Upvote:1
The answer to your first question: No.
As with many things denominational/soteriological, definitions come heavily into play here. Some people, for example, would interpret 'predestine' and 'predestination' to require total divine determinism, ie God sovereignly and directly controlling every thought and action a man does until he arrives at the destination God has unchangeably, irrevocably determined he will arrive at.
I'm a Christian who, as you put it "Somehow harmonizes predestination and free will" - specifically, a Molinist. I do not hold to such an extreme definition as above, and believe God predestines by placing us in situations in which He knows we will freely behave as He desires.
Consider, for example, that on a given day, God knows that if it rains, Bob will accept his friend's invitation to church (and accept Christ into his heart) instead of going to that football match he was planning on attending. If God then makes it rain that day, He has effectively brought about Bob's salvation. Alternatively, He could choose to not bring rain, and bring about Bob's damnation in a similar way. In each instance, Bob has complete free will - God simply knows how he will act depending on what He brings about. I've given heavily simplified examples here, but these give the gist.
To apply this to your chosen verses: Even if these were taken to refer to individual predestination (which, although I affirm predestination, I do not believe - rather, I think this verse speaks to God's raising up of the Israelites as His chosen people), one could say God hardens, prepares and molds by placing said individuals in circumstances he knows will shape them by their own free responses. After all, Pharaoh is said to have hardened his own heart multiple times before God hardened it further.
Open Theists and Traditionalists/Provisionalists (potentially some or all Arminians) are the denominations I know off the top of my head who deny individual predestination altogether, and would most likely be the people you would be directing this question at - I just thought I'd put in my Molinist 2 cents.
Upvote:2
This chapter covers Romans 9:18-21, the similitude of the Potter which is used by some to bolster predestination.
In this passage, the potter is a similitude comparing God as the creator of man to the potter as the creator of his vessels. As the potter can choose to make one vessel honorable and another dishonorable so God can create a man thus. The question is does this likeness teach that salvation is predestinated?
The similitude of the potter is first used in the Old Testament, so we must look at it in its original context and entirety in order to properly decipher God’s use of it and its biblical meaning.
In the similitude of a potter presented in the above passage, it can be easily seen that it is not an attempt to teach predestination in any form, but rather just the opposite. God’s decisions are based on the choices made by man, whether to seek and obey God or to do evil. Paul did not, and neither can we, take a passage of Scripture out of its context, but must rightly divide the word of truth. The context, in Jeremiah as in Romans, is the sovereignty of God over his creation, to judge and deal with it according to his will. If we take the passage in Romans and keep it within its proper context we see that the similitude is given in answer to three particular questions.
If we will look closely we find that three questions are being asked by those who are complaining about God not accepting their self-righteousness, that is in keeping the law they have not obtained or earned the grace of God and the assurance of salvation. By their way of thinking, if salvation is solely based on the predetermination and/or caprice of God and not on a person’s works, how can he find fault? For who can resist his will? How is he just in this? Paul’s answer is simply to point out that God is our creator and he could just as easily have created us for damnation as not, therefore, there is no unrighteousness in God’s judgments, which is the question in verse 14 of Romans 9.
If we refuse to accept his salvation it is the same to God as if he had created us unto damnation; your predestinated end in such a case is the same, eternal wrath. The similitude is not a description of God’s plan of salvation, but rather an example of our relationship to him and his sovereignty. He made us and he can do as he pleases with us; there is no unrighteousness in whatever he does. It is for us to fear him and seek that which is pleasing unto him. It is not a picture of God’s plan, but of his prerogative as the creator to choose his own plan of salvation, one that pleases him and our duty to conform. The actual plan God has elected to institute is not mentioned until the last verse of the chapter, “whosoever believeth.”
This also answers the proverbial question that lost sinners ask in their attempt to make themselves more just than God; you mean that God would condemn a heathen in the jungle who has never heard of Jesus Christ? The answer is if God chooses to do so there is no unrighteousness with God, it is his prerogative, he made us, he can do whatever he wants to with us. What we, as those who have trusted in God’s word, have to worry about is the other side of the coin; God is going to hold us responsible for that heathen not hearing about Jesus Christ, whether he lives in a jungle or is our neighbor. We ought to be thankful that he is “not willing that any should perish,” but always remember God is our maker and as such is to be feared.
2 Peter 3:9 KJV 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.
Hebrews 11:5 KJV By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Faith in God is the prerequisite for salvation, “he that cometh to God must believe that he is,” but saved or lost God judges our works in this life. He is our creator, and as such can do what he wants with anyone of us. He used Sodom as an example to us without giving them a chance to repent he condemned the whole city.
God is under no obligation to save anyone even though Christ died for the sins of the whole world. Until a point is reached where God decides to institute a final condemnation on an individual or until the final judgment, salvation is open to all men, to “whosoever believeth.”
Upvote:7
Do all Christians believe in predestination? No.
Do all Christians believe in free-will? No.
Does the Bible teach predestination? Yes
Does the Bible teach Free-Will? Yes
Romans informs us that salvation is about God's choice. Romans 10 informs of of man's responsibility to believe or man's choice. Is Jesus God? Yes. Is Jesus Man? Yes. Coincidence that God operates in this way?