SPECIAL TOPIC: Predestination (Calvinism) Versus Human Free Will (Arminianism)
Titus 2:11 is a balance to other NT passages on election. I thought it
might be theologically helpful to provide my commentary notes from Romans 8:29
and 9, as well as Ephesians 1.
I. Romans 8:29 – Paul uses “foreknew” (proginōskō, “to know before”) twice,
here and 11:2. In 11:2 it refers to God’s covenant love for Israel before time
began. Remember that the term “know” in Hebrew related to intimate, personal
relationship, not to facts about someone (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5). Here it was
included in a chain of eternal events (cf. Rom. 8:29-30). This term was linked
with predestination. However, it must be stated that God’s foreknowledge is not
the basis of election because if that were
so, then election would be based on fallen humanity’s future response, which
would be human performance. This term is also found in Acts 26:5; I Pet. 1:2,20
and II Pet. 3:17.
A. “foreknew” (proginōskō, “to know before”)
The terms “foreknow” and “predestine” are both compounds with the preposition
“before” and, therefore, should be translated “to know before,” “to set bounds
before,” or “mark off before.” The definitive passages on predestination in the
NT are Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:13-14; and Romans 9. These texts obviously stress
that God is sovereign. He is in total control of all things. There is a preset
divine plan being worked out in time. However, this plan is not arbitrary or
selective. It is based, not only on God’s sovereignty and foreknowledge, but on
His unchanging character of love, mercy, and undeserved grace.
We must be careful of our western (American) individualism or our evangelical
zeal coloring this wonderful truth. We must also guard against being polarized
into the historical, theological conflicts between Augustine versus Pelegius or
Calvinism versus Arminianism.
B. “predestined” (proorizō, “to set the bounds before”)
Predestination is not a doctrine meant to limit God’s love, grace, and mercy nor
to exclude some from the gospel. It is meant to strengthen believers by molding
their world-view. God is for all mankind (cf. I Tim. 2:4; II Pet. 3:9). God is
in control of all things. Who or what can separate us from Him (cf. Rom.
8:31-39)? God views all history as present; humans are time bound. Our
perspective and mental abilities are limited. There is no contradiction between
God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will. It is a covenantal structure. This is
another example of truth given in dialectical tension. Biblical doctrines are
presented from different perspectives. They often appear paradoxical. The truth
is a balance between the seemingly opposite pairs. We must not remove the
tension by picking one of the truths. We must not isolate any biblical truth
into a compartment by itself.
It is also important to add that the goal of election is not only heaven when we
die, but Christlikeness now (cf. Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:4; 2:10). We were chosen to
be “holy and blameless.” God chooses to change us so that others may see the
change and respond by faith to God in Christ. Predestination is not a personal
privilege, but a covenantal responsibility. This is the major truth of the
passage. This is the goal of Christianity. Holiness is God’s will for every
believer. God’s election is to Christlikeness (cf. Eph. 1:4), not a special
standing. The image of God, which was given to man in creation (cf. Gen. 1:26;
5:1,3; 9:6), is to be restored.
C. “conformed to the image of His Son”—God’s ultimate goal is the
restoration of the image lost in the Fall. Believers are foreordained to
Christlikeness (cf. Eph. 1:4).
II. Romans 9
A. Romans 9 is one of the strongest NT passages on God’s sovereignty
(the other being Eph. 1:3-14), while chapter 10 states humans’ free will clearly
and repeatedly (cf. “everyone” v. 4; “whosoever” vv. 11,13; “all” v. 12
[twice]). Paul never tries to reconcile this theological tension. They are both
true! Most Bible doctrines are presented in paradoxical or dialectical pairs.
Most systems of theology are logical half-truths. Augustinianism and Calvinism
versus semi-Pelegianism and Arminianism have elements of truth and error.
Biblical tension between doctrines is preferable to a proof-texted, dogmatic,
rational, theological system that forces the Bible onto a preconceived
interpretive grid.
B. This same truth (found in Rom. 9:23) is stated in Rom. 8:29-30 and
Eph. 1:4,11. This chapter is the strongest expression of God’s sovereignty in
the NT. There can be no dispute that God is in total charge of creation and
redemption. This great truth should never be softened or diminished. However, it
must be balanced with God’s choice of covenant as a means of relating to human
creation, made in His image. It is surely true that some OT covenants, like
Genesis 15, are unconditional and do not relate at all to human response, but
other covenants are conditioned on human response (e.g., Eden, Noah, Moses,
David). God has a plan of redemption for His creation; no human can affect this
plan. God has chosen to allow individuals to participate in His plans. This
opportunity for participation is a theological tension between sovereignty
(Romans 9) and human free will (Romans 10).
It is not appropriate to select one biblical emphasis and ignore another. There
is tension between doctrines because eastern people present truth in dialectical
or tension-filled pairs. Doctrines must be held in relationship to other
doctrines. Truth is a mosaic of truths.
III. Ephesians 1
A. Election is a wonderful doctrine. However, it is not a call to
favoritism, but a call to be a channel, a tool, or means of others’ redemption!
In the OT the term was used primarily for service; in the NT it is used
primarily for salvation which issues in service. The Bible never reconciles the
seeming contradiction between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will, but
affirms them both! A good example of the biblical tension would be Romans 9 on
God’s sovereign choice and Romans 10 on mankind’s necessary response (cf.
10:11,13).
The key to this theological tension may be found in 1:4. Jesus is God’s elect
man and all are potentially elect in Him (Karl Barth). Jesus is God’s “yes” to
fallen mankind’s need (Karl Barth). Ephesians 1:4 also helps clarify the issue
by asserting that the goal of predestination is not heaven
only, but holiness (Christlikeness). We are often attracted to the benefits of
the gospel and ignore the responsibilities! God’s call (election) is for time as
well as eternity!
Doctrines come in relation to other truths, not as single, unrelated truths. A
good analogy would be a constellation versus a single star. God presents truth
in eastern, not western, genres. We must not remove the tension caused by
dialectical (paradoxical) pairs of doctrinal truths (God as transcendent versus
God as immanent; security vs. perseverance; Jesus as equal with the Father vs.
Jesus as subservient to the Father; Christian freedom vs. Christian
responsibility to a covenant partner, etc).
The theological concept of “covenant” unites the sovereignty of God (who always
takes the initiative and sets the agenda) with a mandatory initial and
continuing repentant faith response from man. Be careful of proof-texting one
side of the paradox and depreciating the other! Be careful of asserting only
your favorite doctrine or system of theology.
B. “He chose us” in Eph. 1:4 is an aorist middle indicative which
emphasizes the subject. This focuses on the Father’s choice before time. God’s
choice must not be understood in the Islamic sense of determinism, nor in the
ultra-Calvinistic sense as some versus others, but in the covenantal sense. God
promised to redeem fallen mankind (cf. Gen. 3:15). God called and chose Abraham
to choose all humans (cf. Gen. 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6). God Himself elected all
persons who would exercise faith in Christ. God always takes the initiative in
salvation (cf. John 6:44,65). This text and Romans 9 are the biblical basis for
the doctrine of predestination emphasized by Augustine and Calvin.
God chose believers not only to salvation (justification), but also to
sanctification (cf. Co1ossians 1: 10-12). This could relate to (1) our position
in Christ (cf. II Cor. 5:21) or (2) God’s desire to reproduce His character in
His children (cf. 2:10; Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19). God’s will for His children is
both heaven one day and Christlikeness now!
“In Him” is a key concept of Eph. 1:4. The Father’s blessings, grace, and
salvation flow through Christ (cf. John 14:6). Notice the repetition of this
grammatical form (locative of sphere) in v. 3, “in Christ”; v. 4, “in Him”; v.
7, “in Him”; v. 9, “in Him”; v. 10, “in Christ,” “in Him”; v. 12, “in Christ”
and v. 13, “in Him” (twice). Jesus is God’s “yes” to fallen mankind (Karl
Barth). Jesus is the elect man and all are potentially elect in Him. All of God
the Father’s blessings flow through Christ.
The phrase “before the foundation of the world” is also used in Matt. 25:34;
John 17:24; I Pet. 1:19-20 and Rev. 13:8. It shows the Triune God’s redemptive
activity even before Gen. 1:1. Humans are limited by their sense of time;
everything to us is past, present, and future, but not to God.
The goal of predestination is holiness, not privilege.
God’s call is not to a selected few of Adam’s children, but to all! It is a call
to be what God intended mankind to be, like Himself (cf. I Thess. 5:23; II
Thess. 2:13); in His image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). To turn predestination into a
theological tenet instead of a holy life is a tragedy. Often our theologies
speak louder than the biblical text.
The term “blameless” (amōmos) or “free from blemish” is used of (1) Jesus (cf.
Heb. 9:14; I Pet. 1:19); (2) Zachariah and Elizabeth (cf. Luke 1:6); (3) Paul
(cf. Phil. 3:6); and (4) all true Christians (cf. Phil. 2:15; I Thess. 3:13;
5:23). God’s unalterable will for every Christian is not only heaven later, but
Christlikeness now (cf. Rom. 8:29-30; Gal. 4:19; I Pet. 1:2). Believers are to
reflect God’s characteristics to a lost world for the purpose of evangelism.
Grammatically the phrase “in love” in this verse could go with either v. 4 or v.
5. However, when this phrase is used in other places in Ephesians it always
refers to human love for God (cf. 3:17; 4:2,15,16).
C. In Eph. 1:5 the phrase “He predestined us” is an aorist active participle.
This Greek term is a compound of “before” and “mark off.” It refers to God’s
predetermined redemptive plan (cf. Luke 22:22; Acts 2:23; 4:28; 17:31; Rom.
8:29-30). Predestination is one of several truths related to mankind’s
salvation. It is part of a theological pattern or series of related truths. It
was never meant to be emphasized in isolation! Biblical truth has been given in
a series of tension-filled, paradoxical pairs. Denominationalism has tended to
remove the biblical tension by emphasizing only one of the dialectical truths
(predestination versus human free will; security of the believer versus
perseverance of the saints; original sin versus volitional sin; sinlessness
versus sinning less; instantaneously declared sanctification versus progressive
sanctification; faith versus works; Christian freedom versus Christian
responsibility; transcendence versus immanence).
God’s choice is not based on foreknowledge of human performance, but on His
gracious character (cf. vv. 9 & 11). He wishes that all (not just some special
ones like the Gnostics or modern-day ultra-Calvinists) would be saved (cf. Ezek.
18:21-23,32; John 3:16-17; I Tim. 2:4; 4:10; Titus 2:11; II Pet. 3:9). God’s
grace (God’s character) is the theological key to this passage (cf. vv. 6a, 7c,
9b), as God’s mercy is the key to the other passage on predestination, Romans
9-11.
Fallen mankind’s only hope is the grace and mercy of God (cf. Isa. 53:6 and
several other OT texts quoted in Rom. 3:9-18). It is crucial in interpreting
these first theological chapters to realize that Paul emphasizes those things
which are totally unrelated to human performance: predestination (chap. 1),
grace (chap. 2), and God’s eternal plan of redemption (mystery, 2:11- 3:13).
This was to counterbalance the emphasis of the false teachers on human merit and
pride.
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