God instructed Israel concerning His way of life and urged them to make right choices, making it clear they were held accountable for the choices they made: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

God works the same way with us today. Once He extends His invitation or calling that person must choose whether to respond, and continue to be faithful.

There are some who will argue God is omniscient, and knows in advance what choice people will make, but this view is not biblically supported. God does not force His Spirit on anyone. 2 Corinthians 5:10 shows we are all to appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ to be judged according to what we have done. If God had predetermined our judgment, this would make no sense.

Just as a parent has an idea what choices his children will make in a given situation, God has a good idea what people—His children—will do. But having an idea about what choice people will make is far different from predetermining it. Because God has granted mankind free choice, He cannot know what our individual choices will be until we actually make them.