An Antinomy
From the Merriam-Webster: “a contradiction between two apparently equally valid
principles or between inferences correctly drawn from such principles”
The contrast, conflict, conundrum between God’s Sovereignty
and People’s Free Will is something which Bible scholars and theologians have
wrestled with for many centuries. The Bible clearly teaches both, many times in
apposition to each other.
Consider what Luke wrote in Acts 2:23:1 “this Jesus, delivered up according to the
definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands
of lawless men.” The first half of the verse clearly states God’s sovereignty (“the
definite plan”), while the second half of the verse describes the free will and
thus accountability of the people who crucified the Lord Jesus (“you crucified”).
The Apostle Paul eloquently describes the absolute sovereignty
of God in the 9th chapter of the Book of Romans; then in the next
chapter he passionately describes the imperative of the preaching of the Gospel
and the need for people to respond to it.
How do they both fit together? There are a couple broad
camps in this issue. A Calvinist theologian will interpret free will in light
of God’s sovereignty. An Arminian theologian will interpret God’s sovereignty in
light of people’s free will. Which position most satisfyingly deals with the
theological issues?
There are verses like Acts 13:48 which will make any
Arminian uncomfortable. ““48“And
when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of
the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”
There are verses like 1 Timothy 2:3-4 which make a
thoughtful Calvinist ponder. “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the
sight of God our Savior, 4 who
desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The following verse in Acts 2:24 describe Christ’s ultimate
victory, “24
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not
possible for him to be held by it.”
That ultimately is the bottom line.
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