Predestination without a Choice?

God has predestined everyone as either a vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor. Some say that this means that no one truly has a choice about whether they are saved or not, but this is not true. Because God knows the end of everything, He knows who belongs to Him because they make the choice to choose Him and so He ordained them from the beginning. Being predestined by God does not mean that God randomly picks people who will be evil and who will be good. We absolutely have a choice. In the very beginning of the book of Genesis, Eve had a choice, but because she chose to believe a lie through temptation, she failed. People who believe that no one has a choice in our salvation due to predestination are also contradicting other scriptures in the Bible. Here are several scriptures that show us that we have a choice:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~John 3:16 KJV

Notice that Jesus died for the whole world, not just a portion of it. This gives people a chance to believe.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3:9 KJV

The above scripture shows us once again, that He waits for people to repent. This shows us that they have a choice in the matter of their salvation. In the next passage below, Jesus gives advice in Revelation.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. ~Revelation 3:15-19 KJV

Notice that Jesus is warning the lukewarm Christian. Since He already knows every choice they will ever make, He is telling them to make a choice by being zealous and repenting before He comes.

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. ~John 3:17-21 KJV

Notice that Jesus again desires for the world to be saved, but He knows that not everyone is going to walk in Him so the Word is correct in using the term “might.” Because of predestination, we know that God knows who will choose the light and succeed, and who will choose darkness and fail. This is why there are warnings from Jesus and commands from the apostles to warn one another in the body of Christ within the proper order and context that He has laid out for us in His word, which is perfect. Otherwise, what would be the point of warning, but to give a person an opportunity to choose to change.

People who believe that no one has a choice in the vessel that God gives them, are usually those who believe that they are the “chosen ones” who recite scriptural phrases like “no one can pluck them out of His hand.” However, the scriptures refer to those who specifically hear Him, He knows them, and they follow Him.

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” ~John 10:25-30 KJV

So we know that these are not only important aspects of belonging to the Lord, people have to make the right choices. Notice Jesus is talking about hearing. Here’s another passage,

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. ~Matthew 7:24-27 KJV

Notice in the above passage, the Lord makes a clear distinction when He spoke to the Jewish hypocrites who asked Him to tell them plainly whether or not He was the Christ. The first points we should recognize are that Jesus uses the words whosoever and every one. Right away this tells us that all people have a choice. The previous point that Jesus makes in the other passage is that His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. This means that they are following His Word, which is also a choice. Again, in the second passage, from Jesus’ speech we see that He is talking to every one “who hears His sayings.” Therefore, to those who are believing false doctrines, it is obvious that even when they hear Jesus’ voice, they are still unable to follow His Word because they have to first repent of their belief. For us to discover why they hear, but cannot follow, look to the “seed of the sower” parable. Here’s a portion:

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. ~Luke 8:5 KJV

Though we are predestined, people definitely have a choice on how they build their foundation and there are many scriptures in the New Testament that continue to make the point of choice. However, many who ignore these scriptural references are also holding to a belief that those other people were never born-again at the start. This scripture below makes it clear that this also is not true.

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; ~Jude 1:12 KJV

Notice that the phrase “twice dead” is referencing being born twice. You cannot die twice unless you have been born twice. This is where we get the words “born again,” which comes after our adoption into Christ by the Holy Spirit. So we see that a person can actually be born again and yet, still not follow the Lord properly.

When reading the many scriptures about predestination, it is very easy to assume that no one has a choice. This is because God chooses people to be vessels of dishonor. I say, doesn’t God know their limitations from the start? Therefore, doesn’t He have the right to hide from them what He finds them not worthy of and allow their form to take place into who they are because of the choices they made?

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, “By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:” ~Matthew 13:14 KJV

However, we know that if they choose to turn their own heart to the Lord, they will be able to see because God willingly takes the veil away.

[14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. [15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. ~2 Corinthians 3:14-16 KJV

Look further at the scriptures in the context of everything else that God has said because the Bible does not contradict itself. Believing that no one has a choice contradicts several of the holy scriptures and it ultimately causes many to believe that they are “chosen” and basically in a safe zone because they have been water baptized, attend church faithfully, and are conservative in their views, etc. (Remember, “many are called, but few are chosen.” But we are living in a time where many ‘Christians’ believe they are already chosen when they are still in the place of being called because they are stuck believing in vain.

[21] “Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ [23] And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.’” ~Matthew 7:21-23 KJV

Also, Jesus warns all people by telling stories about the wise and the foolish virgins. The wise were prepared, but the foolish were not. Why? Because of the choices they made. We are warned so that we can prepare by working out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that our God is very serious about His Son’s sacrifice.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? ~1 Peter 4:17-18 KJV

If we were predestined without a choice, it would nullify Paul’s warnings, plus the “efforts” we must make of spreading the gospel, and our ministering would be nothing more than an exercise because after all, “some will be saved and some won’t.”  Therefore, knowing better than to believe that salvation is simply a “luck of the draw,” we do all we can to be counted worthy to escape the things that are to come and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  This “predestination without a choice” belief has been a danger to the Christian doctrine because it can take away the fear of working it out. Plus, it highly supports the other false doctrine of “once you are saved, you can never lose your salvation,” otherwise known as “once saved, always saved.” Yet, even now the time has come where many will not endure sound doctrine, but instead will heap up teachers for themselves who have convinced them to believe fables.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. ~2 Timothy 4:1-5 KJV

Now I’ve given you many New Testament reasons from Jesus’s words coupled with some of the apostle’s words. Yet, I know that those of you who disagree are still shaking your head and are thinking about all the predestination scriptures in Romans chapter 9. Well, the predestination scriptures extend past Romans chapter 9 to Romans chapter 11 because there is a conclusion to what Paul is saying; this is how he writes so this is why people miss the mark.

Here’s a secret:

We are trained by the world to see “chapters” as a new beginning or a new subject. However, new chapters in the Bible do not necessarily mean that. Paul is often in the middle of a speech when a new chapter begins. Therefore, regarding predestination, I will give you three simple summaries of each chapter. Romans chapter 11 is loaded with information so I will sum it up the best way I can so as not to make this process of explaining why you are perhaps believing wrong things any longer than it has to be, but through those summaries you will be able to read the scriptures on your own to see the conclusion of the matter that we do have a choice in our salvation even though we are predestined.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:  therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” ~ spoken by Moses in Dueteronomy 30:19 KJV

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ~Joshua 24:15 KJV