Predestination

In Christianity there are two basic sides to the predestination debate, Calvinists, who claim that God predestined not only those who will be saved but every single event through His foreknowledge, and Arminians, who believe God has given us free will and that the future is not set in stone. Whereas Calvinists tend to ignore our God-given free will, Arminians tend to ignore the obedience and accountability owed God under a mistaken belief that Christians cannot lose their salvation.

I see many fervent, on-fire Calvinist Christians eager to do good works for God; and if their beliefs help them serve God, that is fine. However, when they seek to impose a false Calvinist doctrine on others as a requirement for Christianity, they become legalistic and the truth must be defended. (Romans 14:22) This page is not written to cause divisions but rather unity and promote understanding between Christians, so that Calvinists who falsely insist upon Calvinism as a prerequisite for salvation can understand the serious Biblical issues caused by their belief system.

The Bible on Predestination

God is Not the Author of Evil

See also Problem of Evil

Calvinism directly contradicts the Bible's teachings when it comes to the Problem of Evil. Biblically, God is not the source of evil, Satan created evil against God's will. Therefore, not everything in the universe is the result of God's plan.

Jesus' Teaching: Satan Created Evil Against God's Will

When asked why God allows evil even though everything was created good by God, Jesus plainly said that an enemy was responsible, not God; that Satan is the enemy who sows wickedness among God's good creation.

“ Matthew 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matthew 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

”

Scofield Study Bible III Notes

The Scofield Study Bible III has excellent notes on the problem of evil as it relates to predestination and election, pointing out that Calvinism cannot be correct about predestination, or God would be the author of evil, which contradicts clear Biblical teaching. The Scofield also points out that God's election, or selection of believers, can be corporate, or general, as a group, rather than selecting all individuals who would become saved (in which case the promises would not be to 'whosoever believeth.' (John 3:16)

“ Ephesians 1:11 PREDESTINATION, SUMMARY 'Predestine' means to mark out or determine beforehand. In Scripture this idea is more inclusive than election. The latter is always limited to those specially chosen of God. But predestination includes the salvation of the elect and also all other acts and events in the universe, both good and evil (Acts 4:27-28, Greek). Within the total predestined plan of God, it is necessary to distinguish between two classes of decreed events: (1) events divinely caused, such as the salvation of the elect, and (2) events divinely permitted. To say that God predestined the evil acts of men does not mean that God caused these acts, for this would make God the author of evil. Rather it means that God, foreknowing how men will act under various circumstances, determined beforehand to permit them so to act; thus making the acts certain to come to pass, as parts of His total plan, yet leaving all men fully responsible for what they do (Luke 22:22; Acts 2:23). The Biblical truth of predestination raises difficult intellectual problems, but these cannot be escaped by rejecting predestination and affirming foreknowledge. For, if God foreknows all events, then they are just as certain as if they were predestined. See Election, 1 Peter 5:13, note; Foreknowledge, 1 Pet. 1:20, note.

1 Peter 5:13 ELECTION, SUMMARY In both Testaments the Hebrew and Greek words are rendered 'elect,' 'election,' 'choose,' 'chosen.' In all cases they mean, simply, 'chosen or to choose, and are used of both human and divine choices. (1) In the latter use election is: (a) corporate, as of the nation of Israel, or of the Church (Is. 45:4; Eph. 1:4); and (b) individual (1 Pet. 1:2). (2) Election is according to the foreknowledge of God (1:2), and wholly by grace, apart from human merit (Rom. 9:11; 11:5-6). And (3) election proceeds form the divine volition (John 15:16). Election is, therefore: (1) the sovereign act of God in grace whereby certain persons are chosen from among mankind for Himself (John 15:19); and (2) the sovereign act of God whereby certain election persons are chosen for distinctive service for Him (Luke 6:13; Acts 9:15; 1 Cor. 1:27-28).

”

God Does Not Want Anyone to Perish

Under Calvinism, God pre-selected who would and would not be saved. This flies in the face of the promises of the Gospel where "whosoever believeth in me shall not perish but have everlasting life." Rather than God being "rich unto all that call upon Him" only those who have been predetermined can find salvation.

“ John 3:16 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.

Romans 10:12 ¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

”

Moreover, God does not have any pleasure in the deaths of the wicked, so for Him to predetermine that much of mankind could not find salvation would make no sense. It would make no sense for God to plead with the wicked to repent if He knew they were incapable of doing so.

“ Ezekiel 18:30 ¶ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. ”

Problems With God Foreknowing Everything

There are numerous problems Biblically with assuming God knows everything.

1. The Bible makes plain that God looks down from Heaven to see what people are doing. There would be no need for God to do so if He already knew all that would occur. God looks down from Heaven to see if there are any who do good and seek after Him. (Psalms 14:2, also referenced in Romans 3:11) Given Psalms 14:2, it appears evident God's knowledge is conditioned on His looking, and choosing to know it, just like with anyone else, not by inherent knowledge of all that ever happened and will happen. A God with all knowledge of the future does not appear to be Biblical.
   “ Psalms 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
   3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
   
   Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? ”
2. Why would God plead with the wicked to change their ways if He knew they were incapable of doing so, and had predetermined destinies?
   “ Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
   31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
   32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

   Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

   ”
3. Christians can fall away from the faith if not diligent. See Once Saved, Always Saved? The book of Hebrews in particular focuses on the need for Christians to be diligent in doing good works that they not lose their salvation. If it was already predetermined who would find eternal life, there would not be so much Biblical emphasis on the need to "work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling" "lest a promise be left us." (Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 4:1) Our salvation is not guaranteed unless "we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6) Christians are warned to be careful not to harm the faith of other Christians, lest by their knowledge weaker Christians perish. (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:11)
   “ Hebrews 4:1 ¶ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

   Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
   12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

   Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
   7 ¶ Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
   8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
   9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
   10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
   11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
   12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
   13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
   14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
   3:15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
   16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
   17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
   18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
   19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

   Hebrews 2:1 ¶ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
   2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
   3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
   4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

   Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
   16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
   17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

   2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

   ”
4. Why does God test people to see what's in their hearts if He already knows? God tests people throughout the Bible to see what is in their hearts. A particularly compelling example is Abraham being called to sacrifice Isaac, where Jesus, the Angel of the Lord, tells Abraham that it is now known by Abraham's actions that "now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." If God already knew what was in Abraham's heart, why say that because of the test "now I know that thou fearest God"? Then of course there is the case of Job, who was tested to see whether he would turn against God. (Job 1:9-12)
   “ Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

   2 Chronicles 32:31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

   Exodus 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

   Psalms 11:4 ¶ The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

   Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

   Deuteronomy 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

   Psalms 17:3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

   ”
5. Why would God allow Satan and mankind to become evil? For God to have guided a process throughout history where the vast majority of mankind would be doomed to eternal damnation, where evil was the primary result of mankind's history rather than good, and where fallen angels would cause massive evil and similarly be doomed to destruction, would be immoral and promote wickedness. God cannot be the moral, just, and righteous God spoken of in the Bible unless the future is not set in stone and God did not know from the beginning exactly what would happen and who would be saved. God used the Garden of Eden Himself (Genesis 3:8) and thus placed the trees of the knowledge of good and evil and life in the garden. He created Adam and Eve sinless without any inclination to do wrong. He had no reason to believe they or Satan would disobey Him. As such, God is justified, and all of Creation will recognize this, so that every one will have praise for God (1 Corinthians 4:5).
6. How can the wicked acknowledge God's goodness unless God gave them free will? To get to the premise of 1 Corinthians 4:5, that everyone will have praise for God and see how perfect and justifiable His decisions were, so that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father, one must reject the idea of a concrete set-in-stone future where God orchestrated everything to produce a universe where large numbers of people are eternally tortured in the Lake of Fire. After all, how can millions of atheists praise God at the Final Judgment unless it is made clear that God gave everyone free will and attempted to save all? There are plenty of atheists who would never praise God if they believed He'd created everything so they would get destroyed. Only if God made everyone with free will and was constantly trying to return everything to righteousness will everyone "have praise for God" at the end as 1 Corinthians 4:5 says.
   “ 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. ”
7. Why does God show sorrow and surprise at the actions of mankind and angels if He knows what the future holds? For God to have all knowledge of the future would contradict the numerous places in the Bible where God shows sorrow and surprise at the actions of mankind and angels if He knows what the future holds. God's emotions, surprise, anger, and sorrow at the actions of mankind, are inconsistent with a foreknowledge of the future. If you know something will happen, you do not get furious, surprised, or sad at what you already knew would occur. This includes:
   • Adam's Fall: God is surprised by mankind's knowledge of nudity. (Genesis 3:11-13)
   • Cain's murder: God is shocked by Cain's murder of Abel, and asks "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground." (Genesis 4:10)
   • The Noahic Flood: God sees the Earth filled with violence and evil and regrets making mankind. (Genesis 6:6)
   If God knew all that the future held, then He should not show surprise about how mankind's actions.
   “ Genesis 4:9 ¶ And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
   10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

   Genesis 6:6 ¶ And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
   7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

   ”
8. Why does God change His mind and turn away judgments if He knew what would happen? On a related note, why is God recorded as changing His mind and turning away judgments against wicked people, if His foreknowledge is absolute? Examples include:
   • The Israelites' idolatry in the wilderness: God, angered at the Israelites' sexual immorality and worship of the golden calf, offers to destroy Israel and make a new nation from Moses. However, after Moses urges God to spare the Israelites God regrets His hasty suggestion. (Exodus 32:9-10)
   • Saul's kingship: After Saul disobeys God in sparing an evil ruler, God regrets ever making Saul king. (1 Samuel 15:11)
   • God's plague upon Israel: God punishes Israel for following David after his sin with Bathsheba, sending a plague that kills 70,000 people. God regrets this, and tells the angel to stop the plague. (2 Samuel 24:15)
   • Grieve not the Holy Spirit: We are urged not to grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom we are sealed until the Day of Redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
   “ 1 Samuel 15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

   Exodus 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
   14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

   ”
9. It would diminish the Gospel if the only ones who get saved are those God knew would get saved. If God knew all the future held, rather than being Good News for everyone, it would only be Good News for an elite few chosen by God before they were born to get saved, rather than a Gospel for "whosoever believeth" where "the same God is rich unto all that call on Him." (John 3:15; Romans 10:12)

Explaining God's Omniscience

God Has All Knowledge of the Present

That God is omniscient in the sense of having all knowledge of the present is definite. 1 Samuel 16:7 makes clear that God examines hearts. Job 28:24 states that God looks to the ends of the Earth and sees everything under Heaven. Proverbs 15:3 states that God looks in every place, at both the evil and the good. Job 34:21 makes clear that God looks at the ways of men and considers them, and Jeremiah 16:17 makes clear that the evil of men is not hidden from God. Hebrews 4:13 specifically states that no creature is hidden from God's sight, but that all are utterly clear before God. Job 26:6 states that even Hell and destruction are nakedly visible before God. Psalms 139:7 specifically states that God will see no matter where we go, even if that is in Heaven, Hell, the depths of the sea, or the blackest darkness. The Bible states that in God are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Colossians 2:3. Psalms 44:21 states that God knows the secrets of the heart, and Psalms 94:11 the thoughts of man. So God most definitely has all knowledge of the present.

God 'Can' Tell What Will Happen

God's Foreknowledge

1 Corinthians 2:7 states that God created hidden wisdom before the world for Christians. Jude 1:4 states that evil men were long ago ordained to condemnation. 1 Peter 1:2 states that Christians are chosen by God beforehand through God's foreknowledge. Ephesians 1:4 specifies that God chose us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in love. 2 Timothy 1:9 states that God gave us a holy calling in Jesus before the world began. Titus 1:2 states that God promised eternal life before He began the world. 1 Peter 1:20 states that Jesus was preordained before the beginning of the world. Numerous instances could be given of Biblical prophecy and God giving people a glimpse of the future.

However, did God from the beginning examine all the future held? If so, how is this to be reconciled with a God who acts surprised and grieved by the evil choices of His creations? The Bible gives several occasions of being sorry for making decisions, not because of evil doing of course, but because His creations were so disobedient. In Genesis 6:6-7 for example, God states He is sorry He'd made man on the Earth. In 1 Samuel 15:11 God states He is sorry He set up Saul as king because of Saul's disobedience.

Based on Looking

See Once Saved, Always Saved?

The Bible also makes clear that God can determine what will happen, and even speaks of having determined things before the beginning of the world. However, this could be due to Him having created a plan for the spirits of good people whom He foreknew before creation to gain eternal life. When Satan rebelled, the plan was disrupted, but God is still controlling events to restore mankind and save those whom He foreknew. Nonetheless, we should "work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling" "lest a promise be left us." (Philippians 2:12; Our salvation is not guaranteed unless "we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)

Corporate Election vs. Individual Election

The Bible repeatedly refers to the "elect" or in other words, those whom God selected to become saved. However, this election need not have been of specific individuals. In other words, God determined that He would create a unique priesthood to serve Him via mankind, but Satan disrupted that plan. Nonetheless, God is still bringing it to pass so that through Jesus all who repent and trust in Him will be saved

“ Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? ”

God Does Not 'Have' to Know the Future

The problem with this is that it assumes God has always been all-knowing of every little future detail (including Satan's rebellion and mankind's sinfulness, even the specific decisions of individuals to commit evil), which isn't necessarily the case. Even if God has the ability to know the future (which He does), that doesn't mean He chooses to always use it. After all, if God didn't have the ability to not know it, He wouldn't be all-powerful. The Bible calls God omnipotent (Revelation 19:6) but not omniscient regarding the future. Just because prophecy and seeing the future are displayed in the Bible, doesn't mean God sees all the future, or saw it originally. Just because God has all knowledge and wisdom that exists, and sees everything that occurs, doesn't mean He knows everything the future holds.