{"id":3355,"date":"2021-08-25T07:48:44","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T12:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nazarenespace.com\/blog\/?p=3355"},"modified":"2023-08-14T07:28:34","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T12:28:34","slug":"freewill-vs-predestination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nazarenespace.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/25\/freewill-vs-predestination\/","title":{"rendered":"Freewill vs Predestination"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Freewill vs Predestination
By
James Trimm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Essenes believed strongly in Predestination:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026the sect of the Essenes affirm that fate governs all things,<\/em>
and that nothing befalls men but what is according to its<\/em>
determination.<\/em>
(Josephus; Ant. 13:5:9)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the God of Knowledge comes all that is and shall be.<\/em>
Before ever they existed He established their whole design,<\/em>
and when, as ordained for them, they come into being, it is<\/em>
in accord with His glorious design that they accomplish their<\/em>
task without change. \u2026<\/em>
(1QS 3:15f)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However the Pharisees had a more moderate view:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they say that all things happen by fate,<\/em>
they do not take away from men the freedom<\/em>
of acting as they think fit; since their notion<\/em>
is that it has pleased God to mix up the decrees<\/em>
of fate and man\u2019s will, so that man can act<\/em>
virtuously or visciously.<\/em>
(Josephus; Ant. 18:1:3)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mishna gives the Pharisaic view as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things are foreknown,<\/em>
but freewill is given.<\/em>
\u2013 m.Avot 3:16<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the primary \u201cpredestination\u201d schools in Christendom is known as \u201cCalvinism\u201d. \u201cCalvinism\u201d is actually a term which refers to all of Calvin\u2019s teachings however it has come to be used primarily to refer to Calvin\u2019s teaching of \u201cpredestination\u201d. After Calvin\u2019s death his followers formulated his teachings into five basic points called \u201cthe Five Points of Calvinism\u201d which they compare to the five pedals of a tulip. Calvinists use the word
TULIP as a memory device for these five points by making the following acronym:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[T]<\/strong>otal depravity of man
[U]<\/strong>nconditional election
[L]<\/strong>imited atonement
[I]<\/strong>rresistable grace
[P]<\/strong>erseverence of the Saints<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this paper we will discuss the first four of these in depth, though not in the same order as TULIP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvanist thinking goes something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elohim is ultimately sovereign and all powerful while man is totally depraved. As a result man cannot resist Elohim. Since all men are not saved, but the \u201celect\u201d are saved, Elohim has only willed certain men to be saved, while others he has willed to be damned. If the all powerful irresistible Elohim has called a man to be saved, then he will be saved. By contrast if the all powerful irresistible Elohim has not called a man to be saved, then that
man will never (and can never) be saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK now lets show the fault in the \u201cTULIP logic\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Calvinist concept of Elohim\u2019s soveregnty is that he is irresistible. That no man could ever resist the will of Elohim. This is based on a flawed interpretation of Romans 9 as well as misunderstanding the key terms in the KJV \u201cforeknown\u201d, \u201cpredestined\u201d and \u201celect\u201d. We will discuss each of these in depth under another heading. However the scriptures plainly teach that man can and has at times resisted the will of Elohim. A prime
example appears in Acts 7:51:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026You men are always resisting the Ruach HaKodesh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If in fact the will of Elohim cannot be resisted by man, then all men would be saved. This is because the scriptures tell us that ALL men have been called by Him to salvation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026by the righteousness of one [Messiah]<\/em>
the free gift came upon all men<\/em>
unto the justification of life.<\/em>
(Rom. 5:18)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026our Eloah and Saviour;<\/em>
who will have all men to be saved,\u2026<\/em>
(1Tim. 2:3-4)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[YHWH is]\u2026not willing that any should perish,<\/em>
but that all should come to repentance.<\/em>
(2Pt. 3:9)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact it seems that these three verses, coupled with the concept of \u201climited atonement\u201d (i.e. that only some men will be saved) actually disproves Calvinism. Since Elohim has willed all men to be saved, yet only some of them will be saved, it stands to reason that some of these men resist his will and are damned by their own choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One major problem with Calvinist thinking is that it is deeply rooted in Replacement Theology. One key term that is central to Calvinism is \u201cthe Elect\u201d. But what is the difference between the \u201cElect\u201d and the \u201cChosen\u201d? None at all. The KJV translates the same Hebrew and Greek words as \u201cChosen\u201d or \u201cElect\u201d depending on the mood of the translator, or more likely so as to imply that the \u201cElect\u201d is the \u201cChurch\u201d. For example if you compare 1Pt. 2:9 with Is. 43:20 and Deut. 10:15 you swill see that the \u201cElect\u201d of 1Pt. 2:9 is drawn from Tanak passages about the \u201cChosen\u201d people Israel in Is. 43:20f and Deut. 10:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now if we are good Bereans (Acts 17) we will check the scriptures, the Tanak to see what Paul and other \u201cNew Testament writers\u201d are saying. If we do so we will see that clearly the term \u201cElect\/Chosen\u201d refers not to \u201cthe Christian Church\u201d but to Israel (Deut. 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; Is. 41:8-9; 42:1;43:20f; 45:4; 65:9, 22 & Ps. 135:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now the misunderstanding of the Elect as the Christian Church has created a problem in logic that has helped to support Calvinism. By must Christian theology the Christian Church is made up of all believers in \u201cJesus Christ\u201d. But this seems to conflict. If the term \u201cthe Elect\u201d refers to the Christian Church then it implies not that they chose Elohim, but that Elohim chose them. The Calvinist resolution is that Elohim chose a certain class of people who would choose Elohim because Elohim predestined them to do so. Thus they are the \u201cElect\u201d because Elohim chose them to be those who would choose him. The real resolution is that replacement theology is wrong in the first place. The term \u201cElect\/Chosen\u201d is a euphemism for Israel and not the Christian Church at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A keystone to Calvinist thinking is Romans 9. Since Calvinists has so misunderstood this chapter we will cover it in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The topic of Romans 9 is to reassure Paul\u2019s readers. He has just told them that Elohim has predestined believers to be conformed to the image of the Son (which in no way indicates the doctrine of predestination as explained above). He has just been telling them about the promise of redemption. But what good is that promise. Did he not make promises to Israel? In Romans 9 thru 11 Paul will explain that YHWH will indeed be faithful in keeping his promises to Israel. However this has cause Paul to cover a parenthetical thought. This thought is to explain to his readers that Elohim had the right to Choose Israel. Notice the term \u201cElection\u201d in 9:11 refers to Israel NOT the Christian Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the next few verses Paul will justify Elohim\u2019s right to make Israel his chosen people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Rom. 9:11-16 Paul cites Gen. 25:23 and Mal. 1:2-3 to express that Elohim chose to have his chosen linage to pass through Jacob rather than Esau. It must be noted that this resulted from Esau selling his birthright to Jacob of his own freewill (Gen. 25:24-34). Elohim \u201chated\u201d Esau for not cherishing his birthright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Rom. 9:17-18 Paul refers to Elohim\u2019s sovereignty when he hardened Pharaoh\u2019s heart. Paul here quotes Ex. 9:16 and is referring to the material in Ex. 9:15-17. The Calvinist misunderstanding here comes from a lack of understanding the idiom Biblical Hebrew. Ex. 4:21 & 9:16 are examples of a common Hebrew idiom in which an active verb is used to express not the doing of a thing, but permission to do it. Another example of this idiom is found in Jer. 4:10:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then said I: \u2018Ah, Adonai YHWH! surely<\/em>
You have greatly deceived this people and<\/em>
Yerushalayim, saying: You shall have peace;<\/em>
whereas the sword reaches unto the soul.\u2019<\/em>
(Jer. 4:10 HRV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meaning not that YHWH deceived them but that he ALLOWED them to be deceived.
(other examples of this idiom: Mt. 6:13a; 2Thes. 2:11; Rom. 1:24-26; Zech. 1:10b).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of Pharaoh we have a man who was not a believer (Ex. 5:2) and who hardened his own heart (Ex. 8:11, 15, 28; 9:7). Paul simply refers to this story to show that Elohim had the sovereign right to allow Pharaoh to harden his own heart of his own freewill. This concept is also taught in the Talmud:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the way in which a man wishes to walk he is guided.<\/em>
(b.Mak. 10b)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If one goes to defile himself, openings are made for him;<\/em>
and if he goes to purify himself, help is afforded him.<\/em>
(b.Shabb. 104a)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a man defiles himself a little, he becomes much defiled:<\/em>
[if he defile himself] below, he becomes defiled from above;<\/em>
if he defile himself in this world,<\/em>
he becomes defiled in the world to come.<\/em>
Our Rabbis taught: Sanctify yourselves,<\/em>
therefore, and be ye holy:<\/em>
If a man sanctify himself a little,<\/em>
he becomes much sanctified.<\/em>
[If he sanctify himself] below,<\/em>
he becomes sanctified from above;<\/em>
if he sanctify himself in this world,<\/em>
he becomes sanctified in the world to come.<\/em>
(b.Yoma 39a)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elohim, has the sovereign right to further harden the heart of the man who has chosen himself to harden his heart. This does not conflict with freewill, it is an amplification of freewill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elohim hardened Pharaoh\u2019s heart further because Elohim had made Israel his Chosen people Egypt. The point of the story here is that Elohim chose to reveal himself to Israel, typified by Moses, while allowing Egypt (typified by Pharoah) to harden their hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally in Rom. 9:19-23 Paul recounts the parable of the potter and the clay. This is a common parable in Jewish literature. It also appears in Is. 29:16; 45:9; Jer. 18:1-10 and Wisdom 12:12, 20; 15:7). In this parable the potter is Elohim and the clay is mankind. The point of the parable is that Elohim is sovereign over mankind and therefore has the right to make the Jews his chosen people. This is revealed as the meaning of the parable in Rom. 9:24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some important points about this parable overall. Jeremiah reminds us that Elohim responds to our freewill in exercising sovereignty over us (Jer. 18:8, 10) and actually condemns those who ascribe this to fate\/predestination by stating that we have a freewill (Jer. 18:12) a point Paul also seems to agree with in speaking of allegorical vessels in 2Tim. 2:20-21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus the purpose of Romans 9 is to justify Elohim\u2019s right to choose the Jewish people as his Chosen people (Elect) and NOT to teach the Calvinist concept of predestination and an Elect Christian Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two words which are translated three ways in the KJV these are Strong\u2019s Greek number 4309 Translated \u201cpredestined\u201d and Strong\u2019s Greek number 4267 translated \u201cforeknow\/foreknew\u201d in Rom. 8:29 and 11:2 but as \u201cforeordained\u201d in 1Pt. 1:20.
(this word appears in Acts 2:23; 15:18 = Amos 9:11-12; Rom. 8:29; 11:2 & 1Pt. 1:20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First we will address the issue of \u201cforeknowledge\u201d. Judaism maintains this concept as the Mishna says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things are foreknown,<\/em>
but freewill is given.<\/em>
\u2013 m.Avot 3:16<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreknowledge is simply the concept that Elohim foreknows the future, and does not require that he predestine the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A heathen said to Rabbi Joshua,<\/em>
\u201cYou believe that God knows the future?\u201d<\/em>
\u201cYes,\u201d replied the Rabbi.<\/em>
\u201cThen,\u201d said the questioner, \u201cwherefore is it written,<\/em>
\u2018The Lord said, I will destroy everything which<\/em>
I have made, because it repents me that I have made<\/em>
them?\u2019 Did not the Lord foresee that man would<\/em>
become corrupt?\u201d<\/em>
Then said Rabbi Joshua, \u201cHave you children?\u201d<\/em>
\u201cYes,\u201d was the answer.<\/em>
\u201cWhen a child was born, what did you?\u201d<\/em>
\u201cI made a great rejoicing.\u201d<\/em>
\u201cWhat cause had you to rejoice?<\/em>
Do you not know that they must die?\u201d<\/em>
\u201cYes, that is true; but in the time of enjoyment<\/em>
I do not think of the future.\u201d<\/em>
\u201cSo was it with God,\u201d said Rabbi Joshua.<\/em>
\u201cHe knew that men would sin; still that<\/em>
knowledge did not prevent the execution of<\/em>
his beneficent purpose to create them.\u201d<\/em>
(Gen. Rabba 27:4)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next is the word \u201cforeordain\u201d in 1Pt. 1:20. As we have already shown this same word is elsewhere translated simply as \u201cforeknow\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally we reach the keyword \u201cpredestined\u201d This word appears five times in the KJV. However in none of its usages does it actually refer to the doctrine of \u201cpredestination\u201d as understood in Calvinism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rom. 8:29-30 says only that believers are predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son, not that they were predestined to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eph. 1:5, 11 says only that believers are predestined to have a life in the world to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These passages in the KJV use the word \u201cpredestined\u201d but do not at all teach the concept of \u201cpredestination\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should be noted that the Aramaic of these passages actually has the phrase \u201cmarked from before\u201d which implies only marking and not predestination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Calvinist concept of the total depravity of man is largely rooted in a misunderstanding of Jn. 6:44, 64-65 which states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No man can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this is true, Calvinists have totally ignored a whole series of other passages which tell us that God has called all men to him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026by the righteousness of one [Messiah]<\/em>
the free gift came upon all men<\/em>
unto the justification of life.<\/em>
(Rom. 5:18)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026our Eloah and Saviour;<\/em>
who will have all men to be saved,\u2026<\/em>
(1Tim. 2:3-4)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[YHWH is]\u2026not willing that any should perish,<\/em>
but that all should come to repentance.<\/em>
(2Pt. 3:9)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trick is that they must respond by their own freewill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It remains to be said that the doctrine of predestination is totally counter-Torah. Freewill is an important element of Torah as well as freedom\/liberty. Without freewill there is no real freedom\/liberty. The Tank tells us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So shall I keep your Torah continually forever and ever,<\/em>
And I will walk in freedom: for I seek your precepts.<\/em>
(Psalm 119:44-45)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as by Ya\u2019akov HaTzadik (James the Just) who called the Torah \u201cthe Torah of freedom\u201d (James 1:25; 2:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeshua said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 if you continue in my word,<\/em>
then are you my disciples indeed.<\/em>
And you shall know the truth,<\/em>
and the truth shall make you free.<\/em>
(John 8:31-32)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Ps. 119:142:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026your Torah is truth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the Torah makes one free. Freedom requires freewill. Freewill is constantly reflected in the Torah. The following are just a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen. 2:16 \u2013 Adam could FREELY eat of any tree in the garden except one. Adam CHOSE to eat that fruit as well anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ex. 5:2; 8:11, 15, 28; 9:7 \u2013 Elohim allowed Pharaoh to harden his heart (see expatiation of idiom under Rom. 9 above)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lev. 1:3 \u2013 Freewill offerings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Num. 13-14 Ten of the 12 spies and the majority of the people chose not to enter the promised land. God yielded to their choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deut. 11:26-28; 28:1; 30:15 \u2013 Elohim has set two choices before us, giving us the choice to follow his Torah or rebel against it. In the Midrash Sifre to this passage there is an interesting explanation to these passages from Deuteronomy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse\u2019<\/em>
(Deut 11: 26). Why is this stated, since it has likewise<\/em>
been said, \u201cSee, I have set before you this day life and<\/em>
good, and death and evil\u201d (Deut. 30:15)? Perhaps the<\/em>
Israelites will say, \u201cSince God has set before us two ways,<\/em>
the way of life and the way of death, we can walk in<\/em>
whichever of them we like.\u201d Therefore it is taught,<\/em>
\u201cChoose life that thou may live, thou and they seed\u201d<\/em>
(Deut. 30:19). There is a Parable of a person who was<\/em>
sitting at the cross-roads, before whom two paths branced<\/em>
out. The beginning of one was plain and its end full<\/em>
of thorns;the beginning of the other was thorny and its<\/em>
latter part plain. He used to warn the passers-by and say<\/em>
to them, \u201cYou see this path that its beginning is plain<\/em>
and for two or three steps you walk in comfort, but<\/em>
at its end you meet with thorns. You also see the other path<\/em>
the beginning of which is thorny; for two or three steps<\/em>
you walk through thorns, but in the end you come to a<\/em>
straight road.\u201d Similarly said Moses to Israel,<\/em>
\u201cYou see the wicked prospering; for two or three days<\/em>
they prosper in this world, but in the end they will be<\/em>
thrust out. You also see the righteous in trouble; for two<\/em>
or three days they suffer in this world, but in the end they<\/em>
will have occasion for rejoicing\u201d\u2019<\/em>
(Sifre Deut. 86a)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important also to cover the pagan origins of the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. According to the World Book Encyclopedia:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A belief in some form of predestination is found\u2026<\/em>
in the ancient religions of Greece, China, India and Egypt.<\/em>
(Vol. 15 p. 659; 1975 edition)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Greeks and Romans believed that reality was weaved out by three goddesses called \u201cfates\u201d who spun out mens lives like thread. The ancient Scandanavians believed this also calling them \u201cnorns\u201d. Predestination is in fact the Hellenistic philosophy called \u201cFatalism\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doctrine was first introduced into Christianity by the Catholic writer Augustine (354-430 C.E.) (ibid vol. 15 p. 659) and was later expounded by another Catholic writer Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274 C.E.) (ibid). Protestants initially rejected the doctrine until it was reintroduced by John Calvin (1509-1564 C.E.) (ibid).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus this pagan doctrine made its way from Paganism into Catholicism and eventually into Protestantism. Now it seems to be raising its pagan head in Messianic circles as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvinism teaches a an Elohim who creates faulty humans and then punishes them for being exactly what he forced them to be by his own irresistible will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvinism makes Elohim ultimately guilty of every sin ever committed. By Calvinist thinking it would seem to be unjust to punish any person for any crime or sin since they were only following the irresistible will of Elohim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask a Calvinist: \u201cDo you believe in predestination because you chose to of your own freewill?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In closing I quote to passages, one from the Mishna the other from the \u201cNew Testament\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things are foreknown,<\/em>
but FREEWILL is given.<\/em>
\u2013 m.Avot 3:16<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion,<\/em>
but of your own FREEWILL.<\/em>
\u2013 Phil. 1:14 New American Standard<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as we read in Ben Sira (from the Apocrypha)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.<\/em>
Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.<\/em>
The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.<\/em>
He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his free will;<\/em>
If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.<\/em>
He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.<\/em>
Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.<\/em>
For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:<\/em>
And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.<\/em>
He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.<\/em>
(Ben Sira 15:11-20)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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I need to fill a $277 prescription for my wife by tomorrow, and rent will be due in just six days.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I continue this work of feeding the restoration, I very much need your help today. I cannot make bricks without straw.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week I received an email from our single largest contributor over the last two years, informing us that their business has been doing very poorly this year, and that they would have to cut back their donations considerably.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life has never been the same since my wife\u2019s late 2018 53 day hospitalization changed our lives forever. She came home disabled, chronically ill, and in chronic pain, and I became her care taker. As a result I lost a secular full time job I had at the time. When she first came out of the hospital people donated and we were making it. But once our predicament became old news, donations dried up, and by March 2019 we came very close to being evicted. Once we posted the eviction papers, donations came in again, and we were able to get the eviction dropped. With my wife\u2019s medical expenses (even after insurance) we were still running short every month. We were no quite making it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then in June of 2019 an individual with a thriving nationwide distribution business stepped in and began making regular donations that bridged the gap. Sometimes we had to reach out with an \u201cemergency alert\u201d still, but over the next two years plus, we made it, paying the rent on time. Now this supporter has no choice but to reduce (not eliminate) his support by about 80%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now is not the time to be moving backwards instead of forwards! Now is not the time to become complacent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This work takes hours of my time. As many of you know, my wife is very ill, and I spend most of my time at home as her caretaker. I work at a desk less than six feet from her bed. So I am in a position to dedicate many hours to this important work that I have been directed to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I also realize that it is not the activity of James Trimm alone who is responsible to do this work, it is all of us together who are charged with the responsibility of accomplishing this work. I very much look on the efforts of this restoration work as a cooperative one with each one of you. We are all joint heirs with Messiah and should always be about our Father\u2019s business. I am honored to be able to be partnered with truth seekers as this restoration of Scripture moves forward in fulfillment of prophecy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Trimm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Freewill vs PredestinationByJames Trimm The Essenes believed strongly in Predestination: \u2026the sect of the Essenes affirm that fate governs all things,and that nothing befalls men but what is according to itsdetermination.(Josephus; Ant. 13:5:9) From the God of Knowledge comes all that is and shall be.Before ever they existed He established their whole design,and when, as … Continue reading “Freewill vs Predestination”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nFreewill vs Predestination - NazareneSpace Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nazarenespace.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/25\/freewill-vs-predestination\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Freewill vs Predestination - 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