Did God decide that certain specific persons would go to heaven or hell, before he created the world? Did God know everything that would ever happen before he created anything? If so, did God know this because he determined these things would happen, or vice versa?
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CHOSEN BUT FREE
2.1 Free Will or Divine Sovereignty
2.1.1 God’s Sovereignty
2.1.2 Who Made the Devil Do?
2.1.3 Who Made the Devil?
2.1.4 The Origin of Evil
2.1.5 Reward and Punishment
2.1.6 Free Will and Divine Sovereignty
2.2 Seeing the Alternatives
2.2.1 Calvinism
2.2.2 Pelagianism
2.2.3 Arminianism
2.2.4 Depravity and Free Will
2.3 Election
2.3.1 Predestination and Human Freedom
2.3.2 Before Knowledge of God
2.3.3 Salvation / Chosen by God and Chosen by Man
3. CONCLUSION
4. ATTACHMENT
4.1 Predetermined and Freely Chosen
Objectives and Core Topics
The primary aim of this essay is to formulate a Pentecostal-Evangelical perspective on the doctrine of election, arguing that despite divine sovereignty, humanity retains a significant free will and remains morally responsible for accepting or rejecting God's grace.
- Examination of the compatibility between divine sovereignty and human free choice.
- Comparative analysis of Calvinist, Pelagian, and Arminian theological frameworks.
- Exploration of the origins of evil and human moral agency in a fallen state.
- Investigation into the nature of election and its relation to personal decision-making.
Excerpt from the Book
The Origin of Evil
One of the things God gave His good creatures was a good power called free will. God said to Adam: “You are free … “(Gen. 2:16). Therefore, the power of moral free choice entails the ability to either choose the good God designed for man or to reject it. The latter is called evil. It is good to be free, but freedom makes evil possible. In short, free choice is the origin of evil.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: The author outlines the conflict between divine determinism and human freedom, establishing the goal to define a Pentecostal-Evangelical stance on responsibility.
CHOSEN BUT FREE: This section investigates God's sovereignty alongside the reality of human choice, contrasting different historical theological views on predestination and depravity.
CONCLUSION: The author synthesizes the arguments to affirm that divine sovereignty does not nullify human free will, viewing their coexistence as a divine mystery.
ATTACHMENT: This section provides biblical examples to demonstrate that God’s predetermination and human free choice function without contradiction.
Keywords
Divine Sovereignty, Free Will, Election, Pentecostal-Evangelical, Calvinism, Pelagianism, Arminianism, Total Depravity, Predestination, Moral Responsibility, Human Agency, Grace, Salvation, Christian Anthropology, Temptation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay explores the tension between divine sovereignty and the human will, ultimately seeking to establish a theological position that upholds both God's control and human moral responsibility.
What are the primary thematic areas covered in the work?
The work covers divine sovereignty, the origin of evil, human depravity, various theories of election, and the nature of human freedom in the context of salvation.
What is the main objective or research question?
The objective is to develop a Pentecostal-Evangelical doctrine of election that supports the statement: “Man is entirely responsible to accept or reject the grace of God.”
Which scientific or theological methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative theological method, analyzing key biblical passages and contrasting the doctrines of Calvinism, Pelagianism, and Arminianism to derive a balanced view.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the relationship between God's absolute control and human choices, discusses the nature of original sin, and evaluates different historical perspectives on how individuals are chosen for salvation.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Divine Sovereignty, Free Will, Election, Human Responsibility, Predestination, and Grace.
How does the author explain the existence of evil?
The author argues that God created a "good power" called free will, which implies the capacity to choose good or reject it, making the rejection—or evil—a result of free human choice rather than God's design.
What is the author's stance on the Calvinist concept of Total Depravity?
The author disagrees with the strong Calvinist view that human depravity renders an individual entirely unable to respond to God, arguing instead that humans retain the ability to cooperate with grace.
Why does the author use the parable of the marriage of the King’s Son?
This parable is used to illustrate that while God provides the invitation, the individual bears the responsibility to accept it; those who do not, like the guest without a wedding garment, are not considered part of the chosen.
- Quote paper
- Immanuel Haller (Author), 2010, Chosen But Free, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/196284
