Contradiction To Our Natural Way
Predestination versus Free Will Choice
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| C.S. Lewis |
Ye did not choose me,
but I chose you, and appointed you,
that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide:
that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name,
He may give it you.
(John 15:16)
but I chose you, and appointed you,
that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide:
that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name,
He may give it you.
(John 15:16)
God Chooses Us, Not Vice Versa
Doesn't this verse have things backward? Haven't we always been told that a person chooses to follow Christ? How can this verse be true and not contradict free will?
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you,
brethren beloved of the Lord,
for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation
in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
(2 Thess. 2:13)
brethren beloved of the Lord,
for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation
in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
(2 Thess. 2:13)
Here again, we find a direct contradiction to our natural way of thinking. God chooses us, not vice versa?
But when it was the good pleasure of God,
who separated me, even from my mother's womb,
and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me
(Gal. 1:15‑16).
who separated me, even from my mother's womb,
and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me
(Gal. 1:15‑16).
He Chooses Us Before We Are Born
Not only that, but He chooses us before we are born, even before anyone knows what kind of person we will be. This indicates that His choosing has no relation to personality, which is entirely within the realm of the soul.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
(Eph. 1:4‑5 KJV).
(Eph. 1:4‑5 KJV).
Not In Relation To Our Soul
But Is In Relation To Our Spirit
But Is In Relation To Our Spirit
We see by this verse that His choosing took place even before the foundation of the world, i.e., the creation of material existence. What existed before then? Only spirit! So we see that God's choosing is not in relation to our soul but is in relation to our spirit
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called
(Rom. 8:30 KJV).
(Rom. 8:30 KJV).
These sources confirm that predestination is a Scriptural fact.
And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad,
and glorified the word of God:
and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
(Act 13:48)
and glorified the word of God:
and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
(Act 13:48)
We see by this verse that predestination pertains to eternal life, the life of God. Where do we receive and experience God's life? Not in our soul, which the will is a part of, but in our spirit.
Meaning and Truth Behind This Paradox
How can these verses be true? Aren't predestination and free will mutually exclusive? What is the meaning and truth behind this paradox?
Spiritual Existence
A part of our being, our human spirit, is an eternal, spiritual existence that is not limited by time.
Temporal Bodies
Our soul, however, though it is an immortal existence, is subject to time and is affected by what we experience in our temporal bodies. Because of this, the matter of whether or not a person is born again (regenerated in their spirit) during their physical lifetime is an eternal fact and is thus predestinated, although we do not have an awareness of it until our salvation experience.
Leading Them to Choose Christ
However, due to the reality of free will, the point in the lifetime of a person at which they, by an act of their will, open up inside to God and receive Christ into their spirit is not predestinated. God is omnipotent and will control a person's circumstances for the purpose of leading them to choose Christ. If you are predestinated to be saved, sooner or later, He will have His way, for your benefit. How long it will take until then and how many divinely ordained situations (usually of a crisis nature) that you have to go through before you turn to Him is Entirely your choice. Too many people, because of their stubborn will, do not turn to Him until they are on their deathbed.
Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.
( 2 Pet. 3:12).
( 2 Pet. 3:12).
God Is No Respecter of Persons
From these verses, we see that certain divinely ordained events are also predestined. Still, the exact time of their occurrence is not always predestined, being concerned with and dependent upon man and his free will. Also, the particular individuals through whom God accomplishes His will are not always predestined. "God is no respecter of persons:" (Acts 10:34) if a person refuses to cooperate with Him, He will work through someone else. Again, the point in a person's lifetime at which they are born again is not predestined, but this is not the only important aspect of this life that is not predestined. [There is something else, which is in addition to salvation and which is entirely dependent on the exercise of free will. This additional aspect will be elaborated on later, in Chapter Eight.]
Free Will Choice To Accept Salvation
The fact of predestination, however, does not mean that God deliberately chooses some people to be saved and others to be lost; this would be unjust on His part. On the contrary, we all have an equal, free will choice as to whether or not we accept salvation, which is available to all in Christ. From our point of view in time, then, we are not predestined. But due to the temporal eternal, soul spirit, paradoxical nature of our beings, the result of our free will choice has eternal consequences. Therefore, from God's point of view in eternity, we are predestined.
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