predestination vs free-will revised w additions.docx

Bryan Edwards 12.29.14

Predestination vs. Free-Will

One may not find a more controversial topic in the Christian Relationship than that of

Predestination vs. Free-Will. Although, the “once saved, always saved” theology of we Baptist may give it a run for its money. Inside the Baptist denomination you may find

people have a hang-up on this one topic more than any other.

So, let’s set the background and stage for the discussion of Predestination and Free-Will. (Hint, the use of “and”.)

Predestination speaks of God being…sovereign over all that happens. God predetermines who He will call and brings it to pass since what God wills cannot be changed by humans. The idea is that

God, before the earth was created and any humans were ever born, preordained that some would be saved and some would be condemned to an eternal judgment. For those who are “lucky” enough to be called by God, God calls them effectually; that is He completes what He ordained by His sovereign

direction of that believers life. They cannot help but be saved since He effects what He wills. Predestination is a common thread through the Old and New Testament.

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-does-the-bible-teach-about-free-will-and-predestination/#ixzz3MZTTV4pG

People who argue on the side of Free-Will challenge Predestination with…when presented

with the facts of God’s plan for salvation that every individual person has a choice to make, to

either accept or reject God’s gift of salvation. God desires that every person accept His gift. What was

predestined was God’s plan for salvation through Jesus for those who accept it. Therefore if you accept

that Jesus died for your sins and you have made Him Lord of your life then you are a part of

the predetermined plan.

Predestined for Free Will © 2004 by David Bennett

Theologians on the side of Predestination are folks like John Calvin, Charles H.

Spurgen and Huldrych Zwingli. Early church people such as Polycarp, Justin Martyr and

Paul of Tarsus tended to lean toward the choice of Free-Will.

Many verses support both sides of the discussion. For Predestination we can site…

Jeremiah 1:5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart

before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 

Isaiah 43:7 everyone called by My name and created for My glory. I have formed him; indeed, I have made him.”

And much support is found in Ephesians Chapter 1, verses 4-11.

For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor

and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-does-the-bible-teach-about-free-will-and-predestination/#ixzz3MZTTV4pG


of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us

the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him

for the administration of the days of fulfillment — to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. We have also received an inheritance in Him,

predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will,

Also, Revelation 13:8,

All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.

For the Free-Will theology we can site verses such as:

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the

living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

And finally…

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

These verses prove that God has provided a way for all men to be saved through his Son, Jesus Christ. Surely He did not intend to provide a means of salvation for just a

select few? But, on the other hand, He does ultimately know who will choose his “gift” of salvation. He knew, and knows how his plan will be received by everyone before time began. After all, He chose us. But, we are still implored “to seek him”.

Confusing isn’t it? Well maybe not, if viewed from another angle. You see some things

are not as they seem if observed from another vantage point. Let’s travel down a rabbit trail that could help us see clearly how these two polarizing views can exist

simultaneously. Now this will take a while so be patient as we demonstrate the process.

First we may ask the question, “on what qualifications is a person saved and let into Heaven?” As we examine the book of Revelation we find that believers whose names are written into The Lamb’s Book of Life are the inhabitants of Heaven.

Revelation 3:5 In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.


In this verse we see a book which has names recorded in it. The names are of the saved who inhabit Heaven. As Jesus says to John, these will be known to God and his

angels because of his testimony. As Jesus states, these names will not be erased, which leads us to conclude that they have been written there from the beginning.

I subscribe to the thought that all people have their names written in the Lambs Book of

Life before the time of conception. As stated in many verses,"before the foundation of the world". Then, from the age of accountability until death, they have the opportunity to accept the gift of salvation provided by Jesus’s sacrifice. If not, their names are blotted

out from the Book of Life. Two verses support this position. They are:

Psalms 69:28 Let them be erased from the book of life and not be recorded with the righteous.

Again, Revelation 3:5 states that Jesus, "will never erase his name from the book of life"...

Also, Moses referred to a book when he was petitioning God about the Children of

Israel. This was after Aaron had made the Golden Calf for them to worship and God was ready to judge them for their iniquity. Moses speaks to God regarding this in

Exodus 32:31-34.

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves. Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not,

please erase me from the book You have written.”

The LORD replied to Moses: “I will erase whoever has sinned against Me from My book. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I

settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.”

I believe Moses was referring to the “Book of Life”. And he knew that God would erase the names of those who sinned against him. As in the reply to Moses, God does state

that he would “erase whoever has sinned against me”. The implication here is that names were already written in the book but could be removed.

As one can see in these verses, the names of all people have been recorded in The

Book of Life from the beginning or, “before the foundation of the world”. That leads me to believe that God Predestined all of us to be saved. This can be illustrated with the

following example.

In the days before and after Jesus’s birth, when a child was born, they had their name written in the census book of their home village. Everyone’s name was written in the ‘Village Registry” when they were born. If one did anything that would have embarrased,

shamed or been against the village, their name would be strickened, or "erased" from the registry. The individual would then be sent out from the village, banished, never to

return. God gives an example of this in Caine as he was banished from Eden and sent out into the land of Nod (Wandering). Also there is some evidence that in the city of Sardis a person’s name was sometimes removed from the city register before death if


he had been convicted of a crime. This is undoubtedly behind the promise given to the overcomer in Revelation 3:5, “I will not erase his name from the book of life. But what is

the meaning and significance of the various references to the book of life in relation to salvation, to the believer, and to the unbeliever? Is it a record of all who are saved or

could it be a record of all those for whom Christ died, which under the doctrine of Christ’s unlimited atonement, would include all the world?

So as we consider these verses:

Psalms 69:28 Let them be erased from the book of life and not be recorded with the righteous.

Philipians 4;3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again.

Revelation 20:12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books.

Revelation 21:27 Nothing profane will ever enter it: no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

We can surmise that God intended for all to be saved while knowing everyone would not accept the free gift of salvation. Therefore, God has Predestined everyone to

receive salvation. (Everyone having their name written in The Book of Life.) However, we must accept Jesus as our substitute. That is where our Free-Will is exercised. If we

do not accept Jesus as our savior before we die our names are "blotted out", or erased from the Lamb's Book of Life. So, as we can see, both Predestination and Free-Will

exist at the same time.

Finally, John Walvoord writes regarding Revelation 3:5:

On the basis of this some have considered the book of life not as the roll of those who are saved but rather a list of those for whom Christ died, that is, all humanity who have possessed

physical life. As they come to maturity and are faced with the responsibility of accepting or rejecting Christ, their names are blotted out if they fail to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour;

whereas those who do accept Christ as Saviour are confirmed in their position in the book of

life, and their names are confessed before the Father and heavenly angels.


Study for yourself and prove me wrong. The question is this; is your name going to be erased from the Book of Life? If you're reading this, it's still your decision.

Revised on 01.28.15

References:

John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, p. 82.


Predestined for Free Will © 2004 by David Bennett



predestination vs free-will revised w additions.docx

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