Basic Issues:
Three basic issues regarding the seeming conundrum of human freedom in the context of God’s sovereignty seem to be: divine power (what kind of power does God exercise?), human freedom (how is “freedom” to be understood?); and knowledge (what sort does God have?).1 The dilemma is the seeming contradiction of God’s supreme providence while people under that sovereignty are responsible for their actions. “If all human actions are causally determined, then no one is ever morally responsible for any action.”2 Further, if no true freedom exists, then it ultimately follows that God is the source of all evil.3 Yet, if man’s choices can thwart God’s perfect will, it may seem to indicate God is less sovereign and deem man a sort of “god” since he is the one deciding the future. What of God’s sovereignty, is He omnipotent?
Sovereignty, Freedom, and Responsibility:
God is sovereign. What determinists overlook in the fact of His sovereignty being over everything, is that “everything” includes His own sovereignty. He is, therefore, able to choose to limit His choices so that we may have a measure of free will.4 God’s providence does not eliminate freedom, but rather necessitates it due to His desire for a companionate world. If God allowed no possibility for vice, there could be no virtue. There can be no true love or obedience apart from the choice to rebel; no real responsibility without a response ability. God does not will for evil, but allows its possibility.5 It is not His will that any perish, but that all come to repentance,6 but many will end up in Hell despite His wishes.7 The tendency of fallen humanity is only sin (and, only a “primordially good” freedom can morally “sin”), but even so, God continues with merciful alternatives to the “original plan,” which were prepared before the world began.8 God’s foreknowing in no way necessitates action, it simply knows. I see the sun, but do not cause its shining. He foresees our sin, but does not cause it.9
Prevenient Grace:
Though no fallen creature left to oneself has the ability to obey God,10 one is still morally responsible before God. This is because no person is “left to oneself”; God has sovereignly given His irresistible, prevenient grace to all. This grace gives witness of God’s attributes, an inscription of His moral Law on our hearts, and an ability to discern between sinful desires and His Law. Prevenient grace also gives everyone a measure of free will enabling ability to respond positively to God or to not.11 It is the resisting of that God-given ability that incurs responsibility for sin due to one’s refusal of this ability to respond God’s way.
The Wesleyan doctrine of prevenient grace unlocks the initial seeming mystery of man’s free will in the context of God’s sovereignty. God sovereignly initiates through the irresistible gift of prevenient grace, which enables one to choose what is right in God’s sight. And, being sovereign over His own sovereignty, He enables one to then choose to acquiesce to His will or to resist it and choose sin. Having this ability from God, one is now both responsible for one’s choices and is unfounded in any boasting, since one could not choose anything good apart from this gift of grace. God’s knowing what one will choose beforehand (but not causing it) allows Him to have plans at the ready to enact upon one’s choosing. Thus, through this doctrine, God’s sovereignty is preserved, man’s responsibility is explained in light of that sovereignty, and God’s non-causal foreknowledge allows for His working together of all things for good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.12
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1 Michael Peterson, Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 173.
2 William Hasker, Metaphysics: Constructing a Worldview (Nottingham: Inter-Varsity Press,1983), 46.
3 Michael Peterson, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, New York:Oxford University Press, 2007), 380.4 James H. Railey, Jr. and Benny C. Aker, “Theological Foundations,” in Systematic Theology, ed. Stanley M. Horton (Springfield:Logion Press, 2002), 48n 23.
5 Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine, (Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1994), 114.
6 2 Peter 3:9, NASB.
7 Ibid., Revelation 21:8, etc.
8 Thomas C. Oden, Systematic Theology: The Living God (Peabody:Hendrickson, 1987), 306.
9 Scriptural Christianity, 260
10 Ibid., 243.
11 Kenneth Collins in Steven Tsoukalas, “Preveient Grace and Human Will.”
12 Romans 8:28, NASB.
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