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he subject of God predestinating men and women to salvation and man’s
role in salvation has almost always generated strong reactions. Sometimes
this subject is simply known as predestination and man’s free will.
Other times it is called predestination and man’s responsibility.
But regardless of one’s preferred wording, the issue is, “Did
God select certain people to believe and respond to Jesus or do we have
the freedom to believe and respond to Jesus on our own?” Who chooses?
Does God choose us to be saved or do we?
There are three major views regarding God’s role in the rescue
of the souls of men and women and the freedom of men and women to respond
to Jesus Christ. The first common view is that man chooses to believe
in God on his own. The second common view is that God determined who
would believe in Him before any human being was created. The third common
view is that God in His foreknowledge knew who would believe and respond
to Him if given the choice. Then He predestinated those men and women
to believe and submit themselves to Jesus Christ. A fourth will be explored
at the end.
There are great tensions with the first three views. There is
the tension of those who want to choose with the sovereignty
of God. There are those who consider God to be unfair if He decides
our destiny. Since God is the creator and we are His creation,
our viewpoint is actually not only unimportant, it lacks a divine
perspective. God is not running a democracy where we can vote.
Whatever God has decided and whatever God does is fair not just
because He is God, but because He is holy and righteous. Unfortunately
we are not. Our thoughts and motives are frequently evil. We
are selfish and self-centered. Scripture teaches us that we are
not really interested in God. If we are honest with ourselves,
we will recognize that we are evil. Here is God’s view
of us.
There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for god; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness . . . There is no fear of god before their eyes.. (NASB) Rom 3:10-14, 18
God’s perspective is superior to ours in every way since He is
God and we are His creation. Regardless of your final opinion or the
conclusions of this study, the following passage is true,
Seek the
LORD while He may be found; Let the wicked forsake his way For My thoughts are not your thoughts, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, May the Lord bless you as you read and ponder the statements in this
study.
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