What does the Bible say about freewill vs. predestination?
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- In this video from the Ask Anything Tour, Dr. Mohler explains the paradox of freewill and predestination.
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I would encourage people to read, “Bondage of the Will” by Martin Luther. I would suggest that you read the JI Packer translation. This book helped me understand the issue better than any other. It is the dialogue between Erasmus and Luther. It is classic! Blessings
It’s one of my favorites. I actually require my undergraduate students in World Civ After 1500 to read the book. They invariably love it … mostly because of Luther’s use of language. I’d love to see him on modern social media platforms. I doubt any of my students actually agree with his perspective on the issue, but it’s a good primer for understanding the issues. I one time actually had a student write a paper comparing Luther’s Bondage and Edwards’ The Freedom of the Will. He seemed surprised that they seem to be making the exact same argument with book titles that seemed so absolutely at odds. 😁 But that’s an excellent suggestion for further reading. Thanks.
For those who lack the time or interest (or will), I read it and, in the vernacular of the first Lutheran, it was ripe shit.
Paul said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," and along comes a 16th century scatological anti-semite who writes a 300 page treatise that retorts, "But you can't".
@@williammarinelli2363 that’s funny. Maybe the point is being missed here. No one seeks after God. There are no good people. Luther’s point was Grace that comes through the Gospel, not Rome! Hopefully that helps? It was a funny statement however.
@@williammarinelli2363And yet Luther believed and preached, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” And countless generations of Christians have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and been saved through his ministry. Go figure.
@@davidcrutchfield138 thanks for the response. If I were a single verse proof texted, and I'm especially not in poetic books of the Bible, I would be open to
1. The earth will continue forever as it is now.
2. My grandson has snake venom in his saliva.
3. Said grandson told lies at birth before knowing how to speak or think.
4. Money talks.
5. Birds tattle.
6. The wicked die in peace without suffering.
7. By believing in the Lord one's offspring are saved.
8. Gates lift up their heads.
9. Mountains clap hands.
10. God has wings.
And no one seeks God as is stated in Rom 3:11 quoting Psalms. The context there mentions feet swift to shed blood. Except of a bloody nose dished out in a school age fist fight, I don't recall shedding blood. But then again, on a navy sub, we could launched stuff that would have evaporated millions.
In the overall narrative of Scripture, people seek God. In Acts 12, sergius Paulus seeks God in vs 7 and the gentiles seek God's word/message in vs 42. That's two instances in one chapter. Now have 1189 more chapters before making poetic prose of rom 3:11 the be all end all. Thanks for chance to sfogare (vent)
I think a more simple direct answer would be better. "There is mystery here. We choose God freely trusting and loving Him, yet we come to realize that He enabled us to trust and believe in Him through His Word, through His Spirit and grace. Choose God freely, joyfully and fully. Yet know that God has enabled you to do so. Believe in Him....By grace you have been saved..."
The Bible clearly teaches we do not choose God, it clearly shows us that God chooses us.
We must choose God. God first chooses us and enables us to choose Him. Otherwise you go into Quietism.
”Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.”“
Joshua 24:22-23 ESV
No mystery but contradiction.
@@paulwells4372 Joshua 24
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
all are true
All that I got from this is that Mohler really likes ice cream.
"if I didn't do it, I can't lose it"! Awesome summary statement Bro. Mohler!
When we start off with a wrong definition of "sovereignty", these blatant contradictions are brought about.
Sovereignty does not equal determinism and fatalism.
The Biblical understanding of God’s sovereignty recognizes that He is King of Kings, Lord of lords, the Highest Authority to which we may appeal, Giver of the law, Judge and Grantor of mercy. In this sense, truly God is indeed sovereign!
“For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:2)
“I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” (Isaiah 43:15)
“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)
We live on the earth we can't live in a state of unworldliness. It creates a un attachment from reality. Similar to Buddhism
Why have faith at all then? Faith is believing that God exists, that he rewards those who seek him and that we can hope in him because his promises will always be true. Faith does not require perfection, but consistent belief that God is in control and we are to live in accordance to His will. A life of faith is lived in believing the promises of God to be true and clinging to them when we are uncertain. Faith does not need to see to believe that God is in control. Ephesians 1:11, Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Your statement as well as your Scripture support are true as far as they go, but there are texts that give more detail about the extent of God’s control over His creation:
[Dan 4:35 NKJV] 35 All the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And [among] the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
@@jazzmankey look at Israel after their release from Egyptian slavery. They rebelled after Moses gone from their presence for 40 days and nights.
@@frederickanderson1860 It may be difficult for you to accept but even the most sinful of man’s actions are under God’s control.
[Gen 45:5, 8 NKJV] 5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ... 8 "So now [it was] not you [who] sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
[Act 4:27-28 KJV] 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Wonderful answer! Thank you!
I just want to add, I don’t believe a person that claims to be Calvinist is completely wrong. They do have many teachings which do not alone in my opinion based on the Bible. That said, many of their pastors/teachers seem to get a lot correct in principles of teaching from the lives of those in he Old Testament as well New Testament…. I don’t understand how they can miss the mark on election if they can discern other things? God uses all things I know. So I don’t reject befriending them. I do however not subscribe to their doctrinal teaching on how we are saved. Bible is clear on this which they seem to overlook because of election. Faith comes by hearing, and that the word of God…but based on what they believe some we created to glory the rest to be dammed…not what the word says at all!
In my humble opinion man is saved by being in Christ which God being God knew because He knows everything all who would one day be. Calvinist are just trying to make since of this simplest understanding in a very complexed way.
If God did not know everything that would ever be, He would not be God! One other thing on my mind….not all who are Calvinist truly are. Only 5 pointers are true calvinistic…a4 pointer is called Amyraldism and 3 or less isn’t even considered to be Calvinist. And Jacob Arminius in one of his works stated, “ until we can research the scriptures more completely we can not teach this doctrine” when he was speaking to loss of salvation…but some how the other side of this argument went wild and we are where we are as the church today much divided! Sadly! Only truth, the Word of God, who so ever that will! Thanks for your encouragement!
I often find myself wondering whether God being Sovereign is able to place a limitation upon His Sovereignity at His discretion. Concerning election one of the early Reformers, Girolamo Zanchi (1516 - 1590) stated that "The gospel was not, and is not a manifestation of which persons God wills to give eternal life, but of the sort of persons He wills to give eternal life, namely believers in Christ." Secondly, while I like Mohler, it seemed to me that Mohler might have been promoting a double predestination which when examined has many flaws in it.
Predestination by definition is double. If some are predestined to heaven, then the rest are predestined to hell by default. [Rom 9:22-23 NKJV] 22 [What] if God, wanting to show [His] wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
@@jazzmankey
The problem with Calvinism can be found in their promotion of the idea of double predestination.
The Calvinist doctrine of double predestination is clearly brought out in the following statements from John Calvin found in his Institutes.
“By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined within himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and accordingly, as each has been created for one or the other of these ends, we say that he has been predestined to life or death.” (John Calvin in his Institutes)
Then in his Institutes Calvin also says . . .
“Those therefore whom God passes by he reprobates, and that for no other cause but because he is pleased to exclude them from the inheritance which he predestines to his children” (John Calvin in his Institutes)
So according to Calvin, God purposely created some people for eternal life and all the others to eternal damnation. And that God is “pleased to exclude” some from obtaining eternal life.
Yet, the following Scriptures disagree with Calvin’s statements . . .
Ezekiel 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Ezekiel 33:11 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?
Luke 13:34 “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, and you were not willing.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1 Tim 2:3-4 God our Savior, desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.
So from those Scriptures we see that God doesn’t take pleasure in excluding anyone as Calvin falsely states, and the Scriptures don’t declare, as Calvin says that God created some for eternal life and all the others were purposely created for eternal damnation. But it is God’s desire that all men be saved, yet we also know that not all will be saved simply because not all men desire to be saved and will reject the saving message of Christ Jesus, but it’s not because God created them to purposely reject it and remain unsaved.
@@BT3701 I made a statement and then supported that statement with a Bible verse. Why are you bringing up Calvinism? Also, What is your understanding of Predestination/ Election in Scripture?
The young lady asked a very humble and profound question that bothers a lot of Christians, and the minister wants to talk about pistachio ice cream, very frustrating to me.
Then how is that real love if we are forced to desire God?
It seems that you're using "Sovereign" as if it means deterministic control over everything. Which conflicts with "agency" as you described it.
We are as well told God desires all to come…Calvinism is a man’s teaching as well which there is much that is over looked on this subject of Election as it doesn’t fit or puts holes in this theological teaching. Trust the Word of God alone as it is the only truth which as this comment began says God desires all men to come to Him 1 Tim 2:4; John 3:16-17… but if one does not believe these most basic scriptures teaching then they must tear out these verses as the are right in the face of those that are twisted to say something they do not. God loves all His creation and He showed this by His sacrifice on Calvary! Unfortunately, the free will which was given another word in changing its meaning was a compromise in attempts to make the argument believable. I know this debate started a long time ago and continues today….just teach Gods love and desire for all men and let God be God!
I tell you what, If we have to tear out the verses that you mentioned, you would have to tear out Rom 8 & 9, John 6, 10, Acts 13:48, Eph 1, 2 , 1Cor 1, the words predestined, election, chosen, foreknown, "Esau I have hated" , "He has blinded their eyes", Ordained, "Vessels of Mercy, vessels of wrath, etc. These verses are also in the Bible.
@@jazzmankey My contention is with people like John Piper who says, every single thing that happens on planet earth is caused by God. He gives the example of tiny dust particles in a beam of light. Piper says God controls the very movement of each tiny particle. Or James White who has said, "If a man brutally rapes a young girl, God caused it. If not, then it was a meaningless, random act." Jeff Durbin says, God is not partially sovereign, He is not half-sovereign, He is sovereignly sovereign. Meaning, like Piper and White, every single thing that happens is caused by God. If you follow that logic through, you have God saying to Adam and Eve, "Do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil..." and then He causes them to do that very thing. You have God saying, "Have no other gods before me." AND then He makes countless billions worship Allah, Buddha, or one of the three hundred million Hindu gods. Again, if you carry this through, you have God, who is LOVE, who is Holy and Righteous, causing, murder, rape, child molestation, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, human trafficking, not to mention, the belief in atheism. Allowing something to happen, UNTIL it is dealt with on Judgment Day, is NOT the same as causing it to happen.
Calvanists always must reframe the questions or put out a false dichotomy. Its impossible for them to answer other wise.
It's not sovereignty that we should be discussing in calvinism it's actually determinism. Determinism is the black hole of Calvinism it sucks everything into it and nothing can escape it. The God of the Bible rules with ultimate sovereignty not determinism. He works perfectly together with his given free will to man so that he has followers who truly love him not robots.
Exactly
If you ARE saved--- God chose you
@@Over-for-now Yup I understand calvinism and if you are not saved God didn't choose you. So many people that God doesn't choose, its a mystery......only in calvinism.
@@Over-for-now The really sad thing is that your not even sure if you are saved because you MUST endure to the end to be saved. But if you don't in calvinism God gave you a fake faith this whole time. You just thought He loved you but He really didn't because He didn't make you endure to the end.
This is why calvinism isn't just wrong its harmful and changes the nature and character of God.
If someone is in Hell, is it because God didn’t do something or did the person not do something?
God decrees what man must do. Going to Heaven or hell is based on what man chooses to do..
Mohler's theology removes man's choice.@@williamswallers1709
That’s a very good answer to a much debated issue. God knew us before we were in the womb. Paul tells us that those He (God) foreknew, He predestined. You are absolutely right when you said that God can’t be somewhat sovereign or He isn’t sovereign and we know the Bible states that He is sovereign.(not your exact words)
everyone has agency and everyone has tendencies the tendencies determines what the agency will chose. the reality is no one is born with a tendency towards God
God predestined the church, that there would be a body of Christ(the church). Our free will is to be a part of that body or not to be. He knows the outcome without influencing it.
I have difficulty with your defining the word Sovereignty. Webster's dictionary disagrees with you.. Sovereignty does not mean we have no choice about our Salvation. We are offered Salvation for our faith in Him
Thank God that He is absolutely sovereign.
Why would we want less ???
Both!
Can you imagine telling your kids that God may not love them and chose to send them to hell? Quite the doctrine calvinists teach.
Its just a reminder of how I used to be. I'm glad to be free of such hateful doctrine
This is the longest non-answer I’ve ever seen. A better answer would have been: “Read a book called ‘Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism.’”
A simpler answer would be the video under the title Reformed Basics God's Sovereignty which goes over compatibalism...
That was a long and complicated answer. I don’t know if if helped anyone at all
I felt his answer to be extremely helpful and clarifying
I agree. A lot of words but little clarity. Maybe a little toward the end, but there was too much word salad before you get the meat.
Yeah, I mean why can't we get a simplistic answer to one of the most profound theological truths found in the entirety of God's Word that all of His greatest and brightest theologians in the history of humanity have struggled with? Shouldn't be so difficult to understand the mind of God....
Well, the question is so difficult. If not for anything, it planted a seed in my mind to go read more about agency vs freewill
Sometimes showing the way is as good as picking me up and dropping me to the destination
I personally thought it a great answer. I believe you have to clear up and define your terms before you jump into something like that,
6:16 “If I didn’t do it I can’t lose it.”
One day you’ll stand before the throne and God will ask you did you do it? (Mean bow your knee in your own free will and choose to worship me and not you?) And if you didn’t do it, you’ll lose eternal life. So, you’re wrong Dr. Mohler.
I figured today we would be talking about how AZ's governor, and the pro-life republican legislature passed legislation to repeal its abortion ban.
“Today, I am glad to see the Senate answered my call and voted to repeal Arizona's 1864 total abortion ban, and I look forward to quickly signing the repeal into law."
God is The Force for Good in your life or around your life. Who's complaining?
The Father didn't call me to be a Baptist " pentecostal" or catholic he called me to be born again!
I think that it would have been better for him to just say "I DO NOT KNOW" how God works free will and predestination and yet does not violate our volition.
It's simple. Higher dimensions. The universe is 4 dimensions, but there are spatial dimensions outside of the physical universe. The elect are sanctified BY the Spirit.
@@JesusIsLord777-lz7mg you speak as a fool and have absolutely no way to back up what you claim.
If God made us all, and he knows everything about what's gonna happen in our lives, he could very easily change stuff to make us all serve him instead. Yet he doesn't. Why? Because apparently we have free will. However, he knows what is gonna happen, so basically he had it planned out from the very start. So in conclusion, he has a plan, he works together beleivers and non-beleivers into that plan, but then again, it's HIS plan that HE ordained. We are just playing according to that plan.
In another argument, one could say that God has a purpose for us in the end, and he has many plans to get us there. The problem with this is if he is sovereign and all-knowing, how come he doesn't know which plan we take due to our freewill?
Another problem is, the Bible mentions that God doesn't tempt us. But if God has predetermined eveything, he knows of our sins. Why doesn't he prevent it? So logically, is he is the one tempting us?
Lastly, if God has predetermined eveything, why must we pray? To build a connection with God yes, but it's futile nonetheless as we're going according to his plan anyways so what's the point?
Why have faith at all then? Faith is believing that God exists, that he rewards those who seek him and that we can hope in him because his promises will always be true. Faith does not require perfection, but consistent belief that God is in control and we are to live in accordance to His will. A life of faith is lived in believing the promises of God to be true and clinging to them when we are uncertain. Faith does not need to see to believe that God is in control. Ephesians 1:11, Ecclesiastes 3:1.
6:23 6:23
I have such a hard time wrapping my head around this. So does this mean that the elect, the predestined will definitely come to the Lord? That no one that the Lord has elected to come to Him, predestined from before birth…..none of these elect will choose NOT to follow the Lord?
Yes Belinda, read John 6:38-44 , Jesus says all that the father gives me will come to me , and I will lose none of them but raise them up on the last day.
This is why it is called *_faith_*
”For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38-39.
This two verses lead us to believe that either:
A. Everyone is saved, whether they want to be or not.
B. The elect have an inseparable bond with Christ.
The rest of Romans makes it clear which is the truth.
@@MichaelTheophilus906 your problem is not with predestination or those who support it, but with God and His Word:
”even as he chose us in him *_before the foundation of the world_* that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he *_predestined_* us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been *_predestined_* according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,“ Ephesians 1:4-5, 11
”And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he *_foreknew_* he also *_predestined_* to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he *_predestined_* he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.“ Romans 8:28-30
”this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” Acts 2:23
”No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.“ John 6:44
”For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14
”He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you“ 1 Peter 1:20
”But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.“ John 1:12-13
@@MichaelTheophilus906 predestination in right understanding I believe is good. Meaning that God predetermined who will. This being all who chose because of free will in hearing the gospel to come to Christ. God pre determined that all who are in Christ will be saved… any other twisting of this would be heresy.
I've never understood why "predestination/election vs. freewill" has blown up into such an unnecessary debate/discussion: John 3:16 "That whosoever believes in him should have eternal life"; 1 Cor. 15:1-4, and Revelation 3:20. Calvinism refuses to look at the side of the believer, where they will choose whether to accept or reject Christ's free gift of salvation. Calvinism diminishes this role through intellectualism when men claim to know God's will despite the following passage "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." Isaiah 55:8 KJV. I specifically remember being drawn to Jesus Christ yet one has to make a clear choice, not in vain, to accept or reject the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ (John 14:6). I'd highly recommend doing what Jesus commanded us in the Great Commission by sharing the Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4). I am not going to argue freewill, which the Bible clearly teaches, and I am not going to argue about believers being drawn to God, which is also in Scripture. The arguments on this are absolutely unnecessary when we understand the purpose of the Great Commission. I'd rather do what God commands in Scripture than sit around and debate of the nature of "predestination", "election", etc. It's a divisive argument, yet some, not all, Calvinists are the best part of the modern Sanhedrin that I know.
My final question for you. Let's say someone walks through the doors of a Calvinist "church". What if they want to know how to be saved? What will you say or will you put this person in multiple classes to understand the Calvinist's one-sided intellectualism? Did God tell us to hide the Gospel or to declare it? Aren't we to preach the Gospel to all nations regardless of people being drawn to it or not? The answer is a resounding yes. As stated earlier, we are not called to have meaningless debates, especially on topics that hinder proclaiming the Gospel. We have our part to do, and God is perfectly doing his part as always. I pray that anyone who spends their time debating this topic to do so in deference to what we are supposed to do most. Love the Lord our God with all our heart and mind, and love our neighbor as ourself (Mark 12). We don't show true love to our neighbor by teaching them about "predestination vs. freewill" but by sharing the Gospel. I'd highly recommend watching the video below so we can put this issue to bed and move on.
Recommended Source: th-cam.com/video/CfZdGgsbcoo/w-d-xo.html
Rev 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and OPEN the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. BOOM baby
There are only 13 verses in Revelation 8. If you are referring to Revelation 3:20, He is talking to the church at Laodicea, He is not knocking on the door of a sinner's heart. That is not what that verse means.
@@psk116 Negative. In verse 16; the church will be cast out because they are luke warm. In verse 19 it tells them to repent. Repentance is only with submission to their sinful ways which as stated in 16, would cause them to be "speued out" from God. Verse 20, tell them that Jesus is waiting for them to repent, and wanting them to let Jesus in. Then in verse 21 John explains the reward for repentance. AND finally as a conclusion to what the church needs it reads "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." The key words here are "Let him hear what the spirit.." If someone doesn't want to hear the spirit, thats a choice. Thats not a decision made by God, but made by men.
Now the question for you is, why wouldn't these guidelines fall into todays standards? What about that specific church does NOT apply to us today? It doesn't. People fall into this wealthy trap all the time. It does apply to us today.
It’s not complicated… Gods design and desire was to choose every person to come to Him and we have the ability to accept his course for our lives or our own.Ephesians is referring to the formula. Gods not being surprised still does not mean he made me choose him in salvation. Even right now as believers we have the choice to do whatever we want. If that isn’t true then we have no worries about walking in the Spirit or fulfilling the lust of the flesh because if we have no choice then why worry about being obedient?
This whole Calvinistic view of predestination is just a pride trap that intellectuals fall into. If we don’t have agency and the ability to choose God there could not be love.
It's is because of God The Father's Sovereign Love and Grace, that he saves whom he chose before the foundation of the world. A god who gives his creatures "Free Will" and leaves it up to man to choose him is a god who doesn't care and does not have love for humans. The Father in Heaven is our Potter and we are the Clay and he does with us as he sees fit. If God made me a vessel of Wrath, Predestined to suffer his wrath and righteous anger and judgment and eternity in hell, then I'm perfectly fine with that because in the end God The Father gets the glory.
@@wallywest001 Strangely, I just heard the counter argument and to share with you. If God predetermined every thought and every evil, i.e. if Calvinism is true, God actually rejected people before they rejected God. The video first half said that no one choose to be born, yet God commands everyone to repent and choose life, even God already determined everyone who will go to hell?
@swu11 God is not Looking and down and picking based on our Humanly Good deeds or talent or athletic skill. He also isn't picking and choosing people based on how sincere they are, because No One Seeks For God. He doesn't look at someone and say your Going To hell because your to short or to tall, or to skinny, or to fat. He chose whom he Chose to save because he is Gracious. We like the rest of humanity were and are born spiritually dead and guilty sinners before God who is Holy, Righteous, and Just. God didn't have to choose to save anyone or kill his son before the world was laid, but he did because He works everything to His Purpose not ours.
@@wallywest001 that doesn’t disprove anything I’ve said lol.
@icouldbewrongbutithink5279 Let me ask you this: Do you Pray to God asking Him To Convict your Unsaved loved ones of their sin and to save them.? Because if you Pray that way and yet Believe God doesn't violate Humans Precious "Free Will" because if he did that would make God a Divine Rapist which is what your asking God to do to your Loved ones, friends, and co-workers who are not Saved, your asking God to violate their free will and rape them.
I love how Calvinists always quote each other rather than scripture in context. I used to respect this man, but I have noticed that all the Calvinists I used to respect do the same thing. God is so sovereign according to this that he foreordained and predestined every act of violence, every war, every false religion, every abortion because people can only do what God ordained them to do from the foundation of the world. I used to ignore Calvinism before. I simply viewed it as a personal choice like whether you were a Methodist, a Baptist, or a Pentecostal. I now view Calvinism as any other cult such as the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons because they use the same techniques to spread false religion.
Mohler chooses to use/define the words he wishes to….. therefore he can control the answer with his bias.
Free will is a gods gift to human kind and through it he can judge us whether we obey him or satan ? otherwise if we dont have free will and acted like robot then there is no meaning of life. And pre- destination is also there but that's not one rather many choice ,A B C and all have consequences you cannot change
Election does not equal Salvation. 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
What a convoluted, confused answer. He should have just told her he doesn’t know enough about the subject to answer so he won’t waste her time.
Biblically speaking 'predestination' is better understood as "preparation" through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
So, what does that look like in Romans 8:28-30? "Those who he 'prepared,' He called, and those He called, he justified," and so on?
what?
Only the toughest question of all time.
It's not that tough. Calvinisim has twisted scripture and the love of God. God bless you
@@ironleatherwood the tough part is why God doesn't call everyone.
@@jordanellingson5631He does call everyone, but not everyone chooses to accept His offer of Salvation. Romans 1:20 expresses people have seen His power and nature and so are without excuse.
@@jordanellingson5631”Many are called but few are chosen.” People reject Christ because of pride. There are no proud people in the kingdom of heaven. To come to the cross is to bow the knee to the Lord and confess
@@davidcrutchfield138 many are called means not all are called. That's a real confusing starting point. Pride is thinking you have the answer. Sorry to be contentious. This is a big discussion and the comment section isn't the place. Sending peace and blessings.
A point I rarely hear regarding predestination and free will is this. The bible says clearly that we are/were dead in our trespasses and sins. If you are dead spiritually did/do you have the power to exercise free will to resurrect yourself from spiritual death to be born again? Jesus, Himself, didn't raise Himself from the dead. No, it is the Holy Spirit who lifts the veil from our eyes at a time of the Lord's choosing for His elect. That time never happens to those who are not part of the elect. It is all done by the Lord for His glory.
Good argument
Faith comes by hearing the Bible plainly teaches.. who is Paul or any preaching to but the dead as you say. Hearing is the Good news or gospel. Calvinist believe dead men can do nothing which is not at all the teaching of scriptures….but many are deceived in this teaching… not all thank God!
You misunderstand….. you want to give man the credit as though he can resurrect himself and take that credit away from a sovereign God. Using your words the Bible plainly teaches “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will”, Ephesians 1:11.
You think the man can not only resurrect himself but can also unblind himself. The Bible plainly teaches that the unbeliever “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Hearing the good news is the event that the Holy Spirit can use to remove the blinders on the man and resurrect him to be born again at the time and place of the Lord’s choosing. The man does not have any power. Only the Holy Spirit can unblind and resurrect. You want to give an unbelieve power over the Holy Spirit. You need to study more before hurling insults.
@@williamswallers1709
The dead in trespasses and sins can walk (eph 2:2) and converse (eph 2:3). They can use God given faculty of reason (Isa 1:18). The dead prodigal came to himself (Luke 15). A corpse cannot sin nor reject the Lord. Was Paul, at one time, dead in sin? Rom 7:9.
If you are dead in trespasses and sins of course that means spiritually, not physically. So of course you live a worldly life in the physical body yet be dead spiritually as all unbelievers are.
Interestingly the very first words are, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.." yet you want to say no, no, I made myself alive using my free will.
Of course Paul and all people are dead spiritually when they sin.
How many times does a person "hearing the Word" take to change their life? 1, 30, 300, 3000? You want to say "One of those 3000 times I exercised by free will but all the times before hearing the Word I chose not too.
The one time you knew that things were different is the first time the Holy Spirit lifted the blinders off your eyes so you could suddenly see the truth (if you are one of His children).....
WE NEVER HAD FREEDOM IN THE FIRST PLACE WHEN IT CAME TO OUR DNA, OUR PLACE OF BIRTH,OUR PARENTS ETC.
Excellent answer, no need for simplicity, we need accuracy!
Yes we do have a free will, because we are able to deny God (2 Timothy 2:12). God acknowledges that someone can accept or deny the presentation of the gospel.(Ezekiel 3:17-22). One of the earliest testaments of free will Genesis 2:16-17.
We do in fact have a completely free will. If God has to "enable" us or allow us to make a decision then it is not free will.
Edit: Just because there are things out of our power, that doesn't mean that we don't have a free will. Two things can be true at once. Yes, there are thing out of our power, but also yes, we do have a free will. God will never force himself on you or force you to make a decision because then heaven is not a choice or reward it is an obligation which goes against what heaven is meant to be.
What a ridiculous argument by Mohler- exactly how would someone have free will before they were created? We were created in order to have free will.
@@JimNunleyJimNunley Perfect answer by Mohler since the word " free " is now being defined by fallen people like you and me, who maybe saved reading back into the original pre-fall state with the Holy Spirit having a moral command given to not eat something in the initial state.
The freedom was qualified with an instruction , never absolute.
Perfect answer by Mohler.
@@speed_razor6603 Thank you for proving my point, completely free.. to accept or reject.. NOT ABSOLUTE.
I guess every knee WILL BOW... WILL BOW... WILL BOW ... which is absolute.. even if you are free to reject Him now?
See the point?
John 6:44 puts it as simple as it can be put. Jesus says no man can come to me,except the Father which hath sent me draw him:and I will raise him up at the last day.
Be very careful Calvinist, you are now shifting responsibility and sin away from Man and onto God. Example, God predetermined the sinner to be a sinner, and now sends him to hell, for God's predeterminism, because God decided not to regenerate certain man. Eventually it now leads to, we no longer need Jesus, because God determined who he calls when he calls, so who God chooses will always chose God. Calvinist is everything that the Bible is not. Before Calvin and Augustine, all the early church fathers were freewill.
The Bible has 1,400 “if”, as well as many other examples that we have the choice of whether we live in obedience to the will of God or not. We make the decision to confess our sins and serve the Lord. Blessings
4:27 You misunderstand election. Paul and Jesus are teaching that God has ALSO elected the Gentiles. Previously, the Jews thought that only they were chosen. But that is wrong, God does not choose/love only some people, he elects all people. See Ephesians 1:11, 2:11-16, 3:6-9, Romans 1-5, and 10:11-13 and 11:32.
Dear Albert,
If you create an all powerful god that assigns free will to his creations than that free will is always subject to the will of the creator.
In order to see the contradictions in the bible you must be able to think outside the bible.
Agreed
If it’s subject to something, it’s not free.
Arminian: A creation that is at once free AND determined? Impossible, that violates the rules of Western logic.
Tertullian: “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”
God: “…thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.”
If we know all things no need for faith. Maybe that was the sin in genesis the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The Bible is clear that God wants everyone to be saved (2 Pet 3:9 and 1 Tim 2:3-4). His choice is for everyone to be saved. He draws all men to Himself but we have the freewill to accept or reject it. God is not in control of people's choices or everything that happens. We are saved by grace (God providing salvation) through faith (us choosing to place our trust in Him) (Eph 2:8-9). Sovereignty also does not imply total control of everything that happens. Check the definition.
God, sovereignly decreed, that man should exercise free moral choice and man, from the beginning, has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it, in as much has the eternal decree decided not which choice man should make but that he should be free to make it. If in his absolute freedom God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay his hand or say, ‘What doest thou?’ Man’s will is free because God is sovereign. A less than sovereign God could not bestow moral freedom could upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so.
AW Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy
May I humbly suggest the greatest moral decision any person can make is to choose to receive and trust in the gracious gift of salvation in Christ Jesus? I agree that salvation is the sovereign act of God alone but I contend, along with Tozer, that we each have the freedom to willfully choose or reject the gift…
Unfortunately, he gave an answer slanted towards Calvinism. Calvinists conflate God's sovereignty with absolute determinism. God's foreknowledge of all events does not make Him the causal agent of all events (see Jeremiah 19:5 for one of many examples).
Jesus draws all John 12:32, the Holy Spirit convicts the world John 16:8, Jesus said "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:56 use the KJV).
We were created by God with free moral agency to have genuine fellowship/personal relationship with Him. We can resist, quench & rebel against Him via our volitional agency (Jonah, Balaam disobeyed, even Moses struck the Rock & Matthew 23:37, John 5:40 & Acts 7:51)
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil And, those who do evil hates the light neither cometh to the light.....See John 3:19,20📖
We cannot choose God, God chooses us. Hallelujah and Amen
To clarify, He chooses us based upon Christ. To be in Christ is where mercy is found . Outside of Christ is damnation
Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. In Old Testament times the Jews on numerous occasions chose other gods. Even when faced with a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, they exercised their right preferring a sinner to a Saviour. At what point in scripture did God take away the right to choose?
I felt so confused after listening to this video. Even more so than before I watched it. The doctrine of election and presentation is super confusing to me. Here’s where I’m at with it: (1) how deep does human depravity go? That is, do we have the ability on our own to respond positively to the Gospel? Is there a part of us, namely our will, that is able to choose the things of God? And (2) the logic of God choosing those who will be saved (the “elect”) before anything ever got going just doesn’t seem to make sense. Holding people accountable for their actions if, in the final analysis, God is the one who decides our ultimate fate, doesn’t make much sense, at least to me. I’m not saying I don’t believe in the doctrine of election, but I’m also saying that I do believe in it. Honestly, I go back-and-forth between being a Calvinist and nothing Calvinist almost every day. I would love to hear what anyone else has to say. If we are the ones who, in the final analysis, choose to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and savior, is that choice something that I do myself? And if so, is there a part of salvation that requires me to make a positive choice? in other words, does salvation require God doing something (dying on the cross for our sins) + believing that this happened and that Jesus christ is the truth son of God, who takes away my sins? I 100% believe this. But why do I believe it? Bottom line: I don’t know. Why do I believe it and my neighbor doesn’t? Again, I don’t know. Is it because God unilaterally regenerated my soul, which led to faith, which leads to salvation? Sometimes I think yes, other times I think no. Anyone who can help, please do so. Thanks.
Oh, and one more thing. I think that the passage Romans that talks about God choosing Jacob over Esau, I think that Text is referring mostly to Israel and her place as the chosen people of God. Of course, I could be wrong on this too. If so, help me.
1. Do we have the ability on our own to respond positively to the gospel?
-No, we do not: [1Co 2:14 NKJV] 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
-[Jhn 6:44, 65 NKJV] 44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ... 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
-[Mat 19:25-26 NIV] 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
2. How can we be held accountable for our actions if God has ultimately decided our fate?
[Rom 9:18-24 NIV] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? 22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
-[Dan 4:35 NIV] 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
3. Is the choice to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior something that I do myself?
No, we choose Him because he chose us.
-[Jhn --15:16-- NIV] 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--
[Jhn 10:25-26 NKJV] 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. 26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
-[Act 13:48 NIV] 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
That’s God regenerate my soul, so that I will have faith and be saved?
Yes.
[Act 18:27 NKJV] 27 …he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
[Eph 2:4-5, 8-9 NKJV] 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ... 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
4. Is Romans 9 just speaking about Israel when it talks about Jacob and Esau?
Paul tells us who he is talking about in verse 24:
[Rom 9:22-24 NKJV] 22 [What] if God, wanting to show [His] wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
The awnser is both individuals can choose all outcomes of there life and God let's them even though he knows the final outcome , but when individuals pray for God's will be done they are asking him to guide them ,but what takes true discernment is knowing and understanding where free will ends and Gods will be done begins Gods will be done is Jesus Christ , when individuals have a personal relationship with Jesus they stop searching for answers and are fulfilled they depend on Jesus Christ for everything trusting in the lord guided by the holy spirit through him ,the individuals that are still searching for answers are depending on others and themselves for what has already been revealed by God, who is a better interpreter the holy spirit or another,have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ be sincere in all you do and pray,for he will say depart from me you never knew me ,he is everything and you are to him there is nothing without Jesus Christ do you really know him ? God bless you all through the way the truth and the life amen
5:35 Spurgeon was wrong. All people are chosen, not some. That’s a blasphemous lie.
John 6:63-67 (KJV) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Some will go away, because Jesus prophesied and knew this before time. But ALL that the Father has given to Him will go back to Him if He has predestined them.
Romans 9:17-26 (NKJV) For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved."
"And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."
Those who were drawn to the Father and know beyond a doubt that it was ALL God's love, power and grace overwhelming them will never doubt that it was ALL his AMAZING, unfavorable love choosing them! ❤️❤️🙌🙌✝️✝️
Never in a billion years would I say I chose God. Nope. God chose me, and INSTANTLY changed me in one moment!
I feel kinda sad for her. As an Atheist, I will give the definitive answer: In the bible, there's both. And there is no honest way for you to reconcile the two, biblically speaking. Keep in mind that the bible was written by different people, in different times, who thought differently, and of course their ideas contradicted sometimes.
This is a doctrinal conteadiction, simple like that.
This pastors mentions the passages where the bible teaches about predestination. But ignores some passages where the authors very clearly teach that the listener can choose to repent, or not to repent, and they're responsible for it.
Election does not equate to salvation, otherwise, there are hundreds of thousands of Baal worshippers in Heaven… (Deu. 7:6; Isaiah 45:4)…
Foreknowledge does not necessitate predestination (1 Samuel 23:1-13)
I like Ps John MacArthur's simple response - its a mystery our finite minds cannot comprehend on this side of the eternity
He adds more questions:
* Who wrote the Bible? Holy Spirit or human author's mind?
* Who lives our Christian life? Holy Spirit or us?
When we cannot answer such simple questions, we can concede that the question of predestination vs freewill is well beyond our capability! But it springs more praise to a God who made an universe so fearfully and wonderfully. Soli Deo Gloria!
Mystery claims by calvinist reformer are simply Cognitive dissonance , incoherence.
@@truthseeker5698
Romans 9:20 LSB
[20] On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? Will the thing molded say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this”?
Deuteronomy 29:29 LSB
[29] “The secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Well, I don't just believe because reformed "men" say it. Romans verse I cited above is in the very context of predestination. I believe it's a mystery because the Bible says it so
@@emmanuel5566 Cult interpretation conclusion.
Simply another gospel. Synthetic theology. Nothing like Jesus The Messiah in application.
Sola de your choice.
@@truthseeker5698 well, I'm genuinely asking. How would you answer those 2 questions in my original comment? I'd like to hear your response to the verses I cited too. I'm honestly open to your view
Basically, before terming a cult, you gotta provide a better alternative too is what I'm saying. Otherwise, it just remains to be your personal opinion/feeling
The answer to the two questions is “ both .” Relationship. God desires relationship.
There is no stewardship in calvinism reformed theology.
Proof texting with calvinists reformers is like a biblical decathlon when a simple and light look into the life of Jesus The Messiah would suffice.
There are an abundance of resources available to inform the reformed calvinist of their synthetic theology if they’re willing and open. Really a very basic childlike dynamic with an easy and light yoke. Hopefully this resonants. God is love, Jesus The Messiah lived out Gods love. This is the light God desires for all to know.
This doesn't answer the question. I think this is a question that transcends human comprehension.
Because God is absolutely sovereign, there's not a single thing that we do that's not in absolute accord with God's will, yet we're rewarded or punished for our decisions/actions by a God who is abdolutely just and good. In fact, nothing is good apart from God.
The Bible, from Genesis through Revelation, has been WRITTEN. We KNOW how it ENDS. NOTHING anyone does can change this. God had PLANNED everything from cover to cover. NOTHING is going to take Him by surprise. He is NOT going to switch to a "Plan B" in the event someone is uncooperative. God RESTED on the 7th day because "the works were FIN8SHED from the creation". Notice, that the VISIONS of God in Isaiah, Psalms, etc., show Him SEATED on His thrown...NEVER WORKING on a project or "situations" which require His attention. "It is FINISHED"! Thus His people can also REST in His FINISHED work as PROMISED us.
Man is spiritually dead and as a result of his dead state he cannot make a spiritual decision without outside interference, in this case God
(Revealed to us 115 years ago): *“We can tell Him nothing which He does not know, but His intelligent, infinite intuition comprehends all things past, present or future. The foreknowledge of God is also absolute. How the foreknowledge of God is to be reconciled with man’s free agency and moral accountability is indeed to men in the world a dark problem, but in the Scriptures both are clearly taught, and faith accepts what reason cannot reconcile. Some of the churches on earth have denied man’s moral freedom. Others maintain that God in the exercise of His omniscience, like His omnipotence, abstains from knowing what His creatures will do under certain given circumstances, but the foreknowledge of God itself, UNREVEALED to men, does not impose nor even hint to men any course of conduct whatever; IT IN NO DEGREE AFFECTS HIS LIBERTY OF ACTION. Man neither sins nor follows holiness, as the result of God’s foreknowledge; so notwithstanding God’s foreknowledge, He has made man in His image, a free moral being.”*
3:56 No, the Bible teaches that all people are chosen and loved by God, not some. See Romans, Ephesians, and so many places.
2:33 “God’s so powerful he can’t not control everything.” Really? That doesn’t sound all-powerful Dr. Mohler. Sounds somewhat less than sovereign. The correct teaching is, God is so sovereign he can even give man sovreignty over his own will. THAT’S actually sovereign.
God calls us to choose. Joshua 24:15 says, "CHOOSE you this day whom you will serve."
Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now CHOOSE life, so that you and your children may live."
Revelation 22:17 says, "...whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." It does NOT say, "The ones I (God) choose will take of the water of life freely."
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It does NOT say the ones I (God) choose shall not perish.
What does the Calvinist say sin is? The Biblical definition of sin is missing the mark. Not doing God's will. How can there be sin if God is CAUSING everything to happen? What is sin if EVERYTHING that happens, ONLY happens because GOD CAUSES it to happen? Also, how can there be obedience if EVERTHING ONLY happens because, AGAIN, God causes all to happen, even "obedience" to God's commands? What about verses like Joshua 24:15, "... CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve..." AND, You'll NEVER convince me that, as hyper Calvinists believe, God causes EVERYTHING to happen, even murder, rape, child molestation, LGBTQ lifestyles, anti-Christ religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, atheism etc.
God causes the elect of him to chose him. Only by a new heart and a new Spirit put within his elect is this possible. Ezekial 36:26-27.
The passage you referenced relates to God’s chosen people, Israel.
Free will or agency is not that I get to deal the cards or know what other people are holding, but that I get to play the hand i have. Your initial examples outlining choices beyond our power or knowledge, if likewise applied to God, would indicate He also lacks free will as He cannot choose to be sovereign.
“God can’t” When he says that, it reveals the fallacy of Dr. Moller’s argument.
“God can’t” lie.
“so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.”
Hebrews 6:18 NASB1995
What was it that He said God can’t do?
Good point@@alreyindustriestoptechdies4702
The gospel is simple, it takes a theologian to make it complicated
If there is something that the bible is not is simple. If it was, Christians wouldn't be doing all sorts of mental gymnastics to reconcile entire books, like Genesis.
Btw they won’t come talk to you about your taxes if you are democrat… just ask the holy not so holy reverend al sharpton.
It's not a mystery, because God is omniscient and is outside of time. He already knows all of the free will choices that we made or will make in our lives, so we still have free will....it's just that He already knows the outcome before we do, and that's how He knows who will be saved.
Perhaps not outside time. Jesus, God the Son entered time. There was sequence. A time before and after incarnation, God becoming human.
@@greggpurviance7252 While God the Son became human, the Father and the Holy Spirit did not. At any time, God the Son can be outside of time, because He is in his glorified body. The triune God certainly was outside of time before He created the universe of matter because He is omniscient, and He knew everything that was going to happen...ever... in an instant. This means that God knows whatever free will choices we ever make.... even if we have not yet made them. Only we.... His creation.... are fastened into a timeline at this point in our existence.
@@arthouston7361 I would be careful about splitting the Father & HS from the Son. Also at Pentecost the Holy Spirit indwelling humans began, a before & after, the essence of time. Are we outside of sequence in our glorified bodies? (we will be like Him). The theology & philosophy of time & God's relation to it is a little more nuanced than "outside of time"
@@greggpurviance7252 I think it's a very common thing to try and fit the nature of God into our own human experience.
The Bible explains these things to us using ways that we can understand, but God is not limited by our meager human perceptions.
He is always able to perceive everything.... all of the time.
@@arthouston7361 you are correct, which is why "outside of time" is insufficient
Freewill mentioned 17 times. Predestination 4 times. Sovereignty zero (at least in my kjv.) A video entitled as above has 21 Scripture to address.
Can you list those 17 times that free will is mentioned in scripture? Please, we’d all to know.
@@sammartin4024 As a two word phrase, free will, it's not found. As a compound word, freewill is found in Ezra 3:5, 7:13, 7:16 and about a dozen more times in pentatuch. Pls do a blue letter Bible search to better inform yourself. I also see Daniel's end times prophecies acknowledging freewill of certain kings in ch 11 vs 3 and vs 16. I also can't imagine how one could see possible outcomes of 1 cor 10:13 without freewill involved.
Faulty reasoning. The sovereignty of God is present in every page of scripture, from beginning to end. You don’t see it because it’s not verbalized? Wow.
No I did not ask to be born, but I choose to maintain my life.
Not a great answer, Al
Either God is sovereign or man is sovereign - the two are mutually exclusive…
If God is sovereign (which He is), then He is absolutely sovereign over absolutely all things, INCLUDING the will of man! And if man is ‘sovereign’, then we are all in serious trouble - which man - you/me/Biden/Putin/the village idiot…?
So, while man does possess a WILL, his will is just not free (in the Libertarian sense) - man’s will is in bondage, either to the god of this age, or to the Spirit of righteousness (Rom 8:3-5)… no ‘free will’ in that!
From a purely epistemological perspective, we must then not be surprised to find that we find ourselves in a causal universe where nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING - happens causa sui - spontaneously…
A simple test… try and do something (anything) without any reason - ain’t possible!
Nothing that happens is ever uncaused and if it’s in any way caused (which it always is), then it’s not free…
This is the most tortured explanation of of saying people "Do not have a Choice." God makes no single person in the world to "Disobey His Will." My simple answer is II Peter 3:9 " God is not willing that any will perish. But, ALL will come to repentance.". John 3:16 " Doe God so loved the WORLD (not part of the world...All of the World!) Calvin made t TULIP out of hole cloth. NONSENSE.
predestined to/for what?
The satan is a reformer / calvinist spirit..
If you don't know what we're predestined for then you haven't been reading your Bible much
@@HearGodsWord The continuing cultist petrified lens on display with your comment. I’m still rooting for you HGW.
@@truthseeker5698 so you still haven't checked your Bible then
@@HearGodsWord This week I went through gospels of Matthew and Mark. Choose to take off your current lens and experience the simple abundance of a light and easy yoke HGW. Sound first action for you , if you’re willing.
@truthseeker5698 yet you still can't answer your question! Seems like your seeking isn't getting you to the truth.
John 3:16 whosoever. V. 17 might be saved. Its your choice period! This is Calvinistic mumbo. Nuff said
There is no way other than the election of grace.
This is Heresy! This man has spoken wrongfully about Gods Character, and is a minister of Satan. I pray the lady he just led astray, would truly seek the Lord and search his Word with a hungry Heart that she be led into all truth.
Biblical predestination and free will go hand in hand. Once again, the golden Calvinists get it wrong. ☦️
This guy is SO dangerous……he’s like a politician that talks circles around the actual answer. Very confusing for most folks. I get the feeling Jesus was a bit more simple with his answers.
The Bible says that God elects according to His foreknowledge, that’s a very important word. Foreknowledge implies just that, knowledge beforehand, it doesn’t imply determinism as the Calvinist would argue.
Interesting to hear a prominent Southern Baptist articulate Calvinistic leaning theology.
I would encourage you to look at Romans 8:28-30 a little more carefully. I would argue that the greek suggests a more accurate translation of "fore-loved," as in, an intimate relationship. I would also argue that the passage suggests that God's calling is irresistible, "all those He foreknew, he called, all those he called, he justified, all those he justified, he glorified." Of course, that's not what it says, but if you want to switch one "all" you have to switch all "all"s to "some" or whatever you would like to elaborate with.
@@overcookedcooki5285 Well said. Notice that “foreknew” precedes “called”. The foreknowledge of God determines who is called not the other way around.
@@Stoneingtonis God’s foreknowledge contingent or eternal?
It seems as though you are saying that foreknowledge is important because it proves that God knows beforehand a human choice to have faith in Him which is why He predestines them.
However, that would suggest that God chose them because He “learned” that they would believe. He looked into the future of what His creation would do and because of their faith or unbelief He responded or reacted to them. In a sense He is rewarding their good work of faith.
That however, is not how the Bible speaks of Gods knowledge or foreordination. If God is omniscient it is because He is the first cause and source of all things. He does not react - He decrees. Like Dr. Mohler was saying, God is never surprised by what ice cream flavor we choose. Not because He foresaw what we would choose, but because everything that ever was has always been a part of Gods eternal plan and knowledge from before creation began.
If God’s foreknowledge is contingent on the actions of His creation He is neither omniscient or omnipotent/sovereign. And a being that is not omniscient or omnipotent is not God.
@@alreyindustriestoptechdies4702 If God only decrees all things and doesn't decree any level of free-will to man, then by definition, God did and does decree all evil and rebellion against Himself. Therefore, God would be the author of evil and sin itself. There is no intellectually honest way around this revelation if the Calvinistic theology is sound. However, thankfully this proposition is completely antithetical to what the Bible teaches throughout and we know is flawed theology.
@@Stoneington is God’s knowledge contingent or eternal?
Best not to answer because a fool thinks he is wise in his own eyes.
So then if free will is so important that it takes full and total precedence over the prevention of evil and suffering, why is the free will of the person perpetrating the evil and inflicting the suffering in the first place so valuable and preferable that it takes precedence over the free will of their innocent victim?
The Bible authors, whoever they are, don't know what a contradiction is and the folks who believe this rubbish don't know either.
Pity the children who are born into this.
This is nonsense that requires an entire dictionary with new definitions to work.
I’ve rarely seen so many backflips through hoops as a Calvinist makes to get to their ideology.
Yup, the same goes for Christians, a whole lots of mental gymnastics to detend the bible
This is the doublespeak that most Calvinists use. "You have agency" "God is absolutely sovereign and already made the choice before the foundation of the world". So... you don't have actual agency. Explain and re-explain all you want, there is no getting around it. Don't bother to say "God is not surprised by your choice" - obviously, because God made the choice before you supposedly did. The Calvinist definition of "sovereignty" means total determination, which is not what sovereignty even means...
If you actually read what Calvinists believe, you wouldn't be misunderstanding their position on sovereignty of God.
@@ReformedLife Pretty read up on it over decades, understand it well, though it should be mentioned that many Calvinists present their soteriology in different ways. But my comment fairly well accounts for it. Would you like to make a specific correction?
@@ReformedLifeHe explained Calvinism well. Which part did you disagree with?
@@AppalachiaTN The entire 5 points encapsulated by TULIP as well as a caricature of deity who doesn't know how to form a sentence with the words "all", "every", or "world."
Nope
LOL - I sure needed a good laugh, and, this video sure provide some. This guy's response is just a bunch of "Christian" double-talk, and, some of the statements he makes are in conflict with each other.
"freewill" is responsible for every sin ever committed in the history of mankind. Faith is the gift of God.
If you mean faith is a gift in the sense that having two feet is a gift, or having lungs to breath is a gift, sure. God created us with the ability to express faith in things.
But if you mean faith as in God is the one who is causally determining whether you will of will not express positive trust in Christ and thus receive eternal life, I think that's incorrect.
@@Fireking285 "unless the Father Who sent Me drags him" John 6:40...not everyone without exception comes to Jesus therefore the Father does not give the gift of Faith to everyone.
"The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them for they are spiritually discerned" 1 Cor 2:14
You failed to support what you said so I can actually say " that's just your opinion"
big empty words. doesn't help at all!!!! so disappointing ...
Totally incoherent answer
Offer a better one
They don't seem to have one@@alreyindustriestoptechdies4702
Either God is sovereign or man is sovereign - the two are mutually exclusive…
If God is sovereign (which He is), then He is absolutely sovereign over absolutely all things, INCLUDING the will of man! And if man is ‘sovereign’, then we are all in serious trouble - which man - you/me/Biden/Putin/the village idiot…?
So, while man does possess a WILL, his will is just not free (in the Libertarian sense) - man’s will is in bondage, either to the god of this age, or to the Spirit of righteousness (Rom 8:3-5)… no ‘free will’ in that!
From a purely epistemological perspective, we must then not be surprised to find that we find ourselves in a causal universe where nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING - happens causa sui - spontaneously…
A simple test… try and do something (anything) without any reason - ain’t possible!
Nothing that happens is ever uncaused and if it’s in any way caused (which it always is), then it’s not free…
I hope this helps…
This guy is horrible, all the choices that matter are fixed