Paul's Sovereign Work of Predestination in Calvinism
The doctrine of predestination, particularly as it relates to Paul's writings, is a contested topic among Christian traditions. At its core, the debate revolves around the extent to which God's sovereignty is involved in the salvation of individuals.
The Reformed tradition, as represented by John Calvin, interprets Paul's writings as teaching a strong doctrine of predestination, where God sovereignly chooses individuals for salvation [4, 7, 10]. Calvin's commentary on Genesis highlights God's sovereignty in the selection of individuals, such as Isaac over Ishmael [4]. This view is also reflected in the writings of Charles Hodge, who argues that predestination refers to God's foreordination of all events, including the salvation of particular individuals [8].
In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox tradition, as represented by John Chrysostom, emphasizes the mystery and complexity of God's ways, suggesting that predestination is not solely about individual salvation but about God's overall purpose and loving-kindness towards humanity [2, 9]. Chrysostom's homilies on Paul's epistles focus on the gracious nature of God's actions, rather than a strict doctrine of predestination.
The Lutheran tradition, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, rejects the idea of absolute predestination, instead affirming that God's foreknowledge is not the cause of sin or evil, and that humans have free will to choose or reject God's offer of salvation [1].
The Catholic tradition, represented by Thomas Aquinas, approaches predestination through the lens of God's providence and the complexity of divine causality, suggesting that predestination is part of God's overall plan for humanity, but leaving room for human cooperation and response [6].
Despite these differences, all traditions agree that God's sovereignty and human responsibility are both affirmed in Scripture. The debate centers on how to balance these two aspects. The Reformed tradition emphasizes God's sovereignty in salvation, while other traditions stress the importance of human response and cooperation.
The hermeneutical commitments and prior doctrinal premises of each tradition drive their divergence on this topic. For instance, the Reformed emphasis on God's sovereignty is rooted in their understanding of the Bible's teaching on the totality of human depravity and the necessity of divine initiative in salvation [3]. In contrast, traditions that emphasize human cooperation and free will point to biblical passages that suggest human agency and response to God's offer of salvation [5].
The complexity of predestination is underscored by the multifaceted nature of Paul's writings, which affirm both God's sovereignty and human responsibility. As the discussion across traditions illustrates, the doctrine of predestination remains a rich and contested area of theological inquiry.
Sources
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article XVIII. Of Free Will.: Article XVIII. Of Free Will.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:11 1:11 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:27 1:27 1:27 1:31 1:31 2:2 2:7 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:16 3:24 4 4:9 4:14 6:2 6:3 6:4 6:9 6:12 7:7 8:21 12:1 12:4 12:16 13:10 13:10-11 14:14 14:21-23 15:16 16:5 16:6 17:8 18:11 18:12 18:14 18:21 19:13 19:14 19:24 21:10 21:12 21:12 22:7-8 22:16 22:18 22:18 24:1-67 24:22 24:65 25:21 25:21 26:4 27:46 28:1 28:13 31:42 31:45 32:48 35:18 37:9-10 37:20 39:1 39:6 40:4 40:7 40:8 40:14-15 40:22 41 41:16 42:36 43:14 43:30 45:5 48:15-16 49:9 64:28 Exodus 2:11 2”
- 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”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 28.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1-6 1:1-31 1:2 1:28 1:29-30 2:1 2:1-25 2:15 2:19 3:1 3:1-24 3:7 3:16 4:1 4:1-26 4:7 5:1 5:1-32 6:1 6:1-22 6:11-16 7:1-24 7:11 8:1-22 9:1 9:1 9:1-29 9:2 9:24 10 10:1 10:1 10:1-32 10:21 11:1 11:1 11:1-32 11:28 12:1 12:1 12:1 12:1-20 12:4 12:4 12:6 13:1 13:1-20 14:1-24 15:1-21 15:7 16:1-16 16:2 16:8 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1-27 18:1 18:1 18:1-33 18:19 19:1-38 20:1 20:1 20:1-18 21:1-34 21:15 22:1-24 22:18 23:1-20 24:31 25:1 25:13-16 35:7 48:1 Exodus 6:3 12:40 Leviticus 7:18 17:4 18:25 Numbers 6:2”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — TESTIMONIES. (part 36): the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy: "Lo, I have set before thy face life and death, good and evil. Choose for thyself life, that thou mayest live."(4) Also in Isaiah: "And if ye be willing, and hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things."(5) Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "The kingdom of God is within you."(6) 53. That he secrets of God ca”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Will of God, Art. 12: Article: Whether five expressions of will are rightly assigned to the divine will? I answer that, By these signs we name the expression of will by which we are accustomed to show that we will something. A man may show that he wills something, either by himself or by means of another. He may show it by himself, by doing something either directly, or indirectly and accidentally. He shows it directly when he works in his own person; in that way the expression of his will is his own working. He shows it indirectly, by no”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 5.24: to him. — Fr . Tr .”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 61: lay in the Apostle’s mind as he teaches us in Rom. viii. 29, 30 . Different Meanings assigned the Word Predestination. 2. There is an ambiguity in the word predestination. It may be used, first, in the general sense of foreordination. In this sense it has equal reference to all events; for God foreordains whatever comes to pass. Secondly, it may refer to the general purpose of redemption without reference to particular individuals. God predetermined to reveal his attributes in redeeming sinners, as He 321 predetermined to create the heave”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Homily II. Chapter I. Verses 11–14 “In whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.” Paul earnestly endeavors on all occasions to display the unspeakable loving-kindness of God towards us, to the utmost of his power. For that it is impossible to do so adequately, hear his own words. “O! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out.” ( Rom. xi. 33”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 33.5: to the cross, he took all things to himself, and even bound them upon him, that they might have no more power over us. 15. Spoiling principalities. There is no doubt that he means devils, whom Scripture represents as acting the part of accusing us before God. Paul, however, says that they are disarmed, so that they cannot bring forward anything against us, the attestation of our guilt being itself destroyed. Now, he expressly adds this with the view of shewing, that the victory of Christ, which he has procured for ”