Predestination vs Free-Will & Evangelism vs Discipleship

The original question posed here is since we are predestined to be Christians, why is so much emphasis put on evangelism instead of discipleship?  In order to answer this question, we need to first look at the first part of the question, and view what the Biblical concept is of predestination vs free-will. This is a question that has been debated and discussed at length throughout the generations, so we are going to look at the different views that are held, as well as Scripture that those views use to support that view as well as Scripture that is used to oppose that view. 

View #1: God is the Master Puppeteer
This is the view that God is in heaven and He is pulling every single string. This is the complete view of predestination. That every thought we have, every action we make, has already been decided for us and we have no choice or free-will in life. 

Supporting Scripture

• There is no Scripture that supports this view. 

Opposing Scripture   

• James 1:13 ESV -- 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
• Job 1:22 ESV -- 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

View #2: God chooses to save certain people (elect)
This is one of the five points of Calvinism, Unconditional Election, which means that God will save whoever He wants to save, regardless of who they are or what they do. 

Supporting Scripture 

• Psalm 139:16 ESV -- 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
• Jeremiah 1:5 ESV -- 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
• Mark 13:20 ESV -- 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
  
• John 6:44 ESV -- 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
• John 15:16 ESV -- 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
• Romans 9 ESV
• Ephesians 1:4–5 ESV -- 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
• Ephesians 1:11 ESV -- 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
• John 1:13 ESV -- 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Opposing Scripture  

• Joshua 24:15 -- And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve....But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 
  
• Mark 8:34 -- And calling the crowd to Him with His disciples, He said to them, "If anyone would come after Me, let Him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."  
  
• Mark 16:16 -- "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."  
• John 1:12 -- But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God 
• John 7:17 -- If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority. 
•  Romans 10:13 -- For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 
•  2 Corinthians 5:15 -- and He has died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.  
• Galatians 5:13 -- For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 
•  1 Timothy 2:4 -- who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 
•  2 Timothy 2:26 -- and they may come to their sense and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. 
•  Titus 2:11 -- For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people 
• 2 Peter 3:9 -- The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any would perish, but that all would reach repentance 
•  1 John 2:2 -- He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
•  Revelation 3:20 -- Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me.

View #3: God chooses everyone, but we must also choose Him
This is the view that God has a desire that everyone be saved, but that in order to be saved we must also “choose” Him by receiving His gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

Supporting Scripture 

• Matthew 22:14 -- "For many are called, but few are chosen.” 
• This view also takes the same verses that support View #2, but they interpret them differently to mean that the elect are those who have responded to God’s call on them. 

Opposing Scripture 

• Mark 13:20 -- And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 
• John 6:44 -- No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him. 
• Ephesians 1:4-5 — even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will 
• Ephesians 1:11 — In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

 View #4: God takes a hands off approach, living in heaven just watching us on television

Supporting Scripture

• There is no Scripture that supports this view. 

Opposing Scripture

• Daniel 4:35 — All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  
• John 6:44 -- No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him.  
• John 15:16 -- You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you. 
• There are many other passages that talk about God being involved in our lives. 

So the question might remain, which view is correct? The answer is that God knows, and we can trust in Him. The personal belief of myself is that there is Biblical evidence that supports free will, us having a choice, but at the same time we see that God is at work and has specific calls for specific people. There is a mystery in it, and Scripture supports that we may not always know the answers to these questions. 

• Deuteronomy 29:29 -- "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the Words of His Law.” 
• 1 Timothy 3:16 -- Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: "He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, , seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” 
• Proverbs 25:2 -- It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.  
• Matthew 11:25-26 -- At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."

It is possible that after reading those passages, you land in one of those views specifically. That’s ok, because what we also see in God’s Word is the answer to the second part of the question, why do we focus on evangelism instead of only discipleship? The answer is because God has commanded us to “go” out into the world (evangelism) and “make disciples” (discipleship). 

• Matthew 28:19–20 ESV -- 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• Mark 16:15 ESV -- 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Jesus even shares a parable about sending out the harvesters into the harvest. 

• Matthew 9:37–38 ESV -- 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Paul tells us that he was sent to preach the Gospel

• 1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV -- 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV -- 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• 2 Timothy 2:24–25 ESV -- 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
• 2 Timothy 4:5 ESV -- 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
• Romans 10:14–15 ESV -- 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
• 1 Peter 3:15 ESV -- 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

The church is called to be the light of the world, and to go out and actively play a role in bringing souls to salvation in Jesus Christ. Being the church is not about just coming and sitting on a pew, but about actively obeying the commands of Christ.

So we are commanded to go and preach the Gospel, but it isn’t just about filling empty chairs or converting people to a belief in God, it’s about filling empty hearts with God, making disciples of Christ. 

Disciple: a follower of someone. The  disciples of Jesus gave up everything to follow their teacher

• Luke 14:26–27 ESV -- 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

The emphasis should never be on one of these aspects over the other, the church is called to do both. 

We are called to live life with others, pointing them towards Jesus.

• 2 Timothy 2:2 ESV -- 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
• Ephesians 4:16 ESV -- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

So back to the question, are we predestined or do we have free-will? Both, because the Bible discusses both, and it is wrapped up in the mystery of God.  Should we focus on evangelism or discipleship? Both, because the Bible commands us to do both. To evangelize is to disciple someone, and to disciple someone is to evangelize. They are one and the same thing, we cannot do one without involving the other. 

Here are 5 steps to evangelize and disciple someone.

• Step #1: Preach the Word
  
  • 2 Timothy 4:2 ESV -- 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
    
• Step #2: Continue to preach the word
  
  • 2 Timothy 4:2 ESV -- 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
    
• Step #3: Once they receive salvation, walk alongside them
  
  • Ephesians 4:16 ESV -- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
    
• Step #4: Always make it about the Gospel
  
  • Romans 1:16 ESV -- 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
    
• Step #5: Don’t rely on your abilities, rely on God
  
  • 1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV -- 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
    
  • 1 Corinthians 2:4–5 ESV -- 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.