Does God have free will?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Free will is the ability to make choices freely without being forced, influenced, or predetermined by outside forces. Both the Old and New Testaments clearly describe God as having absolute free will. That is, he has a free will that is not constrained by anyone or thing. This is in contrast with human free will which, while genuine, is constrained by our physical limitations, sinful desires, and God’s absolute freedom. Because of God’s absolute free will, we can trust Him, His plans, and His promises. God’s absolute free will also provides comfort during times of suffering and trials because we know that He is skillfully working out His good pleasure for our ultimate good and His glory. In a world full of uncertainty, God's absolute free will assures us that nothing is random or out of control.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God’s free will is “absolute free will,” meaning there are absolutely no external constraints on His will (Psalm 115:3; Psalm 135:6). Because God is God, He is unconstrained by creation and no one and nothing can thwart Him. That is in contrast with human free will, which is a “limited free will,” constrained by their physical limitations, sinful desires, and God’s overriding, absolute free will.
• Psalm 33 reveals that there is a clear distinction between God’s free will and man’s.
• While we are free to plan what we will do in the future, we are not free to make it happen (Proverbs 16:9). The way—or even if—it will happen is based entirely on God’s will in the matter.
• After Job is properly schooled for trying to put God on trial because of his suffering, he says, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Job understood that God does what He wills and doesn’t need to explain His reasoning to men. That is because He has absolute freedom as Creator.
• God says of Himself, “...I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose’” (Isaiah 46:9–10). God does His “good pleasure,” accomplishing what He had freely purposed to do.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Paul teaches that God has absolute free will even in salvation (Romans 9:14–18). We are called to respond with humility and trust (Romans 9:19–20).
• Believers are “predestined” (chosen) by God according to His free will (Ephesians 1:11).
• Paul does not deny our free will, telling us to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” however, quickly following that with “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12b–13). What we do as believers is God working out His will in and through us!

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God’s absolute free will reminds us that He is truly in control—and that we are not. In a world filled with uncertainty, suffering, and chaos, it is deeply comforting to know that everything unfolds according to God’s sovereign will and not by chance. Nothing thwarts His purposes, and no detail of our lives is outside His loving oversight. As hard as it may be to grasp, God’s free will includes His right to show mercy and bring salvation according to His perfect wisdom and goodness.

For believers, this truth should lead us to humble gratitude and worship. Our salvation was not earned or initiated by us—it was God who called, saved, and is working within us for His good pleasure. This assures us that we are secure in His hands, even when we struggle or suffer. Knowing that He chose to save us despite our unworthiness should compel us to live in obedience, holiness, and praise, trusting that His purposes will prevail.

At the same time, God’s sovereignty doesn’t cancel our responsibility. We are still called to repent, believe, and obey. Paul reminds us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” not because it depends on our efforts, but because “it is God who works in you.” That tension humbles us—we act, yet it is God who enables.

For those who do not yet believe, God’s absolute freedom to save should not lead to fatalism but to earnest dependence. Scripture teaches that no one can come to God unless He draws them, and yet Jesus also promises that “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” This means we must stop trying to earn God’s favor or control our own salvation. Instead, we must throw ourselves completely on His mercy, trusting that He will not reject a heart that genuinely turns to Him in repentance and faith. Coming to Jesus on His terms—not ours—is the evidence that He is already at work in us.

Ultimately, the doctrine of God’s free will in salvation leads us to worship, dependence, and awe. It magnifies His glory, confronts our pride, and draws us to rest fully in His sovereign, saving love.

UNDERSTAND

• Unlike human will, God’s will is never constrained by anything outside Himself.
• God’s free will governs all things.
• Although God’s free will impacts salvation, too, we are still responsible to respond.

REFLECT

• In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust that God is in complete control?
• How does knowing that God has absolute free will bring you comfort or conviction?
• When you consider that God’s will is always accomplished, how does that affect the way you respond to unanswered prayers, unexpected hardships, or delayed hopes?

ENGAGE

• How does God’s absolute free will challenge our modern ideas of fairness, and how should we respond to that tension?
• If God’s will cannot be thwarted, what does that mean for how we pray, plan, and make decisions?
• How can we encourage one another to hold onto both truths—that God is fully sovereign and that we are still responsible to repent, believe, and obey?