March 19, 2024

Struggles with Predestination and Free Will

on the sign outside: "all who wish to live here may come in

no matter who you are, or what you've done, you are welcome"

on the sign inside: "I knew that you would want to come in

and I've worked everything out so that you could and you would"

I grew up in a Calvinist church (Maranatha CRC), have been many years in an Arminian church (Pickering Standard Church) and currently attend a Reformed church (Westney Heights Baptist Church). Needless to say, I have struggled long with the apparent conflict between predestination (God chooses who will be saved) and free will (we choose to be saved). In my devotions this morning I came across the words below, which inspired this poem. I may finally be taking my first steps toward the very beginning of understanding.

“Before we become a Christian, it is as though we are standing outside a door that has a sign over it saying, ‘Whoever wants to come in, can.’ But after we go through it, we look back and see a sign over the same door saying, ‘Called and chosen by God.’"

https://www.christianity.org.uk/article/predestination-and-free-will