One of the biggest questions that gets Christians thinking is whether God chooses us, or if we get to choose Him. It’s a tricky one, because it brings up two big ideas from the Bible:
God’s control over salvation and our ability to make choices. Some people find it hard to wrap their heads around how God can be in charge of who’s saved, but at the same time, let us choose whether to accept or reject Him. Norman L. Geisler takes a deep dive into this in his book Chosen but Free, offering a way to understand how both divine control and human choice can coexist. In this blog, we’ll break it down with insights from Geisler’s book, mixed with key Bible verses, to give you a clearer picture of this whole thing.
The Tension Between Sovereign Choice and Human Free Will
The Bible teaches both that God is sovereign over all things, including salvation, and that humans have the free will to choose or reject Him. This presents a tension that many find difficult to reconcile.
• God’s Sovereignty in Salvation: Scripture affirms that God is sovereign and controls all aspects of salvation. In John 6:37, Jesus states, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” This demonstrates that God’s sovereignty is at the heart of the salvation process. It’s God who initiates the relationship, and He ensures that those He calls will respond.
• Human Responsibility and Free Will: Yet, the Bible also makes it clear that human beings are free moral agents, responsible for their choices. As shown in passages like John 1:12 and Romans 10:9–10, individuals must choose to believe in Christ and receive salvation. These verses highlight human agency in responding to God’s call.
Geisler argues that while God’s sovereignty is supreme, it does not override human freedom. Instead, God’s sovereign will allows for human choice. This dual reality is evident throughout Scripture and forms the foundation of how we understand salvation.
Chosen But Free: A Balanced View of God’s Sovereignty and Free Will
The Reformed movement has gotten younger and more outspoken since Chosen But Free was published more than ten years ago, making the topic of divine election one of utmost importance to the church today. Young Christians in particular are in constant debate over these issues, wondering what is true and how it might affect their […]
God’s Sovereignty Does Not Override Human Free Will
God’s sovereignty does not negate human free will. While God is in control of salvation, He does not coerce or manipulate human beings into choosing Him.
• Grace is Freely Offered: The Bible teaches that God offers salvation to all, but He does not force anyone to accept it. In Malachi 3:6–7 and Hebrews 6:18, we see that God is unchanging and faithful, but He respects human choice. He allows humans to either accept or reject His grace. Salvation is offered freely to anyone who chooses to respond, but God will never override that choice.
• A Relationship, Not Manipulation: Salvation is not a forced relationship. It is an invitation that requires a response. Geisler contrasts the idea of irresistible grace (from Calvinism) with the belief that God’s grace can be resisted. While God extends His grace, individuals can choose to resist it or accept it, making salvation a genuine, voluntary act of the human will.
God’s Foreknowledge and Human Freedom
Many argue that if God knows the future, then human choices are predetermined. Geisler disagrees with this deterministic view, holding that God’s foreknowledge does not cause human actions, but rather, it allows God to know in advance what choices humans will make.
• Foreknowledge Does Not Imply Causality: God’s foreknowledge is not the cause of human decisions. Rather, God knows what decisions humans will make because He is eternal and outside of time. As seen in 1 Peter 1:2, human choices are “according to the foreknowledge of God,” but that does not mean those choices are predetermined. They are free choices that God, in His omniscience, already knows will occur.
• God’s Eternal Plan: God’s plan of salvation, from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), is not based on what people would do but on His knowledge of what they would freely choose. In this way, God’s sovereignty and human freedom are not at odds. His plan is based on foreknowledge, which allows for human freedom while ensuring that His sovereign will will be accomplished.
Predestination Based on Foreknowledge
The doctrine of predestination, emphasizing that it is based on God’s foreknowledge of who will choose
• Conditional Election: Unlike the Calvinist view, which teaches that election is unconditional and based solely on God’s will, Geisler argues that election is conditional. God predestines individuals to salvation based on His foreknowledge of their decision to respond to His grace. Ephesians 1:4 and Romans 8:29 make it clear that God’s predestination is not arbitrary but is tied to His knowledge of our choices.
• The Role of Free Will: While God predestines those who will be saved, He does so knowing that they will freely choose to accept Him. This conditional view of election maintains both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.
God Desires All to Be Saved, Yet Not All Will Choose Him
Scripture reveals that God desires all people to come to repentance and be saved (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4). However, not all will choose salvation.
• God’s Desired Will: Geisler distinguishes between God’s desired will and His sovereign will. While God desires everyone to be saved, He does not force salvation upon anyone. This highlights the tension between God’s desires and His sovereign will. God’s desire is that all should repent, yet His sovereign will ensures that only those who freely choose salvation will be saved.
• Human Responsibility: The fact that some will reject salvation does not invalidate God’s desire for all to be saved. Instead, it underscores the importance of human free will in the salvation process. The invitation to salvation is universal, but the acceptance of that invitation is personal.
The Mystery of the Paradox Between Sovereignty and Free Will
The relationship between God’s sovereignty and human free will is ultimately a mystery. Both are clearly taught in Scripture, yet they seem to contradict each other.
• Holding Both in Tension: Rather than attempting to resolve the paradox, Geisler suggests that we should hold both truths in tension. God is sovereign, and humans are free. This tension does not mean that one is true and the other false, but rather that they are both biblically accurate. This mystery should lead to humility and awe before the complexity of God’s redemptive plan.
• The Role of Faith: As finite beings, we may not fully understand how God’s sovereignty and human free will interact. However, faith calls us to trust that both truths are essential to God’s plan for salvation, even if we can’t fully comprehend how they work together.
Salvation is a Relationship, Not a Forceful Act
One of the most important principles from Geisler’s book is that salvation is a relationship between God and humans, not a forceful act.
• God’s Offer, Our Response: Salvation is an offer that must be freely accepted. The relationship between God and His people is one of love, grace, and freedom. God does not force anyone to choose Him; He offers the invitation, and humans must choose whether or not to accept.
• The Role of Evangelism: Because salvation is a free choice, the church’s mission is to spread the gospel to all people. Evangelism is the means by which people are invited to choose salvation. This underscores the importance of human responsibility in the process of salvation.
The Role of Grace in Salvation
Grace is central to the doctrine of salvation. Grace is not something we earn or deserve, but it is freely given by God.
• Irresistible Grace?: Geisler rejects the idea of irresistible grace as taught in Calvinism. Instead, he affirms that while God’s grace is powerful, it can be resisted. Human beings are free to accept or reject God’s grace, and the decision to do so is part of the salvation process.
• Universal Offer of Grace: God’s grace is available to all people, not just a select few. While not everyone will respond to this grace, the offer remains open to all, and God’s desire is for everyone to come to salvation.
The Assurance of Salvation in Light of God’s Sovereignty and Human Free Will
Finally, understanding the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human free will offers believers assurance in their salvation.
• Security in God’s Sovereign Plan: Knowing that God is sovereign over all things, including our salvation, gives us confidence that His plan will not fail. While our choices matter, they are part of a greater plan that God has set in motion. This assurance allows us to rest in the security of our salvation.
• Human Responsibility: At the same time, believers are reminded of their responsibility to respond to God’s call. We are not passive recipients of salvation; we must actively choose to accept the offer of grace and live in accordance with God’s will.
In conclusion, the question of whether God picked us or we chose Him is not as simple as one or the other. Both divine sovereignty and human free will play essential roles in the process of salvation. Through a careful examination of Scripture, we see that God’s sovereignty does not override human freedom, but works alongside it. By holding both truths in tension, we gain a deeper understanding of God’s redemptive work and can respond with gratitude and faith.
