Biblical Examples of Human Choice and God's Sovereignty
The Bible presents numerous instances where human choice and divine sovereignty intersect, illustrating how God's overarching plan unfolds even as individuals make decisions. One prominent theme is God's election or choosing of individuals and groups for specific purposes. For example, God chose Jacob for himself, and Israel as his own possession [2, 6]. This divine election is not limited to nations; it extends to individuals, such as the choosing of Christ as Messiah [5, 10], and the election of saints [5, 9]. The apostle Paul writes to believers, "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God" [9], and describes them as "the elect of God holy and beloved" [7]. This election is understood to be "according to the purpose of God" and "according to the foreknowledge of God," being eternal and sovereign [5, 8, 13].
Despite God's sovereign election, human beings are consistently presented with choices and held responsible for them. Joshua famously challenged the Israelites, "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve" [12]. This demonstrates that while God has a plan, human beings are active participants in their spiritual journey. The concept of "predestination" in scripture refers to God's plan or purpose of salvation, governing all events through an eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree [3]. However, this does not negate human will. Even in instances of divine judgment, such as the infliction of punishment on the wicked, God's will is revealed, but the actions leading to such judgments are often the result of human choices [4].
The tension between human choice and divine sovereignty is also evident in the concept of resignation to God's will. Christ himself set an example of this, praying, "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" [1]. Believers are commanded to submit to the will of God and the sovereignty of God in his purposes [1]. This submission is not a passive surrender but an active choice to align one's will with God's, even in the face of suffering or loss [1]. John Calvin notes that Satan attempts to pervert God's grace in the elect, and the Lord allows his people to be humbled so they may be more careful, prayerful, and dependent on his mercy [11]. This suggests that even within God's sovereign plan, human vigilance and prayer are crucial.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Resignation — Christ set and example of -- Mt 26:39-44; Joh 12:27; 18:11. Commanded -- Ps 37:7; 46:10. Should be exhibited in Submission to the will of God. -- 2Sa 15:26; Ps 42:5,11; Mt 6:10. Submission to the sovereignty of God in his purposes. -- Ro 9:20,21. The prospect of death. -- Ac 21:13; 2Co 4:16-5:1. Loss of goods. -- Job 1:15,16,21. Loss of children. -- Job 1:18,19,21. Chastisements. -- Heb 12:9. Bodily suffering. -- Job 2:8-10. The wicked are devoid of -- Pr 19:3. Exhortation to -- Ps 37:1-11. Motives to God's greatness. -- Ps 46:10. God's love. -- Heb 12:”
- Psalms “For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession. -- Psalms 135:4”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgments of God — (1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Ps. 110:5; 36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Ex. 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Ps. 119:7-175). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Ex. 6:6; 12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7; 19:24, 25; Judg. 1:6, 7; Acts 5:1-10, etc.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Election — Of Christ, as Messiah -- Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. Of good angels -- 1Ti 5:21. Of Israel -- De 7:6; Isa 45:5. Of ministers -- Lu 6:13; Ac 9:15. Of churches -- 1Pe 5:13. Of saints, is Of God. -- 1Th 1:4; Tit 1:1. By Christ. -- Joh 13:18; 15:16. In Christ. -- Eph 1:4. Personal. -- Mt 20:16; Joh 6:44; Ac 22:14; 2Jo 1:13. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 9:11; Eph 1:11. According to the foreknowledge of God. -- Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1:2. Eternal. -- Eph 1:4. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:15,16; 1Co 1:27; Eph 1:11. Irrespective of merit. -- Ro 9:11. Of grace. -- Ro 11:5. Recorded i”
- Psalms “Quoniam Jacob elegit sibi Dominus ; Israël in possessionem sibi. -- Psalms 134:4”
- Colossians “Colossians 3:12 (Geneva1599) — Now therfore as the elect of God holy and beloued, put on the bowels of mercies, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering:”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:2: foreknowledge--foreordaining love (Pe1 1:20), inseparable from God's foreknowledge, the origin from which, and pattern according to which, election takes place. Act 2:23, and Rom 11:2, prove "foreknowledge" to be foreordination. God's foreknowledge is not the perception of any ground of action out of Himself; still in it liberty is comprehended, and all absolute constraint debarred [ANSELM in STEIGER]. For so the Son of God was "foreknown" (so the Greek for "foreordained," Pe1 1:20) to be the sacrificial Lamb, not against, or without His will, but His ”
- 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 1:4: Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gospel, the outward means of grace, since this was common to them with others, and might be known without the evidence after given; nor does it design the effectual calling, sometimes so called for this is expressed in the following verse as a fruit, effect, and evidence of the election here spoken of, which is no other than the eternal choice of, them to everlasting”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 1:34: 1:34 the Chosen One of God: See Isa 42:1.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 12.19: that the election of God might seem to be of no effect. Satan endeavors, by whatever means he can, to pervert the grace of God in the elect; and since he cannot effect that, he either covers it with infamy, or at least obscures it. Hence it happens that disgraceful examples often steal into the Church. And the Lord, in this manner, suffers his own people to be humbled, that they may be more attentively careful of themselves, that they may more earnestly watch unto prayer, and may learn entirely to depend on his mercy. Moses only”
- Joshua (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Joshua 24:15: Never was any treaty carried on with better management, nor brought to a better issue, than this of Joshua with the people, to engage them to serve God. The manner of his dealing with them shows him to have been in earnest, and that his heart was much upon it, to leave them under all possible obligations to cleave to him, particularly the obligation of a choice and of a covenant. I. Would it be any obligation upon them if they made the service of God their choice? - he here puts them to their choice, not as if it were antecedently indifferent whether they served ”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him,.... This choice cannot be understood of a national one, as Israel of old were chosen by the Lord; for the persons the apostle writes to were not a nation; nor does he address all the inhabitants of Ephesus, only the saints and faithful in Christ that resided there; nor are they all intended here, if any of them. However, not they only, since the apostle includes himself, and perhaps some others, who did not belong to that place, nor were of that country: nor does this choice regard them as a church; for though the saints at Eph”