Review of Chosen but Free by Norm Geisler
INTRODUCTION TO THE Author AND BOOK
Described as "a cross between Thomas Aquinas and Billy Graham," Norman Fifty. Geisler has become a familiar name among Christians in both academic and lay circles every bit an ardent defender of the Christian worldview. He holds several degrees including an MA in theology from Wheaton College and a PhD in philosophy from Loyola University. Dr. Geisler has utilized his intellectual abilities in many capacities including professorships at Trinity Evangelical Seminary, Dallas Seminary, Southern Evangelical Seminary and Veritas Evangelical Seminary. He has lectured in all 50 states and in 26 countries on six continents[1].
One volume among the over 80 that Geisler has authored or coauthored has particularly made a ripple among the Christian community. Chosen Just Free is a succinct (326 pages) yet thorough handling of the ever present "problem" of reconciling two biblical truths: God'due south sovereignty and human free volition. The reason for his writing this book is twofold. Showtime, Geisler wishes to address a topic of great interest amidst Christians. He dedicates this book "To all my students who for the past fifty-1 years have asked more questions about this than any other topic." The other reason for addressing this topic, according to Geisler, is that ideas matter. Ideas lead to action, and what bigger idea can exist held than that of God?
SUMMARY AND CRITIQUE
In club to properly sympathize what it means to be Called But Free, Geisler offers this book equally "a comparison and contrast between 2 peachy theological 'ideas': divine sovereignty and human free will"[ii]. Sovereignty, as put forth in this work, is simply "the thought that God is in control of the whole universe"; free will is understood as "human responsibility and the power to make free choices"[3]. Afterward defining these terms, Geisler begins his assessment by first summarizing the farthermost sovereignty view.
Farthermost Sovereignty View
The extreme sovereignty view is held by what Geisler labels farthermost Calvinists—those who have out-Calvined the founder of the Calvinist tradition, John Calvin. Doubtlessly, these individuals would refer to themselves simply as Calvinists, just Geisler's point is that sure facets of the Calvinist tradition have gone across what Calvin himself professed[4].
If God's sovereignty is the notion that God is in control of the universe, the extreme sovereignty view puts God in consummate accuse over all including human being's "free" choices. According to God's absolute sovereignty, He has predetermined all that volition come up to pass including "the salvation of the elect and the damnation of the not-elect"[v]. Those predestined to glory are chosen past God's volition lonely in accord with His divine mercy. This view says that man is and then totally depraved that he is unable even to respond freely to the gospel of conservancy. The response of the elect comes only after the Holy Spirit imparts faith to believe. Because the depravity of man does not permit him to seek God or make whatsoever act of the will in the direction toward salvation, information technology is only out of sheer grace that God has chosen to save some. This grace is acted upon the elect irresistibly. Because this grace is given irresistibly, the elect are not free to choose otherwise. In like manner, the non-elect are predestined to eternal separation from God.
Evaluation of the Extreme Sovereignty View
Those who argue against extreme Calvinism have fourth dimension and again pointed out that the extreme sovereignty proposed by adherents seems to make God the writer of sin—something extreme Calvinists vehemently deny. For case R. C. Sproul says, "1 thing is admittedly unthinkable, that God could exist the author or doer of sin[6]. Sproul affirms this while belongings to extreme Calvinism. However, as Geisler points out, the ii are not compatible. If the desire to exercise skilful comes from God, and human is non complimentary to choose the proficient, and so like it or not God becomes the source of sin past not giving all the want for adept. "If the original perfect beast's will is neutral and is unmoved until God moves on it (having no sinful nature to move it toward sin), then at that place is only one person left in the universe to do it—God"[vii].
Extreme Free Will View
Geisler refers to the proponents of the extreme costless volition view as extreme Arminians. Arminianism is the opposite swing of the pendulum from Calvinism. Its origin lies in the theology of James Arminius and his followers who opposed Calvinism. This view was formally condemned by Calvinists at the Synod of Dort (1618-nineteen), and the fence has continued on into the nowadays.
Like to extreme Calvinism, extreme Arminianism carries Arminius's views further than he did by overemphasizing free volition to the detriment of God'south sovereignty. In this view the futurity is not determined by God merely is open to determination according to human's gratis choices. The elect are not individually predestined but corporately. "God has predestined the 'bus' (Christ) for sky. People can go on (salvation) of off (reprobate) by their own free choice"[viii]. Although sin has brought a level of depravity to human nature, the image of God is not totally effaced; hence, man is able to freely answer to the gospel of salvation. Different farthermost Calvinism which says Christ died but for the elect, this view understands Christ's decease to be for all mankind—"for God so loved the globe" (John 3:xvi). Because humans are free to benefit or evil, salvation is based on God's foreknowledge of who would freely choose him.
Evaluation of the Extreme Gratuitous Volition View
Proponents of the extreme free will view have a correct understanding of the origin of sin as a event of the true (and good) liberty of pick given past God. However, they err in other directions, most damaging of which is a diminishing of the nature of God. Historically, Christians (including both Calvin and Arminius) have dedicated a view of God which included affirming His complete sovereignty and omniscience. Extreme Arminians jettison God's perfect foreknowledge (omniscience) in favor of farthermost costless will, making human the author of God's foreknowledge. This is in direct opposition to Scripture: "Great is our Lord, and mighty in ability; His understanding is space" (Ps. 147:5 NKJV). In some other place the Bible says, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Heb. 4:13).
The Balanced View
Geisler offers a third alternative which he calls the classical view as it was the view held by such classical theists as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. The central to this counterbalanced view is an agreement of the nature of God. A properly conducted systematic theology will reveal a God who is a simple Being (as in the doctrine of divine simplicity), "all of whose attributes are one with His nature"[ix]. Why is this? Geisler answers, and gives the central to the classical view and reconciling this issue:
…considering anything that has parts tin always have more, merely at that place cannot be an space number of parts since 1 more can always be added, and at that place cannot be more than an infinite. But if God is simple (absolutely 1), then both foreknowledge and predetermination are one in Him. That is, whatever God knows, He determines. And whatever He determines, He knows. More properly, we should speak of God as knowingly determining and determinately knowing from all eternity everything that happens, including all costless acts[10].
If God were not elementary so foreknowledge and predetermination could exist compartmentalized with ane occurring logically prior to the other. This leads to the trouble of which is dependent upon which. The extreme costless volition position misrepresents God's omniscience. What God knows (and He knows all possible things including creaturely free choices) He intuitively knows at once in an eternal now. He is not dependent upon free creatures to gain knowledge by looking down the halls of time, then to speak. The extreme sovereignty view misrepresents God's nature also by making His predetermination occur independently of His foreknowledge rather than the two existence coordinate acts.
CONCLUSION
The farthermost views discussed attempt to resolve two biblical affirmations, that God predestined the elect and that God foreknew the elect. Extreme Calvinism says God predestined some, and because of His determining decision He foreknew who would "choose" Him. Extreme Arminianism reconciles the problem by saying God foreknew who would freely choose Him, and these He predestined to heaven. A solution to the problem seems to require more than than an exegesis of pertinent passages; it must be resolved by constructing "a comprehensive and consistent whole out of all revelation from God, whether special (biblical) or general (natural) revelation"[eleven]. From this consistent whole Norman Geisler presents the solution to the age-old problem of reconciling predestination and free will—the classical theistic understanding of the nature of God.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] More than detailed biographical information on Dr. Geisler tin exist found at http://www.normgeisler.com/about.
[2] Norman L. Geisler, Chosen But Free: A Balanced View of God's Sovereignty and Free Will, 3rd ed. (Minneapolis: Bethany Business firm, 2010), 13.
[three] Ibid., thirteen-14.
[4] Geisler addresses this topic in appendix 2 "Was Calvin a Calvinist?"
[v] Geisler, 16.
[6] R. C. Sproul, Chosen by God (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1986), 31.
[seven] Geisler, 36.
[8] Ibid., 112.
[nine] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology in One Volume (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2011), 13-14.
Source: https://logosphile.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/book-review-of-norman-geislers-chosen-but-free-a-balance-view-of-gods-sovereignty-and-free-will/
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