If our future is determined for us by God, then how do we have free will like the Bible says?

If our future is determined for us by God, then how do we have free will like the Bible says?

QUESTION:

If our future is determined for us by God, then how do we have free will like the Bible says?

ANSWER:

Isaiah confirms the following,

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

This scripture tells us that God has planned and determined the beginning and the end of everything in existence. It tells us that God is outside of the realm of time which He has created. This means that God is omnipresent and can be present in the beginning of time as well as at the end of time, or anywhere in between, simultaneously. In addition, God is omniscient and is not limited in knowledge, knowing the end from the beginning, knowing how all things work out and align up, as these verses prove,

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 

1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 

With this in mind, let's get back to the details of the question, “Is our future really determined for us by God?”

If Peter did not preach Paul's grace gospel, why does he speak of grace, the cross, and of faith and hope in his epistles?

If Peter did not preach Paul's grace gospel, why does he speak of grace, the cross, and of faith and hope in his epistles?

QUESTION:

Read 1 Peter 1:10-12, 14-21. Within the first chapter of Peter’s first letter, he speaks of the grace of God that would come to them. Not only did He speak of this, but He also spoke of faith and hope they would have by being in God. He also referred to the cross of Christ when he said his recipients were redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

It sounds to me that Peter is preaching the grace gospel since he spoke of the grace that would come to the Jews and the blood of the cross being shed for them which is what Paul preached day to day.

Peter was the apostle to the circumcised and Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, Galatians 2:8. This does not mean the gospels they preached were different, it only means their assignments were different.

Once again, these words were written by the apostle you said never preached the grace gospel of Paul. Please explain.

ANSWER:

Your questions are valid. I appreciate you asking. Let me take them one at a time and clarify with my perspective.

In Luke 20 you ask which gospel was Jesus' preaching.

The answer is that He was preaching the only gospel that existed at that time, the gospel of the kingdom that pertains to the Jews. Paul has not yet been saved, so God’s revelations concerning the grace gospel have not yet been made known.

The Bible - God's Miracle Book

ONLINE STATEMENT:

The Bible was written by people, not God!

ANSWER:

The Bible was indeed penned by humans, BUT the author and compiler of the Bible is the Almighty God. The following content provides insights and facts that promote this stance.

THE BIBLE: GOD'S MIRACLE BOOK (AMAZING FACTS)

All reference in this article to the 'Bible’ refers to the ‘Authorized King James Bible (1611)’

The Bible is a very wonderful book. It is a composite library of 66 books, of which 39 comprise the Old Testament and 27 the New Testament. The Bible is unique, for it is no mere haphazard collection of writings, but is an organic whole, each of the 66 books being necessary to the whole 'library'. Any careful reader will quickly discover that there is a plan behind the arrangement of the books, and a unity about the Bible that is nothing less than miraculous. That is why we have entitled this study 'The Bible: God's Miracle Book'. The Bible is inspired, authoritative and entirely trustworthy. What are the grounds for believing this? Consider the following:

How do I know if a Bible verse or passage applies to me today?

How do I know if a Bible verse or passage applies to me today?

QUESTION:

Is 1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ trans-dispensational?

ANSWER:

Before we evaluate the requested passage, let me first explain the term ‘trans-dispensational” and then provide a few examples of verses that are trans-dispensational and compare them with others that are not. I aim to provide some insights into how we can determine one from the other.

The term "trans-dispensational" refers to a concept that transcends the different dispensations, or periods of time, throughout bible history. Dispensationalism is a framework for interpreting the Bible that sees God's work and purpose as being carried out in different ways during different ages. A trans-dispensational verse, therefore, would be one that holds true and is applicable across all these dispensations, reflecting a principle or truth that is consistent throughout the entirety of Scripture, regardless of the specific time period or dispensation it addresses.

With this understanding, let’s now have a look at some verse examples and see if we can pick up some trends or insights into how to identify trans-dispensational verses from those that are not.

Can man's free will control or affect the eternal plan of God?

Can man's free will control or affect the eternal plan of God?

QUESTION:

Does our free will in this temporary earth have control over God’s eternal purpose or will?

ANSWER:

From God’s point of view, his eternal purpose is set. Nothing will ever be able to change the outcome of God’s plan because the Word says, “for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name”, Ps 138:2, and, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”, Mat 24:35. Thus, God’s word is settled, and from its pages we know that at the end of God’s plan there is a new heaven and a new earth, and we know there is an eternal lake of fire. The plan ends with two final outcomes, salvation and restoration or wrath and destruction. 

Chosen before the foundation of the world

Chosen before the foundation of the world

QUESTION:

Did God have a redemption plan for us through the body of Christ from the creation of the world?

ANSWER:

I like your question, and I can go one better in my reply!! Yes, God had a redemption plan for us, as the Body of Christ, but it was not planned from the creation of the world, or since the world began, but rather, it was ordained BEFORE the world began. 

Naturally, God’s entire redemption plan was determined long before the world was made. God knows the end from the beginning as we read in Isaiah 46:10. However, it is interesting how we can distinguish the redemption of the Body of Christ from other dispensations based on the context of timing and on what was prophesied versus what was kept secret.