Reconciling Election & Free Will

by Michael Wrenn

It’s obvious to any diligent student of the Bible that both “election,” and “free will” are taught in the Scriptures.  Some would say that we cannot have both, yet the Bible clearly defines both as a theological truth and reality. The Apostle Paul states:

 “God 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 the adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind attention of His will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Here we see the clear biblical doctrine of election and predestination. The problem with which many may struggle is defined in reconciling this doctrine with free will, which is also clearly demonstrated in Scripture.  What do those who prescribe and adhere to the so-called “Limited Atonement” do with the words of John as noted next? Did Christ die only for the “Elect,” or “for those of the whole world?”

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD”

 (1 John 2:2).

 If you come to Christ according to God’s direction, God has chosen to save you; He has elected you to salvation, and at the same time given you an option of accepting or denying His offer.  God chooses and we respond!  It would be impossible for us to respond to Him, unless He first chose us.  “We love Him, because He first loved us;” likewise, if we choose Him, it’s because He first chose us. Jesus said: “you have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.”  It would have been impossible for anyone to respond to Christ, if He had not first chosen us.

Now, let’s take a look at the issue of free will which is clearly defined in Scripture as well, and perhaps we should begin with the issue of how salvation is acquired according to the Word of God.

“That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved”

(Romans 10:9).  

Please note that Paul places no qualifications, no limits on who may “confess with the mouth, and believe in the heart.” He does not clarify by explaining this only applies to an elite few, a special few.

Perhaps at this point we should also point out what I believe to be a very important statement made by Jesus, who said; “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, WILL DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF’ (John 12:32). Get this!  Notice that Jesus does not say “I will draw only the elect to Myself,” no, He says He will draw “ALL MEN.”  Therefore, the call of God has gone out to “ALL MEN.”

 Jesus also said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).  We just read in John chapter twelve where Jesus said He word “draw all men.” Was Jesus mistaken when He said He would “draw all men?” Should He not have said, “I will only draw the elect?”  So we see here that God indeed did “choose us.”  And yes, God is the one who draws all men and initiates the work of salvation. 

Free will enters into the equation when man decides to accept God’s offer, which has clearly been offered to “whosoever will.”  God “draws all men,” and those who respond to Him are not turned away, as Jesus said; “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).  Who does the Father give to Jesus?  Those who come to Him, those who respond to Him when He draws them.  How do they come?  By free will, they respond to God’s drawing, but they may also choose to turn aside and reject God’s drawing. They have to capacity to say no, just as Adam and Eve had the capacity to disobey God’s command to not eat of tree. 

When the phone rings, you have two options: you can answer it, or ignore it.  “Many are called, but few are chosen.”  God has chosen those who will answer the call, and those who answer the call, “God has predestined to the adoption of sons.”  Those who answer the call of their own free will are predestined to be “conformed to the image and likeness of Christ.” Predestination only applies to those who accept God’s offer of salvation, and they are predestined to Christ likeness.

Now, let’s look at this issue of free will as taught in Scripture.  We have established that Christ died for the “sins of the whole world,” that is according to John. The issue of free will is vividly displayed in the “whosoever’s” and the “everyone’s” of Scripture:

“Therefore EVERYONE who confesses Me before men, I will also confess before My Father in heaven. But WHOEVER denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). 

God has clearly given man a free will, the will to confess or deny Him, and man does one of the two when he is drawn to Christ.

“So that WHOEVER believes in Him has eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15-16). 

Notice here again, no qualifications, no declaration which says only “the elect who believe will not perish.”  No, it’s WHOEVER answers the call and responds positively to the drawing, they are defined as the elect, and they are predestined.  God does not make the choice for them, He chose to call them and save them, IF they so respond to His drawing. He chose to elect and predestine those who accept the offer.

“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name EVERYONE who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43).

Who receives forgiveness of sins?  “EVERYONE” who believes, and we believe by accepting God’s offer, of which He has made to “EVERYONE.”

“For WHOEVER WILL call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). 

Notice that word “WILL,” the “WHOEVER” here must exercise their “WILL;” their free will to receive God’s free gift.

“The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one WHO WISHES take of the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).  

Are you thirsty for life, do you wish to be saved?  God has made the offer, God has made the call, God has “chosen you from the foundations of the world.”  But you must CHOOSE TO COME by responding and answering the call.

Let us close with a very powerful Scripture from the Word of God:

  

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for ALL TO COME TO REPENTANCE” (2 Peter 3:9). 

My friend, you should very well know what “ALL” means.  John said that Jesus died for the “whole world,” that’s “ALL” my friend.  Also notice here what God wishes “that none perish, and ALL come to repentance.”  Now if election and predestination are defined as some seek to define them, this verse presents a real problem, and many of them do everything, even twist Scripture, to find a way around this in order to dispute the free will of man.  God “WISHES” that none would perish, and as we just read from Revelation 22:17, God makes the offer of the water of life free to those “WHO WISH, to whosoever will.” 

I conclude with my own convictions.  After studying the various theories, theologies, suggestions, and philosophies on this issue, and wrestling with it over the years, I have come to this conclusion.  Just as I do not fully understand, and cannot fully comprehend the Trinity, neither can I fully understand nor comprehend this complicated issue of reconciling Election and Free Will.  In my own quest to find a resting place, I have found rest in this:  God in eternity past chose to send His Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the “whole world,” and Jesus accommodated by accomplishing His mission.  God chose and determined to draw all men unto salvation via the lifting up of Jesus Christ.  God also determined that those who respond to the drawing would be defined as the elect, and therefore predestined to glorification. 

The offer stands to ALL, for Jesus died for ALL, and WHOSOEVER responds to the call can be defined as the Elect, and can rest in the assurance of eternal life because the saved have been predestined to perfection, and what God begins, He finishes.