Freedom of Choice

How would you react after finding out that God intentionally created you to be lost? This belief was essentially the position of the French Reformer John Calvin (1509–1564) and his followers. Calvin even stated, “By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”22 This notion was challenged by the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609), who was born in Utrecht, Holland, on October 10, 1560.

He was a theology professor at the University of Leiden and wrote many books and treatises. His views against Calvinist predestination were summarized in the Five Articles of Remonstrance (1610). In Article 2, we read, “Christ, the Saviour of the world, died for all men and for every man, and his grace is extended to all. His atoning sacrifice is in and of itself sufficient for the redemption of the whole world, and is intended for all by God the Father. But its inherent sufficiency does not necessarily imply its actual efficiency. The grace of God may be resisted, and only those who accept it by faith are actually saved. He who is lost, is lost by his own guilt (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2).” In his book The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer explains, “Certain things have been decreed by the free determination of God, and one of these is the law of choice and consequences. God has decreed that all who willingly commit themselves to His Son Jesus Christ in the obedience of faith shall receive eternal life and become sons of God. He has also decreed that all who love darkness and continue in rebellion against the high authority of heaven shall remain in a state of spiritual alienation and suffer eternal death at last.” There is no arbitrary decree of God choosing some to be saved and others to be lost. “The destiny of souls hangs upon the course they pursue and the decisions they make.”