God's redemptive activity even before Gen. 1:1. Humans are limited by their sense of time; everything to us is past, present, and future, but not to God.

I love that! All doctrines should be in harmony with one another. I have always thought of Scripture in that way, but not in the deeper sense, which is that of Doctrine. Unbelievable. This idea could very well help to explain the Bible as a complete Story of God. To be able to show, perhaps even in a graph or chart, how doctrine must all fit together and support one another to make one complete Purpose, Work, and Effect of God. This will take some developing. Great post, if just for this alone!

Ever heard of Bob Utley brother?

Hey there!

Maybe . . . vaguely.

The Gospel does not present any such view. The Gospel is plain, straightforward, and abundantly clear. There is no sophistry here.

1. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
2. Therefore all need to be saved by grace through faith.
3. No one can be justified by the works or deeds of the Law.
4. Christ died for all mankind therefore salvation is freely offered to all.
5. But God commands all men everywhere to repent.
6. God also commands all men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
7. Those who obey the Gospel are saved by grace.
8. Those who are saved are also eternally secure in Christ.
9. God in His divine foreknowledge already knows who will believe.
10. Therefore He predestines BELIEVERS to be confirmed to the image of His Son.
11. Which means that they all will be glorified.
12. In the meantime they are to be sanctified and purified by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. God says "Be ye holy for I am holy".

NO ONE IS ELECTED OR PREDESTINED FOR SALVATION. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Human free will is involved with responding to the Gospel. So is the Holy Spirit. That is why the Gospel must be preached in all the world and to every creature.

How sure are you of this? 60/40? 70/30?

We have to preach the Gospel because of free will?

Isn't it more that God has released His Elect from the captivity of Satan, for they were held and controlled against their will to do Satan's will? When Redeemed by the Lord, they are then taken into His captivity and will then begin to be controlled and compelled by God with the Purpose of spreading the Message of Jesus.

That is not what was meant. Human free will is involved with a response to the Gospel.

No one does Satan's will without choosing to do so.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:13-15). Did you notice "of his own lust"?

How are you NOT SURE of this? If God offers salvation freely to all mankind -- which is a Bible fact -- then He will not violate His own offer by electing some for salvation. What does John 3:17 say? For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Did you never see this verse?

There is certainly a large body of evidence to support that idea. I can completely understand why people think they are in control, and not God. I would never suggest anything like that for my life, nor anyone else's. But if you want to teach that you are in control and that God isn't, well . . . that's one option, I suppose.

I hear you, except, Paul made the opposite claim in Romans 7. Not only Roman's 7, but the Bible is filled with people being controlled by the Spirit of the Devil. In fact, that's what the Bible is about . . . humanity needing a Redeemer so that people can be set free of their Spiritual blindness. But, if people don't see that, I get it. Paul taught in Ephesian's 1 and 3 that the Gospel has been kept hidden from the beginning. That Holy Effect of God . . . is still in Effect. Hence, the Purpose of Christ is to give sight to the blind, and to show those who think they see, that they are blind.

Ahhhh, ok. I was just asking how sure you were. If you don't answer, but flip things around, well that doesn't make for effective and mature conversation. So if we can't effectively communicate, I'm happy to discontinue. Your call.

@Johann

Good sir, getting back to how doctrine needs to support doctrine as a method of determining proper doctrine (I think I'm saying that correctly), it has already become abundantly clear (to me) that the doctrines of free will and Spiritual Circumcision do not, and cannot co-exist.

I cannot thank you enough for this remarkable piece of insight you have provided. I am so grateful!

100% sure that Christ died for the whole world (not the world of some elect group) that through him they might be saved.

Hebrews 2:16 NLT - 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham.

And yet, there are elect angels. Biblical election is never to salvation but to service.

Let the Bible itself address the issue. Consider the following propositions.

What Does the Bible Actually Say About Who Will Go To Heaven?
First, Jesus Christ declared that he is the exclusive way to God.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, except by me” (John 14:6).

You can dispute this statement if you wish, but it is stated uncompromisingly there.

Do you believe that the only way to obtain salvation is through Christ? If you deny this, the biblical record is not your standard of authority, and further discussion is useless.

Second, the Scriptures clearly teach that some belong to Christ and others do not. Some are his “sheep,” the saved, while others are “goats,” and thus are lost (Matthew 25:31-46).

Third, no one is required to understand every aspect of Christian teaching. No one does. And no one can be perfectly obedient in all matters. No one ever has.

But to be saved, there is a threshold of understanding about elementary gospel truths that you must possess and a certain level of obedience that you must render before you can belong to Christ.

Didn’t Jesus teach that those who refuse to “understand” will not be able to receive the “healing” (i.e., the salvation) he offers (Matthew 13:15)?

Further, are we not taught that Christ is the author of salvation to those who “obey” him (Hebrews 5:9)? What would be the reverse of that affirmation?

Didn’t the Lord himself say, “He who believes on the Son has eternal life; but he who obeys not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36 – ASV)?

Remember when Jesus declared that those who claim identity with him but fail to “do” (i.e., obey) God’s will are lost (Matthew 7:21-27)?

Do the words of Jesus mean anything?

Fourth, Paul, an inspired apostle, declared that Jesus Christ is “the savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23).

Here’s a simple but profound question. Is there any passage within the framework of Christian doctrine that provides hope to those who are not of that body?

Fifth, the same apostle in the very same epistle taught that there is “one body” (Eph. 4:4; cf. 1 Cor. 12:20).

Does this not imply that if a person is saved, they would have to be in that “one body”?

Sixth, Paul also defined the “one body” as the “church” (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24). Doesn’t this signify that all the saved would be in “one” church (cf. John 10:16; 11:52)?

Seventh, another fact the apostle taught is that by the Spirit (i.e., through the instrumentation of His instruction via God’s word – Eph. 6:17), we are baptized into the “one body” (1 Cr. 12:13; cf. Gal. 3:26-27).
Finally, is it not the case that this baptism must conform to the New Testament pattern of doctrine? By this, we mean that baptism should be administered to the appropriate subjects, with the correct mode, and for the specified purpose of the rite to be effective toward salvation (cf. Rom. 6:17; Acts 19:1-5).
By Wayne Jackson | Christian Courierhttps://christiancourier.com/articles/will-only-your-bunch-be-saved#:~:text=By%20Wayne%20Jackson%20%7C%20Christian%20Courier

"100% sure that Christ died for the whole world (not the world of some elect group) that through him they might be saved."

Hebrews 2:16B NLT - ". . . he came to help the descendants of Abraham."