What does the Bible say about being forced to be saved and what verse can I find it in?

by Jessica Bullin
(North Carolina)

Rick Brentlinger Answers

The Bible never states that anyone is forced to get saved. Scripture is clear that human beings have freewill to serve God or not serve God.

Calvinists (Christians who follow the teaching of the Protestant Reformer John Calvin, also known as Monergists) teach that God does "force" people to get saved.

They reason that God chose to save only some people, that Jesus only died for the people He chose and that in order for the chosen few to get saved, God must save them against their will (force them to get saved) and then and only then, are they capable of believing on Jesus.

That false teaching is never presented as fact in the Bible. According to the Bible, everyone has free will to accept or reject salvation.

Jesus said to folks who rejected Him:

"And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." John 5:40

Yet Jesus also said:

"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Salvation is freely available to anyone who repents (changes his mind about sin) and receives Jesus Christ as Savior.

Verses which mention freewill

Lev 22:18 - "Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;"

Lev 22:21 - "And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein."

Lev 22:23 - "Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted."

Lev 23:38 - "Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD."

Num 15:3 - "And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock:"

Num 29:39 - "These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings."

Deu 12:6 - "And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:"

Deu 12:17 - "Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:"

Deu 16:10 - "And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:"

Deu 23:23 - "That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth."

2 Ch 31:14 - "And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things."

Ezra 1:4 - "And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem."

Ezra 3:5 - "And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD."

Ezra 7:13 - "I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee."

Ezra 7:16 - "And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:"

Ezra 8:28 - "And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers."

Psalm 119:108 - "Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments."

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