Calvinism Vs. Arminianism: Does God Have Free Will?

Does man have free will or does God have the absolute right to do with His creation as He desires? If God is the absolute ruler, then how free is man to make his own decisions? There is a widespread debate of whether or not we truly have free will. It is crucial to understand that sovereignty means supreme power or authority. This debate of Calvinism vs. Arminianism is one of the most troublesome debates in history. This paper illustrates that believing in God’s absolute sovereignty will lead us down the path that He has planned for us and we must trust in God beyond our ability to understand. It is not uncommon to see a verse in the bible talking about God’s sovereignty. Calvinism is the belief that God’s sovereignty is absolute and God
is in ultimate control no matter what the situation might be. According to the Calvinists, everything is predetermined by God. A verse to back up the Calvinist’s point of view on God’s sovereignty would be Matthew 19:26 “And looking upon them Jesus said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Arminianism is the belief that God’s control is limited and relates directly to man’s response. Armenians think that God has decreased his control over us; enabling us to have free will. In Psalms 135:6 it says, "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'”. This verse portrays the Arminianism point of view well because it states that the people of the earth are accounted as nothing. A communicable attribute is one that we can understand and experience such as knowledge and love.
An incommunicable attribute belongs to God alone. God’s sovereignty is an incommunicable attribute. Man cannot possess the attribute of sovereignty because only God has the right to maintain control over what he has created. In the story of King David, he drifted from God but still maintained trust in Him. God ended up using him for the glory of his kingdom. David realized God was guiding him and using him for His purpose. David learned to trust in His sovereignty. 1 Samuel 30:6 “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.” The Hebrew word for sovereignty is malku, which translates to “king, kingdom, reign, or royalty” (christinyou.net). Malku is most accurately translated to mean “kingdom”. John Calvin, the originator of Calvinism, popularized the word in the early 1500s (christinyou.net). Even though it was popularized in the 1500s, it dates back to the mid fourteenth century and comes from the Anglo-French sovereynete, meaning “authority, rule, supremacy in power or rank” (dictionary.com). This word cannot be used when describing man; it only relates to the
Godhead. I have experienced God’s sovereignty throughout my life in various ways.
When my parents got divorced, I had to understand that everything would ultimately work out for God’s glory. At the time of the divorce, I did not understand why this was happening, but as time went on, I realized God had a plan so I could meet my amazing step-parents and step-siblings. Currently, I am relating a lot to King David because I am not sure how God is going to direct my life, but I am trusting that he will lead me in the path that will ultimately glorify him best. The experiences I have had with His Sovereignty have greatly strengthened my faith because I have seen how God has turned my negative into a positive. It will further solidify my faith as I continue to trust in God to lead me on the right path. “God possessed the power to execute His plan and to realize this purpose” (Louis Berkhof. Systematic Theology. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), 374. This topic can easily convince or deter a person from believing in God. It could convince someone to become a Christian because it gives assurance that God will ultimately be in control instead of the person. This may bring comfort to someone who is constantly worried that they will fail. On the other hand, it may deter people who do not want to believe they are not in control, even though God has provided free will. That could easily scare someone away from believing in
God.
We are taught that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. However, the Bible also teaches that there is only one God. The Trinity is, in essence, three persons in one God. The Son is subordinate to the Father. The Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son. The Father signifies God’s role as the giver of life. He is our omnipotent and omnipresent creator and protector. God, the Father, is most commonly related to the sovereignty attribute because he is often portrayed as the supreme ruler who has complete control over the universe.
This attribute can lead to boundless affects in the daily lives of many individuals. God’s sovereignty is affecting every person on the earth right now in some way or another. For example, someone facing adversity would be more likely to question God, whereas someone whose life is going well would not think twice about not trusting God. It is hard for people to understand God’s reason for the adversity he places in our life. If the people challenged with adversity were informed about God’s sovereignty, then they would most likely trust that everything will work out for good. 1 Chronicles 29:12 “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone”.
Atheists do not believe in God’s sovereignty because they are not willing to believe God has total control. Most Christians believe fully in His sovereignty because they have faith in the end God will lead them done the righteous path. King David had overcome immense adversity through his trust in God’s sovereignty. We can look to King David’s experience and outcome when we find ourselves struggling to understand the plan God has for our life. 1 Samuel 17:47 “…The Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.”