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Free Will or Predestination—What Is the Truth?

Free Will or Predestination—What Is the Truth?

Do you believe in free will, that your choices matter, that you determine the eternal outcome of your life? Or do you believe in predestination, that you really don’t have freedom, that God has predetermined what will happen to you and for you, and that it is God’s choices alone that determine your eternal destiny?

This is a long-standing debate, going back centuries, within Christianity, leading to two general theological views:

  • Arminianism, which is named after Jacobus Arminius, is the belief in free will—that our salvation is dependent upon our individual choice.
  • Calvinism, which is named after John Calvin, is the view that God alone decides who is saved and who is lost.

There are sincere, loving Christians on both sides of this debate, yet these views are mutually exclusive, meaning they both cannot be true. It really is one or the other.

So how can we know which view is true and which one is the misperceived view? By understanding God’s design laws, how reality actually works. As we unpack the core principles of Calvinism, we will discover that one of these two views is an expression of reality, God’s design laws, while the other is built on claims, assertions, and proclamations—not testable evidence.

Indeed, one of these views, if true, would destroy love. And that is why it really does make a difference which view we hold, because our beliefs change us—meaning we want to be lovers of the truth, for the truth always leads us to ever-increasing intimacy with Jesus, the source of all truth.

Historic Calvinism has five main pillars, and proponents of that view use the acronym TULIP to remember and teach them:

T—Total Depravity. This is the idea that all humans are born corrupt, at enmity with God, possessing a carnal nature that naturally wars against God, and that we can do nothing to change it.

In this view, total depravity means that we are so corrupt, so sinful, so selfish, so darkened, that we have no ability to respond to God and accept His offer of salvation.

There are several problems with this position. First, it fails to recognize that God (Genesis 3)—as soon as Adam and Eve broke trust with Him and corrupted themselves with sin—immediately interceded in the human condition and put enmity between Satan and sinful humans. This means that God intervened to prevent our sinful nature from having absolute sway over our power of choice. God intervened in humanity and placed a desire for something better, a longing for healing, reconciliation, for freedom from fear and selfishness. God intervenes in every heart to convict and woo us by His Spirit, and though we are still tempted by our carnal natures, God’s intervention has protected our liberty, our power to choose, so that we do have the ability to choose to surrender to Him for complete healing and salvation.

When we choose God, we open the heart to Him and then receive the indwelling Spirit, which provides the divine power to resist sin and live victoriously. In other words, while we cannot overcome sin by our choice or by our power, we do have the power to choose to trust Jesus, surrender our lives to Him, open the heart and invite Him in, and He heals and transforms us.

Another problem with the theory of total depravity is that it doesn’t represent Adam and Eve after sin; it more accurately represents the sinner at the end of time, the eternally lost, who have rejected God’s love, have despised truth, have persistently chosen over and again the lies, fear, and selfishness that sears the conscience, warps the character, and hardens the heart.

Sin persisted in eventually destroys the faculties that are sensitive to the movements of the Spirit of truth and love. When those faculties are fully destroyed, a person then enters into a state of total depravity, a state in which no amount of truth or love has any more impact upon them. But how does a person end up in such a state? By the exercise of their power of choice to reject every entreaty from God, thus hardening their heart beyond healing—just as Pharaoh did. For an exploration of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart demonstrating God’s role and Pharaoh’s role and how Pharaoh was the one who actually hardened his own heart, see my blog God Is in Control of What?

U—Unconditional Election. In Calvinism, this means that God chooses to give some people eternal life because He wills it regardless of what that person wants, chooses, or does. God’s election is sovereign and overrules any choice on the part of the sinner—and this view is claimed by Calvinists to be an evidence of God’s love.

But this is a gross perversity of God’s agape love; it is, in reality, a violation of the design laws of love and liberty, teaching that love is authoritarian and domineering, that it forces it way and doesn’t grant real freedom. The laws of love and liberty reveal that it is impossible to experience genuine love without freedom. Further, if God were to do this, it would erase the individuality of the sinner, making instead a programmed robot.

L—Limited Atonement. Calvinism teaches that the atonement was made only for the elect, not for all humans, that Jesus’ death did not make it possible for all human beings to come to salvation, but only those whom God has chosen to save.

They make this argument for several reasons, but all of them are based in multiple layers of false assumptions. Calvinists believe the lie that God’s law functions like human law and, therefore, that Jesus’ death was necessary to pay our legal sin debt—rather than the truth that after Adam sinned, humankind was “dead in trespass and sin” (had a terminal sin condition) and that without a remedy would die.

They fail to recognize that when Adam sinned, neither God nor His law changed—and, thus, nothing needed to be done to fix God or His law, but that, in fact, the actual condition of Adam and Eve was changed. The first humans were changed from beings operating upon God’s design law of love to beings infected with fear and selfishness (carnal nature) and without eradicating the infection of fear and selfishness and restoring God’s design law of love within, all humans would die. “Those who sow to the carnal nature, from that nature reap destruction” (Galatians 6:8). Thus, Jesus came as the second Adam, taking up our nature, being tempted in all points like we are (Hebrews 4:15) yet without sin, thereby “destroying death and bring life and immortality to life” (2 Timothy 1:10).

This distortion of God’s law as imperial (God making up rules and then enforcing His law through externally inflicted punishment) leads to a distorted view of the atonement. Calvinists ask questions, “If Christ’s death was for all men, then why are all men not saved?” “Couldn’t a sovereign God save all men if He wanted to?” Thus, because they misunderstand God’s law, they misunderstand God’s sovereignty and think that whatever happens, like some people being lost, is because God wants them lost, otherwise, God would choose to use His power to save them. Worse, they claim that God is the one who chooses for them to not only be lost, but to burn in hell.

When we understand God’s law as design protocols for life, such conflicts resolve because we understand His sovereignty correctly. God as the Creator built reality to operate upon design protocols, the supreme one being love, and genuine love requires genuine freedom. Robots cannot love. Thus, God sustains and maintains His laws, including liberty, which means that some freely choose to reject the love and life that God offers.

I—Irresistible Grace. This means that whomever God decides to hit with His grace, they are unable to resist it and will be saved. According to this teaching, God’s grace cannot be resisted. Thus, only those whom God chooses are saved. The lost are lost because God didn’t choose them and didn’t hit them with irresistible grace. This view corrupts the truth of God’s character of love by teaching that God, apparently, just doesn’t love everyone enough to be bothered to dispense His grace on everyone and, thereby, save everyone. But such behavior, if it were to occur, would be a violation of the law of liberty, and would erase individuality, destroy personhood, create puppets, and make human beings devoid of the image of God.

Who really wants to destroy the image of God in man? This doctrine teaches ideas that if they were true would result in the destruction of individuality, identity, the capacity to think and do, and the ability to love, creating mere robots controlled by the supreme power.

And what kind of god would God be if He actually operated this way? This is exactly Satan’s view of God—a being who arbitrarily chooses to do things—such as make up laws and then enforce them by inflicted punishments.

P—Preservation of the Saints. This means that if God has chosen you and has hit you with His irresistible grace, then He will preserve you so that you can never be lost. It is a form of “once saved always saved,” but even more corrupt because in the Calvinist view, you don’t even have to initially choose to be saved. You are a passive pawn in the hands of a controlling god.

Again, such a view destroys individuality and the ability to love because we have no freedom and are merely puppets directed by the whims of God.

Arminianism advances the principles of free will, that God provides what is necessary for salvation for all human beings but that each person must choose to accept what God offers. This view retains our individuality and is in harmony with the laws of love and liberty; thus, it advances the restoration of the image of God within and retains our ability to love.

Arminianism has widespread support in the Christian church—Methodist, Baptist, and Adventist, and many others have traditionally embraced the teaching that God has granted free will to humanity.

Understanding the real issues in this debate is about God’s law, which is a direct manifestation of God’s character. Imposed law is the law of dictators. Design law is the law of our Creator. Imposed law takes away freedom and destroys love. Design law is the basis of freedom and the manifestation of love.

I invite you to reject the imposed-law lies and choose life, love, and freedom by embracing the design-law reality of our Creator God of love.

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Testimony 45

I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 72

I am blown away by the truth that you present. God’s Design Law makes so much sense! You have validated my impression that, if God is love, He would not kill those who don’t want to know him. If God gives us choice, then how can He destroy us if our choice is not to follow him. Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the pure love of God seen through Jesus. The love I now have for Jesus is deeper and free from condemnation. My heart has been opened to love others as Jesus loves me. May God continue to bless your God-given insight into His word and your ministry. The truth has set me free!

H. Miller, Centereach, NY

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 42

I am just writing to say that I have been so blessed by the teachings of Come And Reason Minitries recently. I watched last week’s bible study lesson on Youtube and am thankful that the error in the printed lesson guide you use was pointed out and this week’s study was of equal benefit, if not more so. My understanding of God’s nature has been very confused of late and I am so grateful for clarity in this matter. I have never really fully understood previously how a good God can cause bad things to happen and now I realise that He doesn’t, it’s a natural consequence of sin. May the almighty Father and His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, continue to bless your ministry.

Laura P., United Kingdom

 

Testimony 22

I have found your Bible study class lectures to be very inspiring and useful as I prepare to teach class every other week. I subscribe to the podcast and download your notes on the weeks I teach. The audio and notes are such a great help in preparing. My own understanding of God’s character has grown as I teach the class. Commendations on the thought-provoking and well-prepared material Come and Reason provides. Personally, I get excited by the tie you make between the spiritual and mental/physical domains.

A.A. Corrales, NM, USA

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 68

Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

Laura G., London, Ontario, Canada

 

Testimony 31

It was very touching to hear the testimony of your class share how viewing God’s true character has changed their lives. My feelings are the same – there is so much freedom in knowing that God LOVES me – regardless of my… just, REGARDLESS! I’m still blown away by the true gospel, the fact that God is not ready to strike us when we fail. He is not arbitrary. He simply loves us and warns of the natural consequences because He can’t stand to see us suffer. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS GOD!!!

Ceil V.,  UT, USA

 

Testimony 27

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 53

I was so blessed by a friend who gave me your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” while I was sitting in church asking God to please help me learn more about Him and help me not to be so confused and scared. That was about 2 years ago. Your books have helped me to love God even more. I’m not confused or scared anymore! I have listened to all of your bible study classes and feel like I know the wonderful people that attend every week. Thank you for all that you’re doing in spreading the true message about God and His law of love. God bless you and your whole class.

Elssy P., Modesto, CA, USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA