|
|
|
Are we saved by making a choice of our own freewill, or does God choose those who will be saved ahead of time?
This question represents a classic area of disagreement between Christians. There are two schools of thought and each hold tenaciously to their position. One says that each and every individual is personally responsible for their own decision to make Christ Savior and Lord and that their status as a born again Christian is entirely one of their own freewill.
The other side holds just as firmly to the belief that we are chosen ahead of time through the sovereignty of God and predestined to be saved. They would say that any “choice” we have in the matter is simply because we were chosen first by God.
The problem with this argument is that both sides of the debate boldly quote Scripture to back up their positions. As a result most Christians feel compelled to side with one side or the other—I suppose whichever they feel defends their position with the most convincing evidence.
The solution to this conundrum—which seems to completely escape proponents of both sides—is one that does no violence to the body of Scripture. Put simply, both positions are equally true. Having said that I am well aware that there are many who believe what I have just said to be patently impossible. They themselves are unable to reconcile how they can be Christians resulting from both freewill and sovereign election. Therefore they reject this solution out of hand.
But I would argue its validity from two perspectives:
1. It is biblical. There is no question that the Bible speaks of God’s sovereign election of the saints. Ephesians chapter 1 being one very clear example. But there are likewise passages of Scripture which speak of the freewill choice given to man. The King James version of the Bible renders Revelation 22:17 with the words, “…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” The NIV says “…whoever wishes…” and the NKJV says “…whoever desires…” The idea is clearly set forth here and elsewhere that there is a choice that we face. This idea is repeated many times throughout the Word of God.
2. The ability to reconcile these two ideas is not our responsibility. Christians often fall into the trap of accepting or rejecting a truth based on whether or not they can comprehend it. This is always dangerous and with that kind of thought process there you will literally need to take a scissors to your Bible. Can you comprehend eternity? Of course not…and yet the Bible clearly teaches it as truth. How about the nature of God, namely the Trinity? Can anyone accurately explain that one? And yet the idea of one God and three Persons is clearly revealed in the Word.
At the end of the day my responsibility is merely to prayerfully look into the Word of God and determine what it reveals. And what it reveals about our salvation is that God sovereignly chooses us according to His foreknowledge, and we also choose God according to the gift of our freewill. As for how those two concepts can coexist? That’s God’s problem, not mine.
|
|
|
