Free Will vs Predestination
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Paul says those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.
Ephesians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
Paul says He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
John 6:29
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
Jesus says it is the work of God that a person believes.
John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus says it is the Father who draws a person to Jesus.
Matthew 11:27
“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Jesus says that no one can know the Father except those to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
An analogy…
Imagine taking a bucket of water to the top of a hill and then pouring it out. The water zigzags back and forth as it flows down the hill. In other words the water has a “free will” to create it’s own path as it makes it’s way down the hill.
Now imagine taking a second bucket of water to the top of a hill. Only this time you dig a trench halfway down the hill which leads to a river (the river representing Living Water or salvation).
When you pour the water out it zigzags back and forth down the hill just as it did before. Only this time when it encounters the trench it’s course is altered but it still zigzags back and forth as it flows along the trench. In other words the water has a free will to create it’s own path as it makes its way along the trench.
However, the water is oblivious to the fact that it’s course was altered by the trench which guided it to salvation. You and I think that we have a free will but the Lord is always one step ahead of us and it is He who directs you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)
This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”
So…
Have you been predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son?
Did the Father choose you before the foundation of the world?
Did Jesus will to reveal the Father to you?
Has the Lord’s trench guided you to salvation?
For more information please check out: When As Yet There Was Not One
