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What is predestination, and do we have free will?

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Short answer

Predestination is the Bible's language for God determining beforehand the destiny of his people. The words are plainly there: God chose people in Christ before the world was made (Ephesians 1:4), predestined them (Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:29; Romans 8:30), and calls them according to his purpose (2 Timothy 1:9).

The Bible also holds people genuinely responsible for their choices, commands everyone everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), and says God wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

Christians have argued for centuries about how those two run together. Every major view affirms both sets of texts; they differ on how the two fit. The positions are below, and none is endorsed here. All of them acknowledge that something here stays a mystery, and differ mainly on where the mystery sits.

Question

What is predestination, and do we have free will?

Analysis

The main views

ViewHow it fits sovereignty and choice togetherHeld by
Unconditional election (Calvinist / Reformed)God chooses individuals for salvation out of his own good pleasure, not on the basis of anything foreseen in them. Human beings choose freely in that they act according to their strongest desire, but apart from grace no one desires God. Grace effectually brings the chosen to faith.Reformed; Presbyterian; many Baptists
Conditional election (Arminian / Wesleyan)God's choice is made in light of foreseen faith. God gives prevenient grace that restores the ability to respond, so the offer is genuinely open and genuinely refusable.Methodist; Wesleyan; most Pentecostal; Free Will Baptist
Corporate electionThe primary object of election is a people rather than a list of individuals: God chose Christ, and chose the church in him. Individuals are elect by belonging to that people.Held across traditions, common in recent Pauline scholarship
Molinism (middle knowledge)God knows not only what will happen but what any person would freely do in any circumstance, and providentially arranges circumstances accordingly. Sovereignty is complete and choices remain free.Many Catholic thinkers; some evangelicals
Thomist / classical CatholicGod's grace moves the will infallibly and yet does not coerce it, because God works through the will's own nature rather than against it.Roman Catholic tradition, Dominican strand

The texts each side leans on

What is agreed

PointWhere Scripture speaks
Salvation is God's initiative, not a human achievementEphesians 2:8; Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5
People are truly responsible for rejecting GodJohn 3:19; Acts 7:51; Romans 1:20
The gospel is to be preached to everyoneMatthew 28:19; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:14
God is not the author of evilJames 1:13
Something here is beyond usDeuteronomy 29:29; Romans 11:33; Isaiah 55:8; Isaiah 55:9

A note on how the debate is often misstated

Neither main side teaches what it is usually accused of. The Reformed position does not teach that people are dragged unwillingly, and it holds evangelism to be commanded and effective. The Arminian position does not teach that people save themselves, and it holds that no one comes to God without grace going first. Most of the heat in this argument comes from each side answering a caricature of the other.

Sources, trace every one

Every cited verse, in full. Tap any reference to open it in the reader.

  • Ephesians 1:4bsb

    For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love

  • Ephesians 1:5bsb

    He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

  • Ephesians 1:11bsb

    In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,

  • Romans 8:29bsb

    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 8:30bsb

    And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

  • 2 Timothy 1:9bsb

    He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

  • Acts 17:30bsb

    Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

  • 1 Timothy 2:4bsb

    who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

  • 2 Peter 3:9bsb

    The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

  • Romans 9:11bsb

    Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

  • Romans 9:15bsb

    For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

  • Romans 9:16bsb

    So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

  • Romans 9:18bsb

    Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

  • Acts 13:48bsb

    When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

  • John 6:44bsb

    “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

  • John 6:65bsb

    Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”

On contested questions we show every major view, attributed and cited, and pick no winner. Answers are synthesized from primary sources, truth you can trace, not opinion.

What is predestination, and do we have free will? · Bubble Bible