Reconciling God’s Sovereignty With Man’s Free Will, Part One
Introduction, Overview, And Clarification
Few theological tensions have stirred as much discussion, reflection, and controversy as the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. I distinctly remember debating this with my undergraduate peers, and have yet to experience a conversation where one side of the relationship doesn’t need to be addressed. How can God be absolutely sovereign—directing all things according to His will—while simultaneously holding human beings accountable for their choices? Is there a way to faithfully affirm both truths without compromising either?
We will seek to explore this profound and perennial question through historical, theological, and biblical lenses. Drawing on the wisdom of Church Fathers, the insights of the Reformers, and the witness of Scripture, we will examine how these seemingly paradoxical realities are compatible and essential to a robust Christian worldview.
Whether you are a student of theology, a pastor, or simply a thoughtful believer, this series invites you to wrestle with divine mystery—not to unravel it, but to embrace it. For in doing so, we do not diminish God’s glory or man’s dignity, but rather stand in awe of the God who ordains and empowers, who governs and invites, and who reveals truth not in contradiction, but in divine harmony.
In this first post, we will introduce the topic as well as clarify terms, building a foundation for the rest of the conversation, ultimately building to what I suggest for a “solution.”
Introduction
The intricacies of man’s daily choices are staggering. It is deciding what to eat for breakfast, what to wear for the day, and what time to leave for work, which occurs before 7:30 A.M. for most people. Consider the rest of the day’s decisions, and it becomes apparent that options abound for the average individual. Yet, for the individual who has placed their faith in God, where does he fit into the equation? Is he planning each motion down to the jot and tittle, standing idly by, or maybe even somewhere between the two? The conversation regarding the tension at play between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will emerges at this point.
Before expounding upon both concepts, offering introductory definitions of what each means is crucial. Thai and Breshears offer the best explanations in their book Boundaries of Freedom: The Quantum Proposal of Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility. They define the sovereignty of God as “God’s control over all things, directing every process and ordering every event for the fulfilling of his sovereign will, though he may choose to let certain events happen according to natural laws which he has ordained,” and the free will of man as, “[people] are self-determined free agents, not (ultimately) subject to forces outside of our control and to external impediments.” [1]
This begs the question, however: how can God’s sovereignty be reconciled with man’s free will? Are the two at odds with one another, or is there a compatibility that exists? This paper will argue that the sovereignty of God and the free will of man, while seemingly paradoxical, are harmoniously reconciled in light of God’s infinite nature and his self-revelation in Scripture.
Overview And Clarification
While the previously mentioned brief definition gives a decent idea of what lies within the juxtaposition and reconciliation of God’s sovereignty and human freedom, it is necessary to further flesh out the finer details of the two components prior to investigating their historical, theological, and biblical development. If left untouched at this point, there is a high likelihood for confusion, misinterpretation, and an inadequate view of both God and man. Therefore, such an endeavor will only serve to enhance clarity and discern how crucial it is that believers apply both concepts within their daily lives.
Sovereignty of God
God’s sovereignty, often called “providence,” pertains to God’s absolute rule and control over all creation. This includes his creating works, sustaining actions, and guiding motions, all for the goal of the creation meeting his intended purposes. Concerning this goal, Johnson writes, “An event is predestined when it occurs as the result of God’s decision that it take place in the way that it does.”[2] God's providential movement begins with his eternal decrees, the driving force behind what proceeds and occurs as well as the confirmation that God’s plans are not haphazard.[3] Scripturally speaking, while there is no explicit use of the word “providence” within the canon, the concept is present and active as God’s works and words are recorded across history.[4] God’s actions, declarations, and influence undergird the timeline of Scripture, weaving a scarlet thread from Genesis to Revelation that demonstrates his power and might. It is he who, as the old children’s song says, “has the whole world in his hands,” working and moving in such a way that can only be accomplished and carried out by the divine. A cursory search returns such passages as Isaiah 46:8-10 ESV, where the prophet records that God “[declares] the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’”; Romans 13:1, where Paul writes that “governing authorities… have been instituted by God”; and Ephesians 1:11, where Paul also writes that God “works all things according to the counsel of his will.”.
Free Will of Man
In contrast to God’s sovereignty, man’s freedom, often called “human responsibility,” which will be the favored word choice moving forward to demystify and clarify direction, points to man’s capacity to make choices and decisions of his own accord. Carson explains that “‘[r]esponsibility’ here means a personal relationship of obligation and accountability toward (usually) God. That the relationship is personal and accountable presupposes some measure of real freedom.”[5] This human responsibility comes because of man’s being made in the image of God, retaining and displaying portions of his imparted character, like rationality and moral action, yet only to a degree.[6] Scripturally, the responsibility of man to make decisions is almost necessarily implied, as God speaks through his messengers and stories of man acting seemingly of his own volition. A simple search surfaces passages such as Deuteronomy 30:19, where Moses tells the younger Israelite generation that the choice of “life and death, blessing and curse” has been set before them through the presentation of the Law; Joshua 24:15, where Joshua tells the Israelites in the promised land that they must “choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell”; and Romans 1:21-27, where Paul outlines the unrighteous decisions and actions of those who deny God, stating that “[A]though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
[1] Lee Thai and Gerry Breshears, Boundaries of Freedom: The Quantum Proposal of Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility (Eugene, Oregon: Resource Publications, 2019).
[2] Keith L. Johnson, Theology as Discipleship (InterVarsity Press Academic, 2015), 48.
[3] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 440-441.
[4] D. A. Carson, Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2002), 3–4.
[5] Carson, Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension, 3.
[6] Aku Visala, “Theology, Free Will, and the Skeptical Challenge from the Sciences,” Theology and Science 18, no. 3 (2020): 392. https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2020.1786218.