What does the Bible say about freewill vs. predestination?

Summary

The speaker addresses the relationship between God's sovereignty and human free will, suggesting that the concept of 'free will' is misleading and should instead be understood as 'agency.' While humans make real choices, their agency is limited by God's sovereignty and omniscience. God predestines certain events, including salvation, but human responsibility remains real. Using examples like choosing ice cream or shoplifting, the speaker illustrates that both divine sovereignty and human agency coexist, even if the full mystery of how this works is only known to God.

Takeaways

• 😀 The term 'free will' is misleading; 'agency' is a more accurate concept to describe our ability to make choices.
• 🤔 We don't have control over key life events, like being born or where we're born, which limits the idea of free will.
• 🍦 Humans do make choices (like picking ice cream flavors), but these choices are constrained by the available options.
• 🔒 God's sovereignty is absolute—He is in control of everything, and His control can't be limited or resigned.
• 🌍 God's sovereignty extends to every area of life, including salvation and the entire created order.
• 📜 God is omniscient and knows every choice we will make, but we still have real agency in making those choices.
• 🙏 In terms of salvation, God chose those who would be redeemed before the foundation of the world.
• 👂 Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ, and salvation is available to those who call upon the Lord and believe.
• ✝️ The Bible teaches both divine sovereignty and human agency, though human agency operates within the bounds of God's sovereignty.
• 🗝️ Charles Spurgeon likened the gates of Heaven to reading 'whosoever will may come' from the outside and 'chosen from the foundation of the earth' from the inside, highlighting the balance between free will and predestination.

Q & A

What does the speaker suggest about the term 'free will'?

The speaker suggests that the term 'free will' is a distortion and that the more appropriate term is 'agency.'

According to the speaker, what are some aspects of life that we do not will into existence?

We do not will our birth, to whom we are born, where we are born, or the language we speak.

How does the speaker differentiate between free will and agency?

Free will implies complete freedom to choose, which we do not have in many aspects of life. Agency, on the other hand, refers to our ability to make choices within certain constraints.

What example does the speaker give to illustrate limited choices?

The speaker gives the example of choosing ice cream flavors, stating you can only choose from available options and not a non-existent flavor.

How does the speaker describe God's sovereignty?

God's sovereignty is described as absolute, meaning God is sovereign over everything, and He cannot resign His sovereignty.

What does the speaker say about God's omniscience?

God's omniscience means He knows all things throughout all time, and nothing surprises Him, including our choices.

How does the speaker reconcile human agency with divine sovereignty?

The speaker explains that human agency is real and involves making choices, but it operates within the bounds of God's sovereign will.

What does the speaker say about the concept of election in the Bible?

The speaker states that the Bible speaks of God's foreordination and election, meaning God chose those who would be redeemed before the foundation of the earth.

According to the speaker, how does salvation come to individuals?

Salvation comes through faith, which comes by hearing the word of Christ. People are commanded to believe, and salvation is granted to those who call upon the name of the Lord and repent of their sins.

What metaphor does the speaker use to describe the relationship between divine sovereignty and human agency?

The speaker uses Charles Spurgeon's metaphor: the outer gates of heaven say 'whosoever will may come,' and inside the gates, it says 'chosen from the foundations of the earth.' This illustrates that divine sovereignty and human agency coexist.