Human Free Will in Salvation and Predestination
Human Free Will in Salvation and Predestination
The debate over human free will in salvation and predestination is a longstanding one among Christian traditions. At its core, the disagreement revolves around the extent to which human decisions and God's sovereignty interact in the process of salvation.
The concept of predestination is rooted in biblical passages such as Ephesians 1:5, which states that God "predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ" [3]. This doctrine is understood differently across various Christian traditions. The Reformed tradition, for instance, emphasizes God's sovereignty in salvation, citing passages like Romans 8:29-30 to support the idea that God has predestined certain individuals to salvation [1].
In contrast, the Arminian or Wesleyan tradition, represented by Methodist theologians like Adam Clarke, argues that human free will plays a significant role in salvation. Clarke notes on John 6:39 that God's will for salvation is not deterministic, allowing for human decisions to influence the outcome [9]. This perspective is supported by biblical passages that emphasize human choice, such as Deuteronomy 30:19, which presents a choice between life and death [8].
The Lutheran tradition, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, takes a middle stance, affirming that while human will has some liberty to choose civil righteousness, it is incapable of achieving spiritual righteousness without the Holy Spirit [4, 7]. This view acknowledges the limitations of human free will in spiritual matters.
The Eastern Orthodox tradition, represented by theologians like John Chrysostom, also grapples with the balance between divine sovereignty and human freedom, though their writings do not provide a clear, systematic treatment of the topic [6].
Despite these differences, all positions agree on the importance of God's grace in salvation. The biblical basis for this is seen in passages like Romans 3:24, which states that justification comes "freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ" [2]. The role of the Holy Spirit in enabling spiritual righteousness is another point of convergence, as noted in the Lutheran Augsburg Confession [7].
The divergence in views on human free will and predestination stems from differing hermeneutical commitments and prior doctrinal premises. The Reformed tradition tends to emphasize the sovereignty of God as expressed in predestination passages, while the Arminian tradition focuses on the role of human decision in biblical invitations to salvation. Understanding these underlying commitments is crucial for grasping the nuances of the debate.
The complexity of this issue is further underscored by the patristic writings, which highlight the interplay between God's grace and human freedom. Augustine, for example, is cited as affirming that God's grace is necessary for maintaining righteousness, suggesting a nuanced view of free will that is influenced by divine assistance [5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Romans “Romans 3:24 (Webster) — Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ:”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:5 (Geneva1599) — Who hath predestinate vs, to be adopted through Iesus Christ in him selfe, according to the good pleasure of his will,”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article XVIII. Of Free Will.: Article XVIII. Of Free Will.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 106.--THE GRACE OF GOD WAS NECESSARY TO MAN'S SALVATION BEFORE THE FALL AS WELL AS AFTER IT.: The former immortality man lost through the exercise of his free-will; the latter he shall obtain through grace, whereas, if he had not sinned, he should have obtained it by desert. Even in that case, however, there could have been no merit without grace; because, although the mere exercise of man's free-will was sufficient to bring in sin, his free-will would not have sufficed for his maintenance in righteousness, unless God had assisted it by impa”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:11 1:11 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:27 1:27 1:27 1:31 1:31 2:2 2:7 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:16 3:24 4 4:9 4:14 6:2 6:3 6:4 6:9 6:12 7:7 8:21 12:1 12:4 12:16 13:10 13:10-11 14:14 14:21-23 15:16 16:5 16:6 17:8 18:11 18:12 18:14 18:21 19:13 19:14 19:24 21:10 21:12 21:12 22:7-8 22:16 22:18 22:18 24:1-67 24:22 24:65 25:21 25:21 26:4 27:46 28:1 28:13 31:42 31:45 32:48 35:18 37:9-10 37:20 39:1 39:6 40:4 40:7 40:8 40:14-15 40:22 41 41:16 42:36 43:14 43:30 45:5 48:15-16 49:9 64:28 Exodus 2:11 2”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 Of Free Will they teach that man’s will has some liberty to: 1 Of Free Will they teach that man’s will has some liberty to choose civil righteousness, and to work 2 things subject to reason. But it has no power, without the Holy Ghost, to work the righteousness of God, that is, spiritual righteousness; since the natural man 3 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2:14; but this righteousness is wrought in the heart when the Holy Ghost is received 4 through the Word. These things are said in as many words by Augustine in his Hypognosticon,”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — TESTIMONIES. (part 36): the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy: "Lo, I have set before thy face life and death, good and evil. Choose for thyself life, that thou mayest live."(4) Also in Isaiah: "And if ye be willing, and hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things."(5) Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "The kingdom of God is within you."(6) 53. That he secrets of God ca”
- John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on John 6:39: I should lose nothing - It is the will of God that every soul who believes should continue in the faith, and have a resurrection unto life eternal. But he wills this continuance in salvation, without purposing to force the persons so to continue. God may will a thing to be, without willing that it shall be. Judas was given to Christ by the Father, Joh 17:12. The Father willed that this Judas should continue in the faith, and have a resurrection unto life eternal: but Judas sinned and perished. Now it is evident that God willed that Judas might be saved, without willin”