What does the Bible say about freewill vs. predestination?

"if I didn't do it, I can't lose it"! Awesome summary statement Bro. Mohler!

All that I got from this is that Mohler really likes ice cream.

When we start off with a wrong definition of "sovereignty", these blatant contradictions are brought about. Sovereignty does not equal determinism and fatalism. The Biblical understanding of God’s sovereignty recognizes that He is King of Kings, Lord of lords, the Highest Authority to which we may appeal, Giver of the law, Judge and Grantor of mercy. In this sense, truly God is indeed sovereign! “For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:2) “I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” (Isaiah 43:15) “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

I would encourage people to read, “Bondage of the Will” by Martin Luther. I would suggest that you read the JI Packer translation. This book helped me understand the issue better than any other. It is the dialogue between Erasmus and Luther. It is classic! Blessings

I think a more simple direct answer would be better. "There is mystery here. We choose God freely trusting and loving Him, yet we come to realize that He enabled us to trust and believe in Him through His Word, through His Spirit and grace. Choose God freely, joyfully and fully. Yet know that God has enabled you to do so. Believe in Him....By grace you have been saved..."

This is the longest non-answer I’ve ever seen. A better answer would have been: “Read a book called ‘Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism.’”

It's not sovereignty that we should be discussing in calvinism it's actually determinism. Determinism is the black hole of Calvinism it sucks everything into it and nothing can escape it. The God of the Bible rules with ultimate sovereignty not determinism. He works perfectly together with his given free will to man so that he has followers who truly love him not robots.

Wonderful answer! Thank you!

I often find myself wondering whether God being Sovereign is able to place a limitation upon His Sovereignity at His discretion. Concerning election one of the early Reformers, Girolamo Zanchi (1516 - 1590) stated that "The gospel was not, and is not a manifestation of which persons God wills to give eternal life, but of the sort of persons He wills to give eternal life, namely believers in Christ." Secondly, while I like Mohler, it seemed to me that Mohler might have been promoting a double predestination which when examined has many flaws in it.

Election does not equal Salvation. 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Then how is that real love if we are forced to desire God?

It seems that you're using "Sovereign" as if it means deterministic control over everything. Which conflicts with "agency" as you described it.

The Father didn't call me to be a Baptist " pentecostal" or catholic he called me to be born again!

That’s a very good answer to a much debated issue. God knew us before we were in the womb. Paul tells us that those He (God) foreknew, He predestined. You are absolutely right when you said that God can’t be somewhat sovereign or He isn’t sovereign and we know the Bible states that He is sovereign.(not your exact words)

I think that it would have been better for him to just say "I DO NOT KNOW" how God works free will and predestination and yet does not violate our volition.

Thank you for giving your answer such a solid irrefutable foundation, followed by some guiding principles for interpretation. That is, 1) there are certain things of which we have no choice like to be born, what family to be born into etc but after that we have some choices but we also have no choice about death or no death. 2) God is sovereign and if he is, then there's just nothing he is not sovereign over. The conclusion which helps me not with my desire or idea but with being faithful to God's word is that, my interpretation of free will should be in light of God's sovereignty. We should humble ourselves and acknowledge that there are major aspects of life and living that we do not have control over. If we didn't choose to be born physically, then it shouldn't be difficult for us to understand that to be born again is beyond our free will as well. To God be the glory. Let love bind us as we grow in understanding.

If someone is in Hell, is it because God didn’t do something or did the person not do something?

everyone has agency and everyone has tendencies the tendencies determines what the agency will chose. the reality is no one is born with a tendency towards God

This is SO spot on!!

According to Him, God is so sovereign that He can make some people come to God, but not sovereign enough to make all people come to Him instead? So much for the definition of sovereign.