The relationship between Grace and Free Will is difficult for the human intellect. The mysteries concerning predestination, which we are about to partially address here, are not suitable for any sort of speculation. Study of it should be done with love of God and Truth and with humbleness because it is something we can grasp in part, but not perfectly, which leaves much potential for errors.
The main issue, if you have never considered it is: God is omniscient and omnipotent. God knows everything, including what we call the future (although I am not sure sure "future" is a word which truly makes sense in light of God's Nature). God knows, therefore, what choices we will make and how we will act and whether we are saved or not. God knew since the beginning. We have free will, and are able to choose God or reject God. God is all good and does not cause any to sin. We need God's grace to overcome sin and be saved.
Those facts are simple, the problem occurs when we try to "be like God" and how it all works. How can God be the means of salvation, while knowing our fate, and us having free will.
The problem is only when we try to be like God. It disappears when we trust in God. It is still difficult for the intellect, but it is not a problem any more than anything else our minds cannot grasp.
The term "reprobate" and "elect" are used used to describe those who are damned and those who are saved. We are not God therefore it is not for us to know who is which. That is why we are given "hope". Imagine if God revealed a future sin to us, would we do that sin because we knew it was inevitable anyway? Would we despair knowing we are foretold to sin? In general, we do not know. But we can see instances where such knowledge is revealed to man:
Matthew 26:34-35,75
Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to him: Yea, though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples....And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going forth, he wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:21-35
And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me. And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord? But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born. And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.
In this chapter, Jesus reveals to Peter that Peter would deny Jesus three times that night. Peter does not believe this and declares his intention never to do such a thing. Judas, who had already conspired to betray Jesus, also hears that Jesus knows of the deceit and that the fate of that person was horrible. Peter of course soon after denies knowing Jesus and weeps when he remembers what Jesus had said to him. Judas goes through which the plan to betray Jesus, despairs, and hangs himself. Now, it is improper to say that Jesus caused Peter to deny Jesus and caused Judas to hang himself. This revelation, public, of the future choices and fates of others is rare. The mystery of exactly what happened with Peter and Judas during their temporal lives during these events is difficult to comprehend. But it is not so foreign to us. We just do not realise it, much like Peter did not remember what Jesus said while he was denying him thrice.
Peter apparently did not realise he was denying Christ while he was doing so. Why? He was not prepared for what happened, that is why. He had good intentions, but he was human and either did not prepare for what happened, was caught up in the moment, did not envision denying Christ would be so mundane, and was generally lacking the vigilance of which Christ had repeated warned him during praying in the garden. This is one of the reasons why we need continual replenishment of God's grace. It is not because God is lacking, but because we are lacking. We need a daily examination of our life, a renewal of our commitment, and a constant feeding of our soul. If we deny our bodies food in life, the body suffers. If we deny our soul the grace of God, then our soul suffers. We are temporal and only in the end will we find eternity.
Consider what Jesus told Peter. Peter did not intend to deny Jesus and when he did, he wept, that is, he repented. Now, if Peter had not been to blame for those acts, he would not have wept. If God told me that because of a mental defect, I would lose all rational thinking and I would say words without knowing what I was saying and those words would be blasphemous, I would of course be sorrowful for the affliction, but I would not be concerned for the sin of blasphemy. One cannot sin without knowledge and intention and if I am irrational, then it is not my choice. So Peter repented for a choice he made, a choice he knew he was going to make, and a choice Jesus knew he was going to make. Yet, he was able to repent and receive forgiveness. What about Judas? Was his damnation his fault or God's? Logically, it must be his fault. But, Jesus himself told him he would be lost. Did Judas carry out the plan because of this? Why then did he despair? Anybody committed to sin usually does not despair like that. Most people know in their hearts fornication is wrong, but they overlook that and continue in their sin. They make excuses, they are presumptuous, and they are in sin. Judas knowing he was lost despaired, that is, he lost hope in God and denied himself the grace of God. He did not ask for forgiveness nor did he seek to amend. God knew this ultimate end of Judas. What is the exact relationship between Jesus's revelation to Judas to this sin is difficult to comprehend although it is clear that Jesus could not have caused evil and Judas's sin was his own choice.
Since we do not generally know, and we cannot know due to our human nature, what God knows, we have hope for salvation, but we do not have knowledge of it. In fact, if God were to ask me if I wanted to know my fate, I would say "no". If I knew I was elect, I could not stand it properly and would not be able to avoid sin therefore committing sins and the sin of presumption and therefore could not be saved, therefore I could not be elect, but reprobate, which would cause me to lose hope and despair. I cannot have that knowledge because it is not good for me. If I had perfect charity, love of God, I could have it. In fact, it is in cultivation of charity and prayer for increase in charity, that we find that most certainty of salvation. I do not know knowledge of my fate, but an increase in the love of God so I may more fully do what is good.
There is a reason why God is unable to be grasped by our minds. We say God is great, but we often expect God to be within our reach. A true understanding of God is not possible, but one can be more aware, therefore, understand to the extent we are capable, of the glory of God. God's love, justice, mercy, anger are infinite and we cannot grasp them. Contemplation of God's love should fill us with a never ending joy. Contemplation of God's justice should fill us with a fear only restrained by knowledge of God's mercy to those who show repentance. Are we filled with an urgency to repent and reform? Or are we content to be as we are?
Why would God give us so many opportunities for grace if we did not need it and what would be our fate if we rejected those opportunities by our own free will?
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