Predestination vs. Choice

Many people ask me whether I think God predestines people to be Christians or if we have a choice in the matter. The Bible provides support for both ideas so I'll show support for both sides and then let you know how I feel about it.

Predestination

Let me come right out and say it, predestination does not equal Calvinism. While Calvinism does promote predestination, it also includes many other doctrinal practices. So for the sake of this entry, I'll leave Calvinism for another day.

These are the two main scriptures that the Lutheran Church leans on to support predestination:

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."

-Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV)

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to 

the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among 

many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those 

he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

-Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)

I don't mean to call out the Lutheran Church specifically, but it 

is one of the mainline church denominations that leans heavily 

on predestination. While these scriptures are in the Bible, it is 

important not to miss interpret them, or interpret them to say 

what you want them to  say. It is not uncommon for people to 

jump to the conclusion that being God's elect means that we can 

do whatever we want on this Earth because we have been justi-

fied (Romans 8:30). That does not agree with what Jesus Christ 

himself says: that in order to be his follower we have to be 

willing to give up everything, even our sinful nature, in order to 

follow him (Luke 9:23, 14:25-27).

Don Fortner does a good job analyzing this misconception. He 

says:

"The Word of God does not teach that religious fatalism which 

says, 'The elect will be saved, no matter what.' God has predes-

tined the use of specific means for the accomplishment of his 

purposes; and the use of those means is as necessary and as 

certain as the end itself."

Fortner uses the term "elect" several times. This term relates to 

God's chosen people (aka his disciples). So if the wording is 

confusing, try inserting the word "Christian" every time he uses 

"elect." Ultimately, predestination is less about being able to do 

anything we want because in the end we'll be saved and more 

about being a chosen people of God.

Choice

The concept of having a choice mainly spawns from every 

human's responsibility to seek God. This is demonstrated in the 

following verse:

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I 

will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek 

me with all your heart."

-Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV)

This verse suggests that in action is required in order for the 

result to come to fruition. Think of it as an if-then statement. If 

you seek God with all of your heart, then you will find him. This 

seems to refute the idea that God chooses us, and support the 

idea that we choose him.

This theme is also seen throughout several of the books in the 

new testament, specifically James. Chapter 1 of James is almost 

completed devoted to persevering through trials to become 

mature disciples of Jesus. This becomes a common sticking point 

with predestination as it infers that we actually have to strive to 

be like Christ even in difficult circumstances.

Another thing that seems to conflict with the idea of predestin-

ation is what is seen in 2 Peter:

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some under-

stand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to 

perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

-2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

This passage suggests that it is in fact the Lord's desire that 

everyone turn and follow him. If this is true, why would some 

people be "chosen" and others seemingly rejected. If God wants 

everyone to be saved, is there predestination at all?

Unfortunately for us human beings, both of these seemingly 

contradictory ideas are in the Bible, and if we believe the Bible

to be from God (2 Timothy 3:16), and God is truth, then they 

must both be true. While some will try to say that one has more 

support than the other, it is imperative that we do not dismiss 

parts of the Bible that seem to disagree with our personal 

beliefs. If we get into that habit, then only the parts of the Bible 

that we want to be true become true to us, and then the Bible 

says what we want it to say and not what God actually meant for 

it to say. As for how all that works, I'm not really sure. I suspect 

that I may never fully understand the balance between 

predestination and choice, but hey, it's fun to think about.