Sometimes when Christian’s attempt to square away man’s absolute free will with the doctrines predestination, the argument is made that since God knows all things, he predestined people to salvation based on who would or wouldn’t believe.

This seems to solve the problem at first. Because it makes us feel like we can understand God and his decisions—and in a way, gives us back our sense of control.

But Paul makes it crystal clear in his second letter to Timothy that grace was given in Jesus to the elect even before the beginning of time. And even that was not based on what anyone would eventually do, but what God would do.

2 Timothy 1:8-9:

“do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…”

People may continue to disagree with the reformed doctrines of predestination on understandable grounds. However, this attempted compromise simply doesn’t hold water.