Wednesday: God’s Ideal and Remedial Wills
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 19th of February 2025
Read Ephesians 1:9-11. What is this text saying about predestination? Are some people predestined to be saved and others to be lost?
The Greek term translated “predestination” here and elsewhere in Scripture (prohorizo) does not itself teach that God causally determines history. Rather, the Greek term simply means “to decide beforehand.”
Image © Rolf Jansson from GoodSalt.com
Of course, one can decide something beforehand unilaterally, or one can decide something beforehand in a way that takes into account the free decisions of others. Scripture teaches that God does the latter.
Here and elsewhere (for example, Romans 8:29-30), the term translated “predestined” refers to what God plans for the future after taking into account what God foreknows about the free decisions of creatures. Thus, God can providentially guide history to His desired good ends for all, even while respecting the kind of creaturely freedom that is required for a genuine love relationship.
Ephesians 1:11 proclaims that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (NKJV). Does this mean that God determines everything to happen just as He desires? Read in isolation, Ephesians 1:9-11 might seem to affirm this view. However, this interpretation would contradict the many texts we saw earlier that show that people sometimes reject “the will of God” (Luke 7:30, NKJV; compare with Luke 13:34, Psalms 81:11-14). If the Bible does not contradict itself, how can these passages be understood in a way that is consistent with one another?
This passage makes perfect sense if one simply recognizes a distinction between what we might call God’s “ideal will” and God’s “remedial will.” God’s “ideal will” is what God actually prefers to occur and which would occur if everyone always did exactly what God desires. God’s “remedial will,” on the other hand, is God’s will that has already taken into account every other factor, including the free decisions of creatures, which sometimes depart from what God prefers. Ephesians 1:11 appears to be referring to God’s “remedial will.”
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So powerful is God’s foreknowledge of the future that, even knowing all the choices, including the bad choices, that people will make, He can still work “all things together for good” (Romans 8:28, CEB). What comfort can you draw from this truth? |
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How do human free will and God’s sovereignty interact with salvation and predestination? In this Quarter’s Study, we have encountered challenging discussions. Today is yet another one, predestination. I want to attempt to share my little understanding.
1. Free will – This is God’s given ability to human beings to choose between right and wrong. To obey and disobey. To belief and disbelief. Life and death. (Deuteronomy 30:19, Genesis 2:16-17, Joshua 24:15, John 3:16, Revelation 3:20). Free will form the basis for establishing true love between humanity and God. True love must be chosen and not coerced.
2. God’s Ideal Will – God has a desire or a wish for all mankind. Before sin, it was God’s original plan to have all mankind to do His perfect will – to be holy, loving, and obedient. God did not intend anyone of His creation to be lost. This was God’s original position. (1 Timothy 2:4, Ezekiel 33:11, 2 Peter 3:9)
3. God’s Remedial Will – Even though humans make wrong choices, God is not helpless in bringing His divine plan to fruition. God has the power to intervene in wrong choices for his divine purpose. God allows certain things that are not his ideal will, but He works through them to accomplish his ultimate plan. (Genesis 50:20, Romans 5:8, Luke 19:10, Hebrews 12:6-7, 2 Chronicles 7:14). God actively, works through our failures to redeem us.
4. Predestination – This is a view that God uses his sovereign will (power) to determine who will be saved and who will be lost. This view states that God chooses individuals who will be saved in advance. Salvation is not based on human choice or faith but on God’s sovereign will. This view contradicts the very nature of God; God is love. It sounds extremely cruel for God to choose to save some individuals and to choose others to be lost. The sovereign will of God is not arbitrary to his nature. Therefore, it is not correct to hold a view that God has rejected some people, and they are beyond the hope of salvation. For instance, the Calvinist’s standpoint is contrary to Biblical teaching.
5. Foreknowledge – God is omniscient. He knows all things before they take place, past present, and future (Isaiah 46:9-10, Psalm 139:4, Acts 2:23). God knows all our choices in advance. However, He does not cause those choices. Since God knows all choices in advance, He predestines accordingly (1 Peter 1:2).
What is the interaction between free will and God’s sovereign will? God is sovereign above all things, but He allows free will within his divine plan. No matter our theological persuasion, grace is central to our salvation. It is God who draws us to Himself and His mercies work in our hearts to make the right choices.
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” - Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
Physicists spend most of their effort working out how to predict what will happen if ... . In its simplest form they measure behaviour against time, draw graphs, and express relationships in formulas often with a high degree of confidence. Thus, if you were to ask an astronomer (Who is essentially a physicist with a kink in his neck) when and where the next solar eclipse will occur, he would be able to tell you when it would start and finish, and describe the path of the moons shadow across the earth. Not only that they could tell you the same information for every eclipse for the next 1000 years with almost the same confidence.
I throw that into the discussion because some of us think of human behaviour, past, present, and future as some sort of complex physics phenomenon where cause and effect play out according to some, as yet undiscovered, rules. And sometimes when we put God in the picture we treat him as some sort of super physicist who already knows the rules and knows how the cause and effect is going to play out.
Which brings us to the question of: "How much does God know?" And the following question: "If he does know that much, how much does he control?"
On the one hand we have the predestinationists who postulate that God knows everything and as a consequence, we are either predestined to be saved or lost even before we are born.
On the other hand we have the theists who believe while God knows everything, he cannot or does not exercise any control
And in between, we have a range of ideas about what God knows and what and why he controls.
I am reminded that at the extremes of this diversity dogmatic positions have been held often with disastrous consequences. Some of the reformers, notably Calvin and Knox were very rigid believers in predestination and some of that led to the worst persecution by protestants.
There are a couple of things we need to consider. The Greek word for predestination is used six times in the New Testament. The author of today's lesson discusses alternative renderings. So the question is why should we consider alternatives?
I believe that overall, the Bible indicates that we do have a choice. In fact much of the Bible does not make sense if we predicate predestination. The history of the Hebrews is sprinkled liberally with references to people making choices both right and wrong. John 3:16, our favourite salvation text uses the expression "whosoever believeth" and that does not make sense without us being capable of making a choice.
At the other end of the scale, the theists posit a God who does not know everything and is not in control. There are variation on this but I think you get the picture of a very reduced God.
There are a couple of things I keep in mind:
I remind myself that dogmantic positions on some of these questions often lead to divisions within Christian communities. We need to be sure of our own beliefs but respectful of others.
What's the difference between His 'remedial will' and 'permissive will'?
One thing I do not get about Calvinist thinking and their belief in predestination-if they believe God is love, why would He not predestinate everyone to be saved?
These texts leave room to believe that God 'predestined" only certain ones to be saved: Rom. 8:29-30 ESV; Eph. 1:5 ESV; Eph. 1:11 ESV. And Acts 4:28 ESV suggests that God predestines certain things "to take place." I'm sure John Calvin struggled with the subject before he concluded that God's sovereignty necessarily leads us to conclude that He not only knows but also predestines all events before they take place.
On the other hand, 1 Tim 3:4 clearly says that God desires "ALL MEN" to repent and be saved. Other texts, such as Isa. 45:22 point in a similar direction. Additionally, God calls on people to CHOOSE to serve Him. (Joshua 24:15; Deut 30:19; If God had predetermined the final destiny of all people, there would be no need to choose. Finally, Christ issues the call, "Come unto me, ALL that labour and are heavy laden ..." (Matt 11:28)
There is much more in support of either position, and I believe that, while we should study to be sure of what the Bible teaches, we should also respect those who believe differently than we do. Ellen White speaks favorably of the "shy" and studious Calvin, and I believe we shall see many in heaven who did not have the privilege of understanding truth as we do. God looks on the heart and not on our adherence to correct doctrine.
Inge, I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote,however, I read Romans 8:29-30 differently, as being God's perfect will for all his created beings. How many did God foreknow? Everyone! It was and is his will that everyone be saved. 1 Tim 3:4 states that God desires "ALL MEN" (and women)to repent and be saved thus experiecing the fulfillment of Romans 8:30. Now of course God will not override our freedom to reject his perfect will. Will we say to God "thy will be done," or my will be done? Will we let him be king of our lives, or will we be the "Burger King" insisting that we "have it our way?"
I see God's predestination as being contingent to our submission of our will to his will. He won't drag anyone kicking and screaming against their will into heaven. We opt out of his will for us when we insist on our will over his. If we choose to submit our will to him then we yoke up with him and find that indeed he does the heavy pulling and we experience Matthew 11:29-30. Romans 8:31 becomes a reality in the life of the born again believer as much as John 3:16.
Maybe I'm just simple minded enough to take God at his word and not complicate things with all kinds of theological "gobbley-gook." (That's a technical term) 🤔😉😊
I agree that there will be people in heaven that had imperfect theology but who's hearts were right with God through Jesus Christ.
I certainly agree that many Calvanists will be saved and I have been blessed by the ministry of some preachers of the reform persuasion. I stay away from their predestination viewpoints, but they often have very rigorous theology on other subjects.
That being said, the tricky part about predestination is it really can have harmful results in a way that perhaps some other beliefs (let's say infant baptism for example) may not. I don't think it's an accident that a lot of the nationalist preachers that have been emerging over the last decade are Calvinist. Some of them are just plain nasty and ugly. It's not a surprise - if you feel that God has chosen people to be lost, why should you love or value these people at all? This is a reality we need to be aware of.
Inge, thank you for stating that "God looks at the heart and not on our adherence to correct doctrine", when determining a believer’s readiness to become part of His family. Merriam-Webster defines "foreknow" as “to have previous knowledge of; know beforehand, especially by paranormal means or revelation.” "Predestine" is defined as “to destine, decree, determine, appoint, or settle beforehand.”
I do not believe that God arbitrarily predetermines an individual’s fate. As you said, "God looks at the heart." He created a perfect world and remains perfectly merciful and just - caring, and working to establish these qualities in humanity without ceasing despite our fallen state.
Receiving Him into our hearts is a process — one He never abandons. His desire is that everyone comes to the knowledge of the Truth - 1 Tim. 2:4. While He foreknows all things, He does not predetermine outcomes. Recognizing and accepting Him as the 'One-of-all-that-is-Good' takes time, and choices play a pivitol role in this journey.
Our heavenly Father reveals Himself through His Holy Spirit - His Word clarifying and amplifying His presence. Yet, not everyone perceives His work in their lives. Through faith we come to accept Him and learn to love Him - Ex. 33:20; 1 Tim. 1:17.
As 1 John 4:12 states: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us.”
I'm not defending the Calvinist belief in any way, just answering your question. God brings good out of evil, if there is no evil, we don't experience the good. So it is for the elects good that there are the lost.
Richard, I refer to the C S Lewis statement from "The Problem of Pain" that I have used a couple of times in this discussion:
While God may use evil for our good, it does not make evil necessary, nor does it follow that the lost contribute to the elect's good. That is a non-sequiter. God's ideal is that "he is not willing that any should perish".
God does predestine that all will be saved. He just does not force the option (His will) on each individual.
We should keep in mind that He paid the price for ALL or if only for ONE accepted His will. It cost the same.
Yes, the provision for all to be saved was made before the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8). It was confirmed at Calvary. John 3:16 is where the freewill choice part comes in. God saves no one against their will.
How can we, knowing that God is love, consciously choose otherwise? We are all predestined for happiness and eternity because we were repurchased at the highest price! We cannot choose peace if torment and darkness are what we like.
Growing up in the Christian Reformed Church, this topic causes a great deal of confusion for me. Not because I don't know anything but because I do know things. At one point in my life, I just had to let things go, because it was taking me down a dark road about whether God is in fact good. Like a song says, if you can't see His hand, trust His heart. And that is where I am now.
It was out of love that God made us with free will.
He wants us all to be saved but true love does not coerce.
May we accept His love for us willingly and strive to please
Him in all that we do or say!!!!
Ephesians 1:11 speaks of believers obtaining an inheritance, being predestined according to God's purpose, while also acknowledging human free will. A practical illustration of how this concept works is that of a parent planning for their child’s future.
Imagine a parent who has lovingly prepared an inheritance for their child. The parent sets aside funds, writes a will, and makes plans so that, when the time comes, the child will have access to everything the parent intended. This is similar to God’s predestined purpose for His children—He has made plans for our salvation and spiritual inheritance through Christ.
However, just as the child must choose to accept or reject the inheritance, humans have free will to accept or reject God’s offer of salvation. The parent does not force the child to take the inheritance but hopes the child will choose wisely. Likewise, God does not override our free will but works out His purposes through those who choose to respond to Him in faith.
In this way, predestination does not eliminate free will, but rather, God’s sovereign plan is accomplished as individuals freely choose to align with His will and receive the inheritance He has prepared for them in Christ.
I wish the referenced verses started earlier. Let's back this "Gospel train" up a few verses to verse Ephesians 1:5. Ephesians 1:5 speaks of us being predestined to adoption into the family of God.
The image in my mind is of a wealthy childless man walking through an orphanage and selecting all the children that want to become his family to go with him. The problem arises when many of the children refuse to go with him because they have been abused in their previous family and don't trust anyone. One belligerent boy with tears in his eyes, has the temerity to speak up, asking, "how do we know that we can trust you, Mister?!" To which the wealthy man, now with tears in his eyes, rolls up his sleeves, revealing the scars in his hands. He with a halting voice, speaks, saying, "my children, I understand your reticence to trust me not to harm you, for many of you have been horribly hurt by those that said they loved you. Look at these scars, they are the proof of my love for you. I have written your names upon the palms of my hands.
God loves us all and has planned ahead of time to adopt us into His family. We have to get to the place where we trust Him to follow through with the adoption. He's already signed the papers in bold letters of red, with His blood.
Eph 1:11 seems very simple when we read all of Eph 1. God has predestined everyone to be adopted and to believe His love for them. Just like in the analogy the wealthy man wanted all of the children. Some accepted and some did not believe. Paul accepted that God wanted him and had predestined for him - salvation, that He wanted to adopt him as a son, togetherness-the eternal covenant. The people he was speaking to in Ephesus also accepted God's will. God's purpose and will that He works, is based on love and freedom; to force the adoption would go against His character. But those who BELIEVE, He has great plans for. "God so loved...whoever believes...have eternal life" I love this analogy Tim. I think it is on point.
Ephesians 1:11 states: “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
I understand this to mean that the purpose of our 'inheritance' is predestined by God, who orchestrates all things according to His Will.
God chose Paul for being an apostle to the Gentiles, just as He chooses/appoints all His vessels for the representation of Him according to His divine counsel. No one establishes themselves in His work; rather, all who serve in God’s work of salvation are called to do so according to His will. As Scripture affirms, He works to “put all things under His(Jesus') feet and gave Him to be head over all things” - Eph. 1:22-23.
To me, 'predestined' simply means that we are now (by choice) participating in God’s great work of salvation. Everyone hearing and responding by faith to Jesus Christ disclosing the Will of God becomes a member of the family of God and receives their ‘inheritance of participation’ which is predestined by His divine purpose.’ Let us pray and hope that we are worthy of His calling to be considered as His children .
I have always believed that the apostle was expressing the feeling / belief that considering how far he was from God’s standard that God must have determined to save him , sinful Paul .
The truth of God's foreknowledge and His ability to work all things for good is incredibly comforting. It means that no matter what happens—our mistakes, our struggles, or even the bad choices of others—God is never caught off guard. He already sees the bigger picture and has a plan to redeem and restore.
This brings peace in uncertainty, knowing that even when life seems chaotic or painful, God is still in control. It assures us that our failures don’t define us, and our hardships are not wasted. Instead, He weaves them into a greater purpose that ultimately leads to our good and His glory.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that as long as we love and trust Him, He will take even the most difficult moments and turn them into stepping stones toward something better. This truth encourages faith, patience, and hope, even in the darkest times.
How can we understand the following?
Romans 9:20-21 ESV
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?