Fate or Choice?: Predestination

 “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers”.
Romans 8:29

Introduction

Does God predestine our lives? Or are we in control of our lives, making free choices?

This is a question many Christians have based on certain scriptures of the Bible which appear to say that God has “predestined us before birth”.

It’s such scriptures which have inspired doctrines and theologies such as “Calvinism” and “Monergism”, the belief that the only people who are saved are those who God elects to be saved, and that there is no such thing as free will when it comes to our obedience to him, and that nobody “freely chooses” to put faith in Yeshua, or reject him.

Such ideas leave many people disturbed or uncomfortable, many viewing God as some kind of monster who judges people based upon something they themselves cannot control, whilst for others they find such an idea comforting, as it lends to a “once saved always saved” mindset.

But what does the Bible actually teach about such things?

Examining the Scriptures

To begin, we should first look at the scriptures which seem to assert predestination:

• John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day”.
• Mark 10:40: “…but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
• Acts 13:48: “And the Gentiles hearing it were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed“.
• Ephesians 1:3-5, 9-11: “Yes, may the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Anointed One be praised! For He’s blessed us with every blessing of his spirit in the heavens through the Anointed One. Also, He chose us to be in him – before the foundation of the age, so we could become holy and unblemished before Him in love. For He’s pre-designated us to be adopted sons through Yeshua the Anointed One, as it pleases His will… For He’s allowed us to understand the mystery of His will, according to His pleasure. He decided [all] this within Himsel for [the purpose of arranging] an administration, at the appointed time, to renew everything both in heaven and earth via the Anointed One. So, it’s through [Yeshua] that we’ve obtained the inheritance that was predetermined by [God’s] purpose for him… Yes, this one, through whom all things are accomplished according to [God’s] council and will!… and you can know the glorious richness of the hope that He’s called you for, and which He holds as an inheritance for the Holy Ones.”.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth. This is why He called you through the good news that we brought to you”.
• Romans 8:16, 29: “The Spirit itself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children… For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers”.
• Romans 9:18-21: “He shows mercy on whomever He wishes to show mercy, and He hardens [the hearts] of whomever He wishes. Therefore, you might ask:‘ Then why does [God] find fault with anyone who resists His plans?’ O man, who are you to question God? Will the thing that’s made ask its maker; ‘Why did you make me like this?’ For isn’t the potter in charge of his clay? And can’t he make one pot for an honorable use, and another for a dishonorable use? [And all] from the same lump [of clay]?”.
• Galatians 1:15: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace…”

As we can see, there are several scriptures which can easily be contextualised on the surface, to be teaching that God predestines our fates and that faith is not a choice. However, if we examine each scripture carefully and its surrounding context, such need not be the conclusion.

To begin our examination, it is best that we start in chronological order, and look at the first mention of predestination in the New Testament, and this takes us firstly to Yeshua’s statements in the Gospels.

John 6:44

The first statement here, Yeshua says “nobody comes to the Father unless he draws them”. This would on the surface appear to be teaching that all Christians have faith only because God has “called them” as individuals, and that anyone without faith, God for whatever reason just ignores them and doesn’t allow them to attain faith.

However, examining the larger passage, we gain better clarity on Yeshua’s meaning.

• “‘Nobody can come to me unless he’s drawn by the Father who sent me, and then I’ll resurrect him on the last day It’s written in the Prophets; ‘They’ll all be taught by God.‘ So, all who listen to the Father and learn, will come to me‘… many of his disciples said; ‘These are tough words… Who can listen to them?’… The Breath (or Spirit) is what makes you alive, for [without it], the flesh is useless. Likewise, these things that I’m telling you are your life and your breath (or Spirit)… Yet, some of you still don’t believe.’ Well, Yeshua knew from the start who wouldn’t believe and who would betray him, so he went on to say; ‘This is why I told you that none of you can come to me unless you’ve been given to me by the Father.’ However, because of [the things he said], many of his disciples went back to what they’d left behind and wouldn’t walk with him anymore.”. – John 6: 44-45, 63-66

We see here, Yeshua tells us, people are drawn by the Father by “his teachings”, those who wish to listen to and obey the Father. Because Yeshua spoke the words of his Father, it then would lend to the fact that those who worship the Father would be drawn to him.

However, there were those who were not comitted and easily put off by Yeshua’s teachings. These people were not drawn by the Father, that is, they were not true worshippers, but had other intents. Hence, Yeshua does not speak of some kind of mind control or special election here from God, but rather, those who listen to God, who have their hearts open to him, will be the ones who find Yeshua.

We see rather, that the Lord puts a focus on all those who “listen” to the Father that calls them, the Father gives Yeshua’s followers to him, by the means of calling those who he knows will make a choice to respond to that calling.

Mark 10:40

This statement Yeshua makes, is seen also in other Gospel accounts (Matthew 20:23). He tells us that there are “special positions” at his side in the Kingdom which only the Father prepares and grants to certain people.

When we look to the full context, we see that this isn’t saying that only certain people who God predestines will be saved, as Yeshua confirms to his disciples that they would drink his cup and undergo his baptism, which indicates a partaking in the faith, even “if” they were not to be elected by the Father to be at the Son’s side, and we are told all who have true faith will be saved.

• “’You will drink the cup that I drink,’ Yeshua said, ‘and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo‘”. – Mark 10:39
• “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” – Mark 16:16

We should also take note, that Yeshua tells us that the Father judges nobody, but has left all judging to the Son. Such judging is in relation to salvation and whether or not we have been approved (John 5:22). Hence, Yeshua alone judges our final fate based upon our faith and deeds in obeying him, whilst the Father alone is preparing special places of rulership, showing they are not one and the same.

So we see that the predestination spoken of here, is for something very specific, a place of high rulership. This is an important detail to keep in mind, because this theme will play a part in future verses to come.

Acts 13:48

The next mention of predestination appears in Acts, when the Apostles first bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.

At first glance, it looks as if only those who are “appointed” by God to have eternal life can believe. However, we should take note that the “belief” of these Gentiles was not what was “appointed” to them, that part was a choice freely made by them all, but it was the “appointment of eternal life” that was given to them, whether or not they believed such a thing was secondary to the situation, and was not God controlling their decision making.

But does this then mean that these Gentiles would be saved, regardless or not of their belief, because they had been appointed life? Well, not if the rest of the Gospel is to be believed, which tells us those who do not have faith in Yeshua have no salvation or life in themselves.

• “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” – John 3:18
• “…whoever does not believe will be condemned“. – Mark 16:16

So if one has to consciously believe for salvation, and the Gentiles were not made to believe, but were freely choosing to believe because they had been told they were appointed eternal life, but would not have had life if they did not freely choose to believe in it… what is the passage actually talking about?

Looking at the larger context is vital to gaining understanding:

• “And after the meeting at the synagogue was concluded, several of the Jews and proselytes started following Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to stick closely to God’s favor. Then on the next Sabbath, most of the city had assembled there to hear the word of God. And when the Judeans saw all these people, they became extremely jealous and started contradicting the things that Paul was saying in blasphemous ways. However, Paul and Barnabas just kept on speaking out boldly. And they told them; ‘We were told that we had to speak the word of God to you first. But since you’re just pushing it away and you don’t judge yourselves to be worthy of eternal life, Look! we’ll now be turning to the gentiles! In fact, YHWH commanded us to do this when He said; ‘I’ll make you a light to the nations to bring salvation to the ends of the earth‘. Well when the gentiles in the crowd heard this, they started rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord! And at that, everyone who was appointed to eternal life became believers, and the word of the Lord was thereafter spread throughout that whole country”. – Acts 13:43-49

So, as we can see here, the situation is that the Gentiles were celebrating for being given something that originally was only for the Jewish people. But because many Gentiles were beginning to put faith in Yeshua also, many Jews were becoming jealous, thinking only they had the right to the gift of eternal life as granted by their Messiah.

It was because of this very reaction, the Apostles then said they had rejected the Messiah, and as a result had lost the unique gift that was originally being handed exclusively to them, and so they were told from then on, that the Apostles would preach this special Gospel to the Gentiles, who took great joy in such news.

But what was this “unique gift” that was being given to the Gentiles? Just salvation and eternal life? Were non-Jews originally condemned with no hope for salvation? Well, no, because we already know that Yeshua told us in the Gospels that “anyone” who believed in him would be saved. In several accounts, Yeshua even made sure to heal and preach to both Jew and Gentile:

• “When the centurion heard about Yeshua , he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant. They came to Yeshua and pleaded with Him earnestly, “This man is worthy to have You grant this, for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue… So Yeshua went off with them. But he wasn’t very far from the house when the centurion sent his friends to say; ‘Just say the word and [I know that] my servant will be healed. For I’m also a man who is given authority, since I have soldiers under me. So if I tell this one to leave, he leaves, and if I tell that one to come, he comes… Whatever I tell my servants to do, they do.’ Well when Yeshua heard this, he was amazed, and he turned to the crowd that was following him and said; ‘I tell you – I haven’t found this much faith anywhere in Israel!’” – Luke 7:3-9
• “…A Phoenician woman who lived nearby came to him and started shouting; ‘Have mercy on me O Lord, son of David; for my daughter is badly demon possessed!’ Now, [Yeshua] didn’t pay any attention to her. But his disciples begged him to [do something], because she kept following them and shouting at them. So he said to them; ‘I wasn’t sent here to [help] anyone other than just the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But then, the woman came up to [Yeshua]. She bowed low and said; ‘Lord, please help me!’ And he said to her; ‘It isn’t right to take bread from the children and throw it to the puppies.’ But she replied; ‘Yes Lord; but aren’t puppies allowed to eat the crumbs that fall from the tables of their masters?’ Well at that, Yeshua said to her; ‘O woman; you have a lot of faith… May it be as you wish. ’And her daughter was healed from that hour on”. – Matthew 15:22-28

We see that Yeshua was keen on helping not only Jews, but Gentiles, even though his focus was the Jews at that time. What is very important to note here is that he praised the Phoenician woman’s faith when she made a point that puppies have the right to eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.

This woman shown much faith and understanding both, as just as we see the Apostles say in the passage at Acts, Israel was to be a “light and blessing to all the nations” as foretold in the Old Testament (Isaiah 49:6, Genesis 22:18).

So it’s clear that salvation wasn’t an exclusive thing to the Jews, but they were to be the progenitors of this blessing.

So what was it that the Gentiles were being appointed if not just salvation? Paul and John in their letters later explains thus:

• “So let me ask: Has God pushed His people away? May that never be so! I’m also an Israelite…I’m the descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin, and God hasn’t rejected these people whom He knew first!… o what happened to Israel? Well, not all of them received the things that they were seeking…Just the ones who’d been chosen from among them received it, while the rest just became more obstinate… Now I want to address those of you who are gentiles; Since I’m really an Apostle to the gentiles, I can make my service even more glorious if I can somehow make those who are my own flesh, [that is, the Jews] jealous and bring some of them to salvation. Because, if throwing them away will restore the world’s relationship [with God], then what will receiving them back again mean, other than life for those who are ‘dead?’ For if the first fruits [can be made] holy, [then the rest of the crop will also be holy]… And if the roots are holy, so are the branches! Therefore, if some of the branches were broken off so that you ‘wild olives’ could be grafted in, you’ve become sharers in the fatness of that olive [tree’s] roots… They were broken off because they lacked faith, and you’ve taken their places because you have faith. But don’t think too much of yourselves…”. – Romans 11:1-2, 7, 13-17, 19
• “Indeed, [all] creation is awaiting and earnestly expecting the revealing of the sons of God. For His creations were never willingly subjected to futility. Rather, they were subjected to it by the will of the One who gave us the hope that all creation will soon be set free from bondage to decay, and then [we can] enter the glorious freedom of the children of God! For we know that all creation has been groaning and in birth pains until now. And it isn’t alone… Since even those of us who’ve received the first fruitage of [God’s] spirit groan within ourselves as we await the adoption and the [payment of] the ransom that will free our bodies”. – Romans 8:19-23
• “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2

As we can see, the gift was the inheritance of Israel, to become kings, priests and judges with Yeshua in the Kingdom. Paul confirms that this gift which was originally only for the Jews, was a place as the “firstfruits” of God, Sons of inhertience which would have chance to become co-heirs with Yeshua, of whom would lead the “rest of creation”, the “whole world”, that is “the puppies who eat the crumbs” in the New Earth to come to the waters of life (Revelation 21:1-3).

Therefore, the “appointment” of Acts was not a predestination for salvation, or God taking control of people’s will, but it was an appointed position of special anointing of priesthood to all Gentiles all over the world, and those who “choose to believe” right now are in a position to be granted this reward.

Ephesians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Following on from understanding the theme of the gift of Kingdom inheritence, this also helps to us to further understand Paul’s meaning in his letters to the Ephesians and Thessalonians.

Because faith is a choice, it lends to the understanding that this “predestination” Paul mentions, is not toward specific individuals, but rather, God predestined the Gospel of both salvation and inheritence.

The kingdom rulership as we have already learned, being originally to the Jews, but then later offered to Gentiles. As Paul says verbatim, it was this “inheritance” that was pre-detirmined by God, a plan to offer this blessing to those who choose to have faith. The “us” being best understood as a generalisation.

This is further confirmed, in that Paul says; “ it’s through [Yeshua] that we’ve obtained the inheritance that was predetermined by [God’s] purpose“. And again, in verse 14 of Thessalonians 2, where it says; “This is why He called you through the good news that we brought to you“, confirming that the calling comes through the “preaching of the Gospel” to the world, as opposed to some kind of personal predestination for every single Christian who comes to the faith.

This harkens back to Yeshua’s parable of the wedding. When he says “many are called but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). He tells a story that the wedding initially was for specific guests, but they did not turn up, so as a result others were invited in their place. Those called consist of all kinds of people, any who can be found and are willing to consider the invitation:

• “The Kingdom of the heavens (or, of God) is like a man, a king, that arranged a wedding banquet for his son. And thereafter, he sent his slaves out to call all those whom he wished to invite. However, none of the people wanted to come. So then he sent other slaves, giving them these instructions; ‘Tell those whom I invited that Look! The banquet is ready… Bulls and fattened animals have been slaughtered, and everything is prepared, so they should come to the feast! ‘However, none of them paid any attention. One went out to his field, another to his business, and the rest grabbed his slaves, abused them, and then killed them. ‘Of course, this sent the king into a rage! So he sent his army to destroy those murderers and to burn their city. ‘And after he did that, he said to his slaves; The marriage feast is indeed ready, but those whom I invited were unworthy. So, go out to the roads that lead into the city and invite everyone that you can find to my wedding banquet!‘ Therefore, the slaves went out to the roads and they gathered everyone they could find (both the wicked and the good), and the banquet hall was soon filled with people reclining at the tables. But then, when the king came in to inspect the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t properly dressed for a wedding celebration. ‘So he asked him; How did you get in here [dressed like that]?‘ Well, the man was speechless. ‘Then the king said to his servants:Tie him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside, where he can cry and grind his teeth’. For, many are called, but few are chosen’”. – Matthew 22:2-14

A parallel here is drawn between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews were the original ones to be invited to be in the highest part of the Kingdom and to dine with nobility, but because the majority refused to accept, Gentiles of all kinds were invited instead.

This means being “called” does not refer to an “individualistic calling” or predestination, but the call is global, universal to all who will listen, but to be “chosen” can only come through actually doing what Yeshua commands of us, in that we may retain our “wedding clothes”, our white robes of righteousness, whether we be guests of the wedding, or part of the Bride (Revelation 6:11, 7:9, 13, 19:9).

Romans 8:29

Understanding that the calling is not individualistic, but to all who will willingly listen, how do we understand this passage in Romans?

Paul tells us here that God “recognized them ahead of time and chose them”. If God doesn’t control our freewill, this makes more sense to be understood as God’s foreknowledge, and knowing that people would respond to his purpose in advance, in the way that a weatherman may give the forecast. The forecaster doesn’t control the weather, he only tells us what the weather will be.

Or as another example, you may have a friend you know who has a craving for a specific brand of chocolate. You know that if you placed that chocolate on their kitchen counter for them to come across that day, they’d almost most certaintly eat it. You in effect, dicated or changed that person’s future actions by causing them to eat chocolate, yet, it didn’t come at the cost of their freedom of choice.

In the same way, God “knew in advance” of individuals who would respond to the preaching of the Gospel, and therefore made plans in advance to see that through to success.

Hence, being all knowing and living in a timeless place, God is able to choose specific ones for the highest ordination to be on Yeshua’s right and left in the Kingdom (Mark 10:40), based upon their ‘choice’ as free willed individuals to respond to the calling of God, which is expressed to the world via the preaching of the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

Romans 9:18-21

In this passage, we see Paul write what very easily looks to be speaking about predestination and the notion of there being no free will at all.

Paul speaks of God showing mercy and hardening hearts, and then criticises people who would oppose his words when they reason that it makes no sense for God to be angry with anyone who goes against his will, for they would be presumably only doing what God “made them do”.

To understand better what Paul is getting at here, we first should read from the start of the chapter, and also bearing in mind the previous chapter in connection to it, to get a fuller context:

• “…For my conscience testifies with me in Holy Breath (or Spirit) that I’m extremely sad and constantly sick at heart, because I wish that I could be the one who’s cursed by being separated from the Anointed One – instead of my brothers and fleshly relatives, the Israelites. For the adoption as sons, the glory, the Sacred Contract, the Law, the worship, and the promises all belong to these ones. They’re the ones [who descended] from the forefathers, and the ones the Anointed One [came] through, in the flesh… However, God’s Word hasn’t failed in this, because not all who came from [the man] Israel are really [sons of] Israel, nor are Abraham’s descendants his only children. [Isaac’s] fleshly children aren’t all of the children of God, for the children of the promise are considered descendants… For when Rebecca was pregnant with twins from our forefather Isaac, and before they were born or did anything good or bad (just to show that God’s purposes of election don’t depend on the things we do, but on the One who does the choosing) she was told: ‘The older will be the younger [one’s] slave.’ And it was written:‘I loved Jacob, but I didn’t care for Esau.’
  
  So what can we say? Is God unjust? May that never be true! But he told Moses: ‘I’ll show mercy upon whomever I choose to show mercy, and pity upon whomever I choose to feel pity.’ So it doesn’t depend on the one who does the wishing, nor upon the one who does the running, but on the mercy of God! For the Scriptures say that He told the Pharaoh: ‘The reason why I raised you is so that I can show My powers through you, and to have My Name announced throughout the whole earth!’ So the [point is this]: He shows mercy on whomever He wishes to show mercy, and He hardens [the hearts] of whomever He wishes.
  
  Therefore, you might ask:‘ Then why does [God] find fault with anyone who resists His plans?’ O man, who are you to question God? Will the thing that’s made ask its maker; ‘Why did you make me like this?’ For isn’t the potter in charge of his clay? And can’t he make one pot for an honorable use, and another for a dishonorable use? [And all] from the same lump [of clay]? Therefore, God can choose to show His rage and make His power known through whatever pottery He’s had to endure. And if He made it for His rage, then it’s only fit to be destroyed! But He can also show the richness of His glory upon the pots of mercy that He’s prepared ahead of time for glory. Those among us whom He’s called, not just from among the Jews, but also from among the gentiles! ….So this is why we can say that gentiles became righteous (although they weren’t trying to be righteous) with the [kind of] righteousness that comes from faith, while Israel, which was following a righteous Law, just didn’t make it! And why was that so? Because [Israel] didn’t look for it in faith, but in the things that they were doing. They tripped over the ‘stumbling stone.’
  
  …Therefore brothers, the goodwill that I feel in my heart for [the Jews], and what I beg God for, is for them to be saved! For I can swear to the fact that, although they have a zeal for God, they still don’t know [Him]. And since they don’t understand God’s righteous ways, and they’re always trying to prove their own ways to be righteous, they’re unwilling to submit to God’s righteousness. However, the Anointed One fulfilled the Law so that he could bring righteousness to those who have faith.” – Romans 9:1-7, 10–24, 30-32, 10:1-4

We see from the beginning here, that Paul is sad over the state of Israel concerning their mass rejection of Yeshua as their Anointed Lord and Saviour, due to the fact that the reason Yeshua came in the first place, was for them, as all the promises of God had been directed toward Israel since the beginning. But then he is compelled to tell his readers that this should not be considered a “failure” on God’s part, but rather, all according to his purposes.

He then goes on to procceed to explain, how this is so.

He raises the point firstly, that the heirs of the Kingdom and Abraham, are not just the fleshly descends of Israel.

The next point he procceeds to, is trying to prove that God’s purposes and plans for people, be they individuals or entire nations, does not rely upon their actions or reactions to him. He attempts to prove this to be so, is by referring to Rebecca’s twin sons, and how before they were even born or made any choices in which they could be judged by, God arranged that one would be the slave of the other. As opposed to one of the twins being made master because of an achievement, or the other a slave because of sin. And that being God’s will, nothing they could have done in their lives would have changed that outcome, lest God allowed it.

He then relates that example, to say it is to prove that God’s purposes for the ‘election’ of those ‘choosing’ to put faith in Yeshua that he foreknew about in his omniscience, as previously mentioned in Romans 8 which we covered above, was not because of anything they had ‘done’ to “achieve it” ie; works (the “wishing” and the “running”) nor was it dependent on Israel’s actions to succeed, but that it is totally dependant on God’s mercy granting them that opportunity to do so.

It’s important now to remember in this respect, that this passage is speaking about the rejection and hard heartnedness of the Jews, and the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s grand election…

Paul in this respect, moves on to the example from Exodus, where he reminds us that the king of Egypt was “raised” or “allowed to stand” by God’s providence, so that he could make an example out of him by hardening his heart to demonstrate his almightiness to the rest of the world so that we all might put faith in him. In this verse it’s easy to assume that God must have “mind controlled Pharaoh” in order to use him to his advantage. However, we get a very different story when we actually fully read the account Paul is citing:

• “But YHWH made Pharaoh’s heart even harder, so he wouldn’t listen to them and do what YHWH told him to do. And YHWH said to Moses: ‘Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, then tell him that this is what YHWH the God of the Hebrews has said: ‘Send My people away so they can serve Me. For I’ve been sending all My plagues into your heart and into the hearts of your servants and your people, so you’ll know that there isn’t anyone else like Me in the entire earth. And now I’m going to raise My hand to strike you and kill your people, wiping them off of the earth. For, the very reason that you’ve been allowed to live is so that I might display My strength through you, and so that My Name might be advertised throughout the whole world! You’ve taken great pains to keep My people and to not let them go, haven’t you? So look! At this same time tomorrow I’ll bring a hailstorm that will be the worst that Egypt has seen since the time it was founded!’ …But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thundering had stopped, he continued to sin. He hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants. And it was because of this hardened heart that Pharaoh refused to send the children of Israel away as YHWH had instructed him through Moses… Then YHWH spoke to Moses and said: ‘Go to Pharaoh [again], because I’ve hardened the hearts of him and his servants so I could bring these signs upon them. [I did this] so you could tell your children and your children’s children of the many ways that I’ve mocked the Egyptians through the wonders I’ve brought upon them, and so that they’ll know that I am YHWH. Then Moses and Aaron went before PharaOh and said to him: ‘This is what YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How much longer will you refuse to respect Me‘”?“. – Exodus 8:12, 9:13-18, 34, 10:1–3

We see here at first, that it’s easy to interpret that God was somehow controlling the king’s feelings or mind, because he wanted him to refuse to let Israel go to make an example of them.

However, it’s also of note, that God appears to be angry with him, and seems to put blame on the Pharaoh himself for personally refusing to let Israel go and refusing to respect him, and ‘because’ of that sent more plagues. Something here on the surface doesn’t seem quite right…

The assumption here of course which is the cause of this internal inconsistency, is that we’re assuming God is using mind control as his ‘method’ of hardening the Pharaoh’s heart. However, given that God appears to hold him responsible for refusing to let Israel go, it may be our understanding of the ancient language and causations at play here, for the king’s hard heartedness.

If we look further on, we read this interesting passage, which reveals to us a bit of ‘how’ his heart comes to be hardened when he chases after Israel to the Red Sea:

• “Then YHWH said to Moses: ‘Tell the children of Israel to turn around and set up camp in front of the village of the Magdol (the watchtower). Between it and the sea, across from Beel-Sepphon. Camp there in front of them, next to the sea. For Pharaoh will say to his people: ‘The children of Israel are just wandering around in the land, and now they’re boxed in!’ ‘Then I’ll harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. So, Pharaoh and his whole army will bring glory to Me, and all the Egyptians will know that I am YHWH.’ And that’s exactly what happened. Well, a report was carried to the king of the Egyptians that the people had run away. And this changed the hearts of Pharaoh and his servants against the [children of IsraEl], and they started asking: ‘What have we done by allowing the children of Israel to go, rather than having them [stay here and] serve us?’ So Pharaoh prepared his chariots and took his [whole army] with him. 600 of their best chariots, the entire Egyptian cavalry, and all his generals! And it was because YHWH had hardened the hearts of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and his servants that he chased after the children of IsraEl. For the children of Israel allowed them the upper hand…“ – Exodus 14:1-8

What we see here, is that when the king had his heart hardened, it wasn’t God mind controlling him, but we see it was done simply by making Israel set camp by the Red Sea, and then having a letter sent to the king of the report, which ‘in turn’ caused his heart to harden.

Only then, is YHWH given the attribution of him hardening his heart. Yah had merely used the king’s ‘own’ selfish desires and wicknedness against him, by goading him to the Red Sea, causing his heart to harden, not by control, but by playing on his own arrogance, ‘giving him’ what he ‘already wanted’ of his ‘own accord’.

Thus, this gives us insight to the manner in which YHWH is said to have hardened Pharaoh. If it had been mind control, then God would not have needed to use a report as the means to “make his heart change”, but only to make him desire to go out to chase Israel regardless of where they were, or what position they were in.

This then might explain the nature of the hardening of his heart when the plagues came down, and God kept ordering him to let his people go. Rather than God seemingly acting like he has a split personality, his orders to the king were genuine, as were the motivations of his punishments in light of the king’s refusal to obey God. As a result, God took advantage of the king’s own self inflicted arrogance and evil heart, by making him all the more angry when he sent the plagues, in order that his power be justly demonstrated. Thus also explaining why we’re told in some verses that it was also Pharoah who was “hardening his own heart” (Exodus 7:14, 7:22, 8:15, 9:34).

So with our slight detour complete, and understanding the nature of how God hardened the Pharoah’s heart via his ‘own’ sinful pride, we can get back to Paul’s letter to the Romans and his application of this passage.

The main point of the citation by Paul, is to show that God can use others, whether they be for or against him, to accomplish his greater purposes. And that God is not reliant on people’s merits, actions, or otherwise, to do this. So just like Egypt, whether Israel chooses to be obedient or not, God is still able to use them to acheive his goal, and even make an advantage out of it.

Paul likens such people to a potter with clay. God is able to mould the piece of clay he has to work with, using even the same lump of clay for both “honourable” and “dishonurable” uses. And that whatever he makes it or uses it to be, he then has the right to do with it as he sees fit. Paul’s words here likely being a reference to a scripture in Isaiah, which speaks of God dealing with rebellious nations and people as he sees fit:

• “So, woe to those who’ve come up with plans that haven’t been approved by YHWH! And woe to those who make them in secret, as they do things in darkness and ask: ‘Since no one can see us or recognize us, who can know what we’re doing?’ Aren’t you just clay in the hands of a potter? So can the thing that is shaped say to its shaper: ‘You’re not the one who has shaped me?’ Or can something that’s made say to its maker: ‘I don’t like the way that you made me‘?”. – Isaiah 29:15-16

Paul’s reference to Isaiah showcases the complete powerlessness of the enemies of Yah, for as their maker, he can make them comply, mould them for another use, or just smash them completely as he wills.

Paul then goes on to hammer down the point that salvation wasn’t just planned for the Jews, but also the Gentiles, and that the means of the Gentile’s salvation was going to be through Israel, whether they liked it or not, because they are his “clay” to be used how he deems fit, and whether he chooses to destroy them or save them in the proccess, is God’s prerogative, and not based on anything they do or don’t do.

Hence, Paul’s insistence that Israel’s treachery is not a failure of God, because he can still make use of them to complete his plan, and he goes on further to show that their disobedience indeed has since served as an advantage in this respect.

He further explains, that the salvation of the Gentiles, comes through their faith, and not who they are, where they came from, or in being under the Mosaic Law. In contrast, he says Israel is being rejected by God, because of their ‘own’ “lack of understanding”, and their ‘own’ insistence on trying to be righteous “their way”, by rejecting the blood of their Messiah and instead relying the works of the Law (a core theme in Paul’s letters to the Romans). Not because God had ‘made them’ act that way.

He thus goes on to say:

• “Notice that Moses wrote: ‘You must follow all My rules and all My decisions. Yes, follow them in such a way [that you learn to] live by them.’ Yet, righteousness that’s based on faith says that you shouldn’t ask yourself, ‘Who could ascend into the heavens (to bring the Anointed One down)?’ or, ‘Who could descend into the abyss (to bring the Anointed One up from the dead)?’ No, what does it say? That the words are close to you; they’re in your mouths and in your hearts. And these are the words of faith that we’re preaching! So if you confess and say the words in your mouths that Yeshua is Lord, and if you truly believe in your hearts that God raised him from the dead, you’ll be saved! For heart-felt faith [moves you to] righteousness, and your mouth’s confession of this [leads you to] salvation. And the Scriptures tell us: ‘Those who believe in him will never be shamed.’ Therefore, there’s really no difference between Jews or Greeks, because we all have the same Lord, and he provides abundantly for all those who call on him”. – Romans 10:5-12

The point being here, that Israel is ‘refusing’ salvation, because they reject the notion that it is not the Law in itself that saves, but faith. And by that faith, the Gentiles can be saved through Israel and its Messiah as was always intended, even ‘if’ the rest of Israel has rejected him.

He then wraps this all up nicely when it comes to chapter 11. In explaining how the ‘choice’ of the hardness of Israel, which God had always foreknew would happen from the beginning, is being used to God’s advantage and purpose in his grand scheme:

• “So let me ask: Has God pushed His people away? May that never be so! I’m also an Israelite! I’m the descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin, and God hasn’t rejected these people whom He knew first! …However, [receiving] His loving care doesn’t come to them just because they’re [obeying the Law]! For if it did, His loving care wouldn’t really be loving care. So what happened to Israel? Well, not all of them received the things that they were seeking, just the ones who’d been chosen from among them received it, while the rest just became more obstinate, yes, just as it’s written, God gave them a spirit to slumber so that their eyes haven’t seen, and that their ears haven’t heard – down to this very day! …they’ve been missing out as the gentiles were being saved, in order to make them jealous. But if their missing out has enriched the world, and if their failures have enriched the gentiles, how much more will result when they’re included? …some of the branches were broken off so that you ‘wild olives’ could be grafted in, you’ve become sharers in the fatness of that olive [tree’s] roots… They were broken off because they lacked faith, and you’ve taken their places because you have faith… So, although those who’ve fallen have been cut off and you’re now receiving God’s loving care, it’s only yours for as long as you stay in that [good relationship], because you can be pruned off too! And then, if [the Jews] don’t continue in their disbelief, they’ll be grafted back in, since God can graft them back in again! …Brothers, I don’t want you to ignore this mystery, so you don’t become too wise in your own eyes: Israel is being allowed to become calloused until the full number of gentiles come in… Therefore, from the standpoint of the good news, they’e become His enemies for your sakes! But from the standpoint of the choosing, they’re the ones who are loved because of their ancestors, since the loving gifts of God and His calling are irrevocable! So, just as you were once disobedient to God, but have now been shown mercy [despite your] disobedience… They’re now being disobedient. Yet, because you were shown mercy, they may also be shown mercy. Yes, God has locked them up together in disobedience, so that He might show mercy to all of us.
  
  So I beg you by the compassion of God, brothers, to offer your bodies as living, holy sacrifices that are pleasing to God, and to serve Him in sensible ways. Don’t [allow yourselves] to be molded by this system of things. Instead, be transformed by renewing your minds, so that you come to think well of the good, pleasing, and perfect Will of The God.”. – Romans 11:1-2, 6-8, 12, 17, 19, 22–23, 25, 28-32, 12:1-2

God we see, “allowing” the Israelites to become blind and hard hearted, lets them remain that way, and according to Paul he even “provokes it” in the manner he provoked Pharoah via his own arrogance, until his will for as many Gentiles to come to salvation is complete -of whom Paul tells us come to the Lord “through their own faith”.

Then he will tend to Israel once more, insisting that their blindness is not forever. But at the same time, Paul insists that the “jealously provoked” God is using the Gentiles to his advantage for, will be the ‘motivation’ in part, to help some of them change their hearts and return to God and have faith in the Lord Yeshua.

Hence, we see here in action, God “moving the hearts” of Israel, by circumstance and action, not mind control or personal predestination. Otherwise, they’d be no need for “jealousy” to make them act – he could merely just “force them to believe”. And so by the same warning, Paul tells Gentiles in the faith, to “stay in good relationship” with God, and to not become rebellious against him, as Israel have, lest they suffer the same fate of being “broken off from the tree” which is God’s salvation in the Lord Yeshua.

We see that God predestines his unstoppable purposes, through the people he uses, moulding them into his will in accordance to who they are, whilst also retaining their free will and personal responsbility in the proccess.

Galatians 1:15

On the theme of understanding the above passages in Romans 8–9, we can understand how Paul was “seperated” or “chosen” from the womb before he was born, for God’s purpose.

Paul was not forced or mind controlled into his faith or mission, but God, knowing him and his future before he was born, was able to make plans for him, knowing in advance how he would respond.

Paul himself tells us that he did not consider himself “predestined” or “guaranteed” to have salvation, for he says “he did not consider himself to have gained the prize” and that he was intent on running the race for life to completion.

• “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which [the] Anointed Yeshua took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in [the] Anointed Yeshua”. – Philippians 3:12-14

Therefore, we see that, whilst it is indeed possible for God to call us and make plans for us as individuals in his service, it is never at the expense of our freewill. Faith is something all Christians “choose”, and it is an intrinsic part of God’s justice, and of his Son’s end judgement upon us all.

The Consequences of Calvinism & Monergism

The notion that no person has true free will to ‘choose’ to obey God and put faith in his Son when he calls out to us all, has several consequences and ramifications when it comes to both ourselves and God’s character.

An Unjust God

The first, is that it makes out our wonderful and forgiving God to be cruel and merciless, that he “picks and chooses” who he wants, not based on their faith, efforts, or conduct, or willingness, but arbitrarily.

A murderer, rapist and child molester is made to be that way by God, not because of his own choices, and is condemned, whilst the faithful Christian who is saved, likewise isn’t putting faith in Yeshua conscientiously. Rather, everybody is just an actor, or NPC in a play written by God for his own will and entertainment.

Does this sound fair, or just? Is that how we are to understand salvation? As predestined roboticsm? Does this sound like our God Yah? Or his Anointed Son, Yeshua? I would not say so.

• Zephaniah 2:3: “Seek YHWH, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of YHWH’s anger“.

The scriptures have always approved of those who seek God, who strive for goodness. Never has it promoted the idea that only those who are remote controlled or chosen in advance by God are to be saved, no, but those who willingly seek him and by their own freewill conform to his ways.

God Acts Against His Own Desires

In believing God pre-destines some to be saved and some to be condemned, is to believe God acts against his own desires as written in scripture:

• “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”. – John 3:17
• “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
• “The Lord (YHWH) is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance“. – 2 Peter 3:9

As it is God’s will is for all to be saved, for Calvinism and Monergism to be true, he would have ‘predestine’ for all to accept the Gospel, but we know that not all will be saved, but some will be condmened to eternal destruction.

If both salvation and condemnation depends on God’s pre-destining or controlling individuals to accept or reject him, this then would require that God acts against his own will and desires for all to be saved.

However, it makes for more sense that God’s will is that whilst he desires all to be saved, he also desires us to have freedom of choice in the matter, of which then ‘requires’ judgement.

Denial of Responsibility

The denial of free will and choice would take away any and all sense of responsibility before God, instead it asserts that you are selected, saved, no matter what ‘you’ do to stop it, or what anyone else may do to stop it.

However, it’s clear throughout the scriptures of the New Testament, that our “heart condition” must be maintained through manual, conscious effort, dedication and prayer to God. A loyal Christian, ‘if’ having their heart in the right place, will not “bring themselves” to “practice” sin, again that word “practice” which means “to make a continual habit of” or to “willingly do” without repentance.

God judges us because we ‘are’ responsible for our choices (Romans 2:6).

Promotion of Egotism

Some, though not all, of such beliefs, in my own experience, have also been very egotistic if not narcissistic.

Many I have encountered beleive they are inherently ‘better’ than other people because they have been predestined to be saved whilst others have not, therefore making an “us vs them” mentality, seen in cults and other superiority groups, such as racial superiority and alike.

God tells us however, that nobody is naturally superior to one another, even when he ‘does’ choose them for a certain task or responsibility (Deuteronomy 7:7, Luke 13:2-3).

Stumbling the Faith of Others

The final reason I believe Calvinist and Mongerist doctrines are evil, is because it denies all people their chance of repentance of sin and devalues their efforts to please and turn to God.

It puts down and robs the hope of those who might be “considering” faith in Yeshua, and those who are striving to be as perfect as they can toward Yeshua in all things, fighting against their fleshly inclinations. Even worse, I feel it may even cause both those who are undecided, and faithful Christians, to completely give up on their faith because they believe they are not loved by God enough to be “chosen”, and upon waiting for some “miracle” to happen to tell them they are of the pre-elect, they never put faith in God.

In this the scriptures give a grave warning:

• Mark 9:42: “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea”.
• Ezekiel 3:18: “When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”
  

Conclusion

To conclude with an overview.

We see that predestination does not refer to God controlling us as individuals and arbitrarily selecting who will be saved and who won’t. Such a kind of predstination and mind control would not be consistent with God’s sense of justice, for he fairly judges all people according to their own deeds done of their own free will, and hence has provided us with clear warnings and guidance in scripture on how to remain in God’s good graces.

It is made clear, God does not cause people to sin, for he does not even “tempt” us to do evil, rather the evils we do ultimately come from our own hearts and desires:

• “When tempted, no one should say; ‘God is tempting me‘, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted by his own evil desires, by which they are lured away and baited“. – James 1:13-14

As is written, “God desires all to be saved” (John 3:17, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9, Ezekiel 18:23). It is his ‘will’ that he wishes all humans to accept the salvation he has offered through the Lord Yeshua, and that nobody perish. And therefore, the only way for Calvinism, Monergism, or any other kind of pre-destination of individuals to be true, would be to believe in some form of universalist salvation, that all people will be saved and not a ‘single’ soul will be condemned to Gehenna. For if God’s will is for all to be saved, and salvation only comes from individualistic election by means of mind control or fate, then he would ‘predestine’ for all to accept the Gospel.

Rather, we see that is the Gospel ‘message’ that is predestined, the appointment of a spiritual nation, in which he moulded Israel as his clay to achieve, regardless of their obedience or disobedience. And that salvation and invitation to that spiritual nation that has come of the Gospel is open to any and all who will listen, both to those who will be elected to be the highest ranks of kings, priests and judges of the kingdom at Yeshua’s side (Matthew 20:23), and those who won’t be (Romans 8:23).

Just as it was for the ‘physical nation’ of Israel when they were ‘selected’ by God, all such individuals within that nation had to ‘choose’ to obey God in such a calling (Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 30:19). The greater ‘spiritual nation’ of Israel of which all people, Jew and Gentile are being called to by means of the Gospel that God has put out into the world by means of his Son, requires the same of us.

God has “poured out his spirit on all people” (John 6:44-45, Acts 2:14-21, 39), and so ‘everyone’ has been selected and called to for salvation, but it’s up to all of us to ‘pay attention’ to that calling from God and conciously respond to it (Acts 2:36-40, Acts 13:46-48).

The whole creation will benefit eventually from the work of Lord Yeshua, but it has been appointed by God to the whole world of both Jews and non-Jews, that those who respond right now have the chance to be given the highest privileges and positions of that Kingdom, to be at Yeshua’s side, and will be responsible for feeding the crumbs to the rest of the world in the New Earth to come, guiding them to eternal life and reconcilation to God.