Does not such an understanding destroy the reality of human freedom and responsibility? If by "freedom" we understand the ability of man to destroy God's plan at will, then man does not have such a possibility. God will certainly accomplish what He has determined to do (Isaiah 14:24). If the existence of free will implied that some sluggish angel, nimble demon, or sinful man could frustrate God's eternal plan, then it would be impossible to speak of any of God's promises, and the universe would plunge into chaos, from which no one and nothing could save us. In order that we may not be tormented by vain fears in this regard, the Scriptures repeatedly indicate that people, acting according to their own will, do only that which is predestined for them to do in God's pre-eternal plan. At the same time, people decide for themselves what to do, and they are responsible for their choices, they are in no way puppets. But whether they want it or not, whether they believe it or not, they do exactly what His hand and His counsel have ordained to be; In this way, God turns the snares of evil people and demons, against their will, to the fulfillment of His good purposes. By this truth the Apostles were strengthened for the fearless preaching of the Gospel: For verily Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, are gathered together in this city against Thy holy Son Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, to do that which Thy hand and Thy counsel have ordained to be. And now, O Lord, look upon their threats, and let Thy servants speak Thy word with all boldness (Acts 4:27-29).

The prophets of the Old Testament also pointed to God's absolute dominion over all creation: the pagan kings who attacked God's people were instruments of His judgment, and those who protected them were instruments of His mercy. I will give just a few examples, although this teaching permeates the entire Bible: And it will come to pass, when the Lord has done all His work on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, He will say, I will behold the success of the haughty heart of the king of Assyria, and the vanity of his eyes lifted high. He says, "By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I have done this, because I am wise; And I set up the boundaries of the nations, and plundered their treasures, and cast them down from their thrones like a giant; and my hand has seized the wealth of the nations as nests; and as the eggs left in them are taken away, so I have taken away all the earth, and no one has moved a wing, nor opened his mouth, nor squeaked."

Does the axe boast before him who cuts it? Does the saw take pride in front of the one who moves it? It is as if the rod rebels against the one who lifts it; As if a stick is being lifted on someone who is not a tree! (Isaiah 10:12-15).

Have you not heard that I have done this long ago, ordained it in ancient days, and now I have fulfilled it by laying waste to fortified cities, turning them into heaps of ruins? (2 Kings 19:25).

For the sake of Jacob my servant, and of Israel my chosen one, I have called you by name, I have honored you, although you did not know me (Isaiah 45:1-4).

As C. S. Lewis famously put it, a good man serves God as a son, an evil man as an instrument. To some, it may seem that such a view of God's sovereignty destroys the moral value of human actions. But this problem exists only in our finite logic, not in reality. For who was freer than our Lord Jesus Christ? Who among the faithful will doubt that He gave Himself up of His own free will for the ransom of many? For He Himself says: Therefore the Father loves Me, that I lay down My life, that I may receive it again. No one takes it away from Me, but I Myself give it away. I have the power to give it up, and I have the power to receive it again. This commandment I have received from My Father (John 10:17-18).

However, He was predestined to do what He did from the foundation of the world: knowing that you were redeemed not with perishable silver or gold from the vain life handed down to you from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a blameless and pure Lamb, predestined before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the last times for you (1 Peter 1:18-20).

Cm. See also Rev. 13:8. For He who predestined that we would be redeemed, also predestined that Christ would redeem us (Ephesians 1:4).

The temptation to deviate from His mission was real (Mark 14:26); the Lord's completely free decision to drink this cup was also real; nevertheless, He knew that His fate was predestined: the Son of Man, as it is written of Him, must suffer much and be humiliated (Mark 9:12).

Сын Человеческий идет по предназначению (Лк. 22:22). Сын Человеческий идет, как писано о Нем (Мф. 26:24).

См. также Мк. 14:21, 27. Так и в отношении нас действенно и то, и другое: мы сами делаем выбор и несем за него ответственность — притом, что Бог прежде создания мира предопределил, каким он будет.

Рассмотрим еще один вопрос, который здесь может возникнуть: не предполагает ли такое безусловное предопределение некоторых людей ко спасению предопределения иных к осуждению? Писание не позволяет сделать такой вывод — прежде всего потому, что сам Бог неоднократно заявляет о Своем желании спасти всех людей (например, Мф. 18:14; 1 Тим. 2:4; Тит. 2:11). Писание нигде не говорит ни о каком предвечном предопределении к погибели, но всегда подчеркивает, что те, кто упорствуют в неверии и нераскаянии, делают это исключительно по собственной вине (Лк. 13:34; Деян. 13:46), а те, кто верует и кается, делают это исключительно по милости Божией (Ин. 6:44; 2 Тим. 2:25).

В то же, что некоторые ко злу божественной властью предопределены, не только не веруем, но даже если имеются такие, кто желают верить в таковое зло, со всяким отвержением им анафему изрекаем. (Заключение деяний II Аравсийского собора, составленное Цезарием, епископом Арелатским).

В этом есть нечто непостижимое для нашей логики: казалось бы, из того, что одним без всяких их заслуг предопределено уверовать и спастись, логически вытекает, что остальным предопределено не уверовать и погибнуть. Здесь мы можем только признать, что реальность не всегда укладывается в наши представления о логике. Приведу пример: один мой друг, физик, рассказывал мне о принципе неопределенности Гейзенберга: можно одновременно знать либо траекторию, либо скорость частицы, но никогда то и другое вместе. Это полностью противоречит моим представлениям о логике и здравом смысле; но это — верное описание сотворенной Богом реальности.