In regards to freewill vs. predestination, there are several distinctions to be made:
1. What God knows
2. What He causes to happen
3. What He doesn’t cause to happen
4. What He allows to happen
1. What God knows
God is omniscient and omnipresent. He is above time and space because He made time and space. He is not bound by them; they are bound by Him. He knows everything and there is nothing that He doesn’t know. In His foreknowledge (“foreknowledge” is used in human terms. To Him, it is all “knowledge” since He is above time), He does not limit freewill. God knew that Adam and Eve would sin, but did not stop them from exercising their free will. The weatherman, for example, knows it will rain, but does not cause it to rain. The prophets of the O.T. prophesied about the crucifixion of Christ, but they did not cause Him to be crucified.
2. What God Causes to happen
God causes good things to happen in response to prayers or to accomplish His purpose. For example:
a. “For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
b. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)”
Out of love, God may also allow or cause certain chastening to happen to lead us to repentance:
“Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Rev 3:19)
3. What God does not Cause to happen
God does not cause people to sin:
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man. but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” (James 1:13-14)
4. What God allows to Happen
God allows evil to happen because He respects free will. This is why there is evil in the wold. Free will inherently means that one can do good or evil:
- God may intervene to prevent evil, as a result of prayer and/or out of His mercy (see #2 above).
- Even the evil that takes place as a result of free will (which God does not cause but allows to happen), God causes to work out for good to those who love Him (see #2b above). As Joseph told his brothers:
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Gen 50:20)
- God will judge each person according to what he has done:
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Romans 2:6-7)
The word “destiny” can be used interchangeably with “fate”. Both can be understood as the “consequence” of free will:
“Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:17).
Those who work hard in life are “destined” to succeed. The lazy and idle are “destined” to fail. God typically does not intervene in such matters. Undeniably, God has given each person a set of abilities or circumstances (gifts and constraints with which one is born). Within those constraints, people choose their own “destiny” or “fate”. As a loving Father, God promises to provide for all His children’s needs if they seek Him first, but He respects their free will entirely. He does not make any of their personal daily decisions; neither does He “predestine” any of their long therm choices such as for a career, spouse, etc. He may help with, bless, and guide these decisions in response to prayer, but does not impose such decisions on anyone. Final choice (and its consequences) is always ours. Such is also the case in matters pertaining to salvation.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Rev 3:20)
How then do we understand the verse: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (Rom 8:29)? Because God knew beforehand those who would believe in Him, He “predestined” them. In other words, He pre-planned or prepared salvation for them, in response to their free choices, which He foreknew. The word “foreknew” is the key to understanding the word “predestined”. Likewise, Christ said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you” (John 14:3). How does He prepare a place for those who are not even yet born? Did He “predestine” some, apart from their will, to be saved? Of course not; in His foreknowledge, He knows all who by their free will would accept the message of salvation, and prepares a place for them. An analogy would be someone who plans (or cancels) a day at the park, based on the weather forecast. Such a decision has no bearing on the weather, and does not make the predicted forecast come true. Rather, the decision is made as a consequence of the foreknowledge of the weather, due to the forecast.
In summary, God knows all things, including the future. However, His “foreknowledge” does not interfere with free will, which He gives to all. Free will is the choice to do good or evil; all will be judged according to their works. People’s choices determine their “destiny” or “fate”, including their eternal salvation. Thus, an understanding of “predestination” where people’s life choices after birth, were already pre-decided for them by God, is not Biblical.