Articles
“But Doesn’t God Choose” - Part 2
“But Doesn’t God Choose” - Part 2 By Derek Long
The Bible clearly teaches mankind has the ability to make choices of whether to serve God or not (Joshua 24:15). The Bible also points out there are times when God chooses something. How are we to harmonize the concepts of man being able to have a choice with God choosing certain things? In many passages where God chooses something we see man also is making choices. Let’s notice some of these passages:
God made a choice regarding where He was to be worshipped once Israel entered the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26; 15:20; 16:2, 6-7, 11, 15-16; 17:8, 10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11; Joshua 9:27). Eventually God chose Jerusalem to be the place where the temple would be built and where Israel was to come to offer Him worship (1 Kings 8:44, 48; 11:13, 32, 36; 14:21; 2 Kings 21:7; 23:27; 2 Chronicles 6:5-6, 34, 38; 12:13; 33:7; Psalm 78:68; 132:13; Zechariah 1:17; 2:12; 3:2). God chose Jerusalem as the place where Israel should come to worship Him. However, God’s choice did not remove the people’s choice as to whether to worship God as He prescribed or not.
Israel was to set above them a king whom God would choose for them (Deuteronomy 17:15; 1 Samuel 10:24). The king like David would often be spoken of as one whom God had chosen (2 Samuel 6:21; 21:6; 1 Kings 8:16; 11:34; 1 Chronicles 28:4-6; 29:1; 2 Chronicles 6:6; Psalm 78:70; 89:19-20). Yet there are also passages which speak about the king as being one whom the nation chose for themselves (1 Samuel 8:18; 12:13). God would select people to rule and yet at the same time the people needed to submit to the rule of the ruler appointed by God. God’s choice in this matter did not completely remove the people’s free will.
God chose Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 106:23). However, the New Testament makes it absolutely clear Moses had a choice to make in this matter. Hebrews 11:24-29 talks about things Moses did by faith. Verse 25 says, “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” God selected Moses for a special task but Moses also had to be willing to choose to accomplish the task God had selected him for. God’s choosing did not override the free will of Moses.
God chose to bring people’s delusions and fears upon them (Isaiah 66:4). Yet in the same context we find statements indicating the people made choices themselves. The text says of the people, “just as they have chosen their own ways,” (vs. 3) and, “chose that in which I do not delight” (vs. 4). In a similar way, we might notice God is said to bring strong delusions upon some people so they will believe a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). God is not overriding the individual’s free will in a passage like this. Rather God is simply allowing the individual who does not love the truth to reject the truth and instead believe a lie. God’s choosing at times is done in response to the choice made by an individual.
Jesus chose the twelve apostles (Luke 6:13; John 6:70; 13:18; 15:16, Acts 1:2, 24; 9:15; 22:14). Yet at the same time we read of them being called to follow Jesus and making the decision to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9-13; Acts 26:19). If God’s choosing them removed their free will, then we really are not seeing nothing admirable or worthy of imitation when we read of the apostles’ commitment in following Jesus. In fact, we really could not imitate anything if God has removed our free will.
Jesus makes the follow statement at the conclusion of two of His parables, “for many are called, but few chosen” (Matthew 20:16; 22:14). In both of these parables an invitation was extended or a call was made. In both of these parables the ones who chose to heed the call are the ones who ended up being chosen. All men today are called by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14; Mark 16:15). The chosen are those who respond by accepting and obeying the call.
The Bible will speak of Christians as the chosen or elect (Mark 13:20; Romans 16:13; James 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 17:14). God has not chosen or elected them unconditionally. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says, “God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” People would have to choose to believe the truth and thus be set apart by the Spirit’s revelation (the truth - John 17:17) in order to be chosen for salvation. God did not select certain individuals to be lost or saved unconditionally. Instead, Ephesians 1:4 says, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” God chose to save those in Him or in Christ. God chose the lifestyle those in Him or in Christ were to live. God decided they would live lives which were holy and without blame. God has selected the plan and we must choose whether to follow it and be among the chosen or be among those who were called and yet not chosen because we refused the Lord’s invitation.
Hopefully these thoughts help us see how it is possible for God to choose certain things while at the same time man having the free will to choose whether to serve the Lord or not.
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